The kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, that perform complex functions to keep the blood clean and chemically balanced. They are sophisticated reprocessing machines located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. The kidneys demonstrate the remarkable harmony of the vertebrate structure, working together with the circulatory, digestive, nervous and endocrine (glandular) systems to allow an integrated, properly functioning body. The right balance is necessary for life. Every day a person’s kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about two quarts of waste products and extra water. As master chemists, the kidneys are always working. At any time 20-25% of the body’s blood flows through them, even though they comprise 0.5% of the body’s total weight. At this rate, the kidneys filter the entire blood supply 60 times per day. How amazing are the kidneys? About 400 gallons of blood flow through them each and every day. By comparison, the typical American household uses about 40 gallons of water per full load in a conventional clothes washing machine. In one day the kidneys are functioning with an equal amount of blood flow and filtering duties as 10 loads of laundry.
"We must acknowledge that our kidneys constitute the major foundation of our philosophical freedom. Only because they work the way they do has it become possible for us to have bones, muscles, glands and brains."
- 20th Century Physiologist Homer Smith in his book: “From Fish to Philosopher”
Chronic Kidney Disease is defined by the presence of kidney damage and decreased kidney function. Redefining prevention is a collaborative effort because: • The body uses food for energy and self-repairs. After the body has taken what it needs from food, wastes are sent to the blood. If the kidneys did not remove them (through urination), these wastes would build up in the blood and damage the body • People with two healthy kidneys have 100 percent of their kidney function. Serious health issues occur when people have less than 25 percent of their kidney function • Because a person can have kidney disease without any symptoms, a doctor may first detect the condition through routine blood and urine tests • Three simple tests to screen for kidney disease are: a blood pressure measurement, a spot check for protein or albumin in the urine, a calculation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) based on a serum creatinine measurement.
View the CKD Chain