In the ecosystem that is your body, all your organs and systems work together to keep you functioning at your best. The heart and the kidneys may seem like an unusual team, however, the kidneys play a key role in regulating blood pressure which, in turn, lowers your risk for certain heart diseases. Now that’s teamwork!
The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of your body, including the kidneys, and the kidneys clean the blood by removing waste products and excess water. In other words, oxygenated blood for the kidneys to get to work and clean blood for the heart to supply the rest of your body. All this behind the scenes work shows just how reliant our bodily systems are on each other and highlights the importance of staying on top of our overall health.
The failure of one of these systems can lead to the failure of the other. Developing kidney disease may lead to heart disease and vice versa. Both classes of disease share many of the same risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
In the same vein, many of the good habits we can adopt for our heart health go a long in protecting our kidneys as well. Regular physical activity, knowing your blood pressure numbers and reducing stress are just some of the ways you can take care of the organs that take care of you! Be a team player, get your regular checkups and don’t hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you have concerns about your heart or your kidneys.