When children are getting treated for childhood cancer, the treatment can sometimes require removing one kidney. Leading a normal life with just one kidney is not a task, but the condition of the kidney should be healthy. The following article will help you assess the condition of your single kidney and the tips that are required to keep it healthy. 

Cancer treatments can sometimes cause problems in your remaining kidney that is due to exposure to radiation to the abdomen, kidney, or whole body. Certain chemotherapy medications such as cisplatin, methotrexate, carboplatin, and ifosfamide also can harm its functioning. The antibiotics that are administered to treat bacterial and fungal infections such as gentamicin, tobramycin, and amphotericin in addition to medicines that treat graft-versus-host diseases such as FK-506 and cyclosporine. 

Other causes of increased risk of kidney problems include,

• Have had a history of urinary tract problems such as infections in the urinary tract and the back-flow of urine back into the kidneys and various other abnormalities. 
• Ailments that influence the kidney, for example, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer in the kidney
• Bladder removal (cystectomy)

Checking if I have liver problems:

It is important that cancer patients go in for regular checkups to analyze the condition of their kidneys. These checkups should be done at least on a yearly basis for blood pressure and urinalysis. 

In addition to this, you must take a blood test to assess the function of your kidney and the level of electrolytes. If you come to know that there has been a decrease in the blood salt levels and minerals, prescription medications will be recommended to you to avoid the risk of long-term health problems, especially pertaining to the heart. 

In case you have high blood pressure or protein in the urine or any other signs of worsening kidney problems, it is mandatory to seek consultation from a kidney specialist. 

How are the things that I ought to keep my kidney sound?

The accompanying tips will assist you with keeping your kidney healthy, 

• Plenty of water intake. Make sure that you drink a lot of water when you are playing a sport, while you are out in the sun and during hot weather. 
• On the off chance that you have side effects of urinary tract disease, counsel your primary care physician right away. These sensations include a burning sensation when you are urinating, needing to go to the bathroom often, and urinating more than usual. 
• If you are taking any new prescription medications or herbals, talk to your doctor and seek their guidance. Tell your doctor that you have undergone cancer treatment and that you have only one functioning kidney. 
• Take pain or fever medications that contain ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen, or aspirin with caution. These NSAIDs are inflammatory drugs that can cause damage to the kidney and it is, even more, worse when you take them in doses higher than necessary. Never combine these medications along with codeine or caffeine. If you have the need to take these medications for the long term, consult your doctor about the treatment plans and go for ones that do not cause harm to your kidneys. 

Improving the overall health of the kidneys:

Manage your health conditions: 

You can work on the strength of your kidneys by dealing with the ailments that cause harm to your kidney and the principal suspects causing kidney harm are diabetes and hypertension. The steps to keep your body, as well as your kidney, are given below. 

• When you visit your doctor make sure to ask your healthcare provider about ways on how you can keep and maintain the health of your kidneys. 
• Do not be lethargic since you do not have many physical symptoms. 
• Early kidney illnesses display no outward side effects so the best way to guarantee that your kidney is strong is by getting tested. Your doctor will tell you how often you need to be tested. 

If you experience any Urinary Tract Information (UTI), go see your doctor immediately without any delay as it can cause greater damage if left untreated. 

Go right by your food choices

Always opt for foods that are healthy for your heart and your entire body. The most ideal decisions are fresh organic products, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or no-fat dairy items. Do not intake high salty foods and cut back on sugar too. Do not skip your meals and eat healthy ones. 

The following are a couple of tips to direct you to go with good food decisions.

• Rather than making use of salt, you can cook with a mix of spices
• Select vegetable fixing on your pizza like spinach, broccoli, and peppers.
• Choose to broil or bake the meat rather than frying it
• Try not to serve food varieties with sauce or added fats
• Pick food varieties that have almost no sugar
• Utilize low-fat and milk items for your cooking
• Go for food sources that are produced using whole grains like whole wheat, brown colored rice, oats, and whole grain corn consistently. You can utilize whole grain toast and sandwiches and substitute brown colored rice for white rice for home-cooked as well as while eating out.
• Peruse the marks of the food items that you are purchasing. Go for food varieties rather have low saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars.
• Reduce your intake of snacks and fried foods. Rather than eating a whole pack of popcorn, eat an orange or drink orange juice. 

Maintain a journal so that you will give an idea of what you have eaten during the entire week. It will assist you with following whether you have overeaten or had food varieties that have high fat or calories.

Proper eating habits can help reduce your blood pressure and this is a proven outcome of research studies. If you are diabetic or have high blood pressure conditions or heart diseases talk to your doctor and they will help you draft a diet plan that will suit your needs and also improve your health 

Physical activity:

Make sure that you are at least active for 30 mins every day. The exercises that you do should benefit your entire body. Therefore consult your doctor to help you choose the right type and right amount of physical activity. 

Healthy weight gain:

Just like how gaining weight is important, it is highly mandatory that you gain weight in a healthy manner. There are various online tools that help you choose the right plans that cater to your needs of diet. In addition to eating healthy foods, proper exercise is also important so that you maintain ideal and optimal body weight. 

If overweight or obese you need to put in effort along with your dietician and plan realistic plans to meet your weight loss goals. You can request that your primary care physician prescribe more active work to assist you with remaining active.

Get enough sleep:

It is necessary to get at least a minimum of  7 to 8 hrs of sleep every night. If you have trouble sleeping, do not immediately move on to sleeping pills but rather check for other alternative methods such as yoga, meditation, and practice stress relief. Avoid taking heavy foods at night that can be difficult to digest which will interrupt your sleep. 

Stop smoking:

If you smoke or consume tobacco-related products, it is wise that you stop them. Coming out of nicotine addiction can be hard, ask the help of your doctor to help you quit the habit. 

Avoid Drinking liquor:

Alcohol, whether taken in limited quantities or in high amounts, the damage to your kidneys remains the same. Liquor, in general, will increment circulatory strain levels and add additional calories consequently promoting weight gain.

Indulge in stress relief activities:

However severe your problems might be, it is important to manage and cope with them. Doing so improves your emotional mood as well as improves your physical health. Doing regular physical activities can take your mind off things and help you focus on what you are doing at that time. Practice meditation, yoga, and tai chi as these are known to show significant improvements. 

Deal with your diabetes, hypertension, and coronary illness:

Whenever you have issues in your kidneys and have diabetes or hypertension, the most effective way to keep your kidney sound is by ensuring that the glucose levels in your blood are near your objective. Check your blood glucose level as it is a productive method for dealing with your diabetes. You will have to check your blood sugar level multiple times a day if your doctor recommends so.

Keep up with your pulse numbers:

The pulse objective for those having diabetes ought to be under 140/90 mm Hg. Take the medication recommended for this purpose regularly and if you have any side effects due to its consumptions, tell your doctor immediately. Blood pressure tablets called ACE inhibitors and ARBs are safe for your kidneys and the names of these pills will see the end. 

Limit the day-to-day utilization of over-the-counter pain prescriptions: 

Your kidneys will become damaged when you regularly take anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen. 

Keep your cholesterol levels in check at all times: 

By doing so you can escape the risk of experiencing heart attacks and strokes. There are two types of cholesterol in your blood. The ‘bad’ cholesterol can build up and clog the blood vessels whereas the ‘good’ cholesterol will help remove the ‘bad’ cholesterol from your body.