by: Claro A. Lanipa
Pagadian City 20, June (PIA) – “Prevention is better than cure,” this is the key
message of Nephrologist Dr. Emerson Mondarte.
Dr. Mondarte was the lone guest during
the weekly PIA Media Forum held on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at Roxan Hotel, this
city in celebration of National Kidney Month this June with the theme “Ikaw at
Ako Panalo sa Malusog na Bato.”
The young nephrologist said kidney’s has
a multiple functions. Primarily, kidneys serves as the filtering machine in a
human body. Anything we eat, there is always a corresponding waste product,
even medications and herbal medicines, the kidneys will filter all these waste,
he explained.
Aside from filtering of waste products,
it also removes excess water from the human body. As a living organism we also
produce water in small amount in our metabolism, and it is also part of the
kidney function to excrete the excess water, Dr. Mondarte added.
Kidneys produces erythropoietin, it’s a
hormones that signals the bone marrow to produce or stimulates red and white
blood cells. Bone marrow is the factory of red and white blood cells, Mondarte
said. Therefore, if the kidney is in trouble or not functioning well, it will
not produce sufficient erythropoietin hormones needed for the body, which will
result to low hemoglobin, he further explained.
Kidney malfunction is one of the top
five (5) leading causes of morbility and mortality, Dr. Mondarte said.
When asked what are the causes of kidney
failure or malfunction, he said first, if a person is a diabetic. He adviced those who are diabetic today, to have their
blood sugar controlled, if not, in 5 to 10 years time it will lead to a kidney
problem. Second, is hypertensive neproschlorosis or high blood pressure, since
kidneys has tiny veins it will cause inflammation “mamaga ang kidney” and it
will cause scars in the kidney.
To stay away from kidney problem and to keep our kidney
healthy, refrain from eating foods with high protein content such as red meat
and other salty foods, Dr. Mondarte emphasized.
“Love your kidneys, eat well, stay
physically fit, exercise, check your blood pressure and blood sugar regularly,
because prevention is better than cure,” Mondarte concluded. (CAL/PIA9)