It’s amazing how humans continue to overlook the kidneys despite being very important. Their primary function is technically to keep the body clean on the inside by eliminating toxins, neutralize acids, filtering the blood, absorption of minerals, production of hormones and of course producing the urine that takes the bad stuff out. Unfortunately, kidney care often takes a back seat because of all the treats available out there.

We care not for our kidneys due to ignorance or by choice. Here are the five bad habits that destroy kidneys:

• Not enough water – because we’re often too busy to notice that we’re thirsty in this fast-paced world with our fast-paced lifestyles. Humans have a problem of telling if they’re dehydrated until it’s too late. The kidney’s main function of filtering blood and elimination of toxic substances is aided by water. Those toxic substances and waste begin to accumulate in the kidneys when the body is chronically dehydrated.

• Too much sugar – The first sign of malfunctioning kidneys is the presence of proteins in urine. There’s scientific proof that it has something to do with consuming two or more sugary drinks per day. Though it can be mitigated by drinking the recommended glasses of water, it’s best to lay off the soft drinks.

• Too much salt – When you’re told to lay off the salted pork when you have high blood pressure, the doctor is actually worried not just for your heart but for your kidneys. High blood pressure puts stress on the kidneys, and more than 5 grams of salt a day results in an increase in blood pressure. Keep the salt down too.

• Too much meat – There just can’t be too much of a good thing. No matter how much you love bacon or other red meat, you just can’t have too much of them. Large amounts of meat cause the kidneys to overload as animal protein especially red meat increases the metabolic load on the kidneys. Try some healthy vegan meat every once in a while to avoid kidney renal damage and dysfunction.

• Too much alcohol – alcohol is good for the human body when taken in moderation. In fact, red wine is good for the heart however, too much alcohol is not good for the kidneys. Alcohol is still a toxin that the kidneys must deal with. Regular visits to the bar could overload the kidneys and cause kidney damage and disease.

For more tips on what to eat when you have kidney disease along with what foods you should avoid if you’re at risk of developing kidney disease, be sure to check out our articles and videos.