Our kidneys, the body’s major filtration and elimination system, are probably our most undervalued organs. As early as our thirties these two precious organs go into decline. Aside from retaining and eliminating the substances we do and don’t need they also manufacture a number of hormones. One of these is called Klotho, a powerful protein that has the capacity to rejuvenate both our kidneys and our brains but it too like the kidneys goes into age-related decline.
An eGFR blood test, and the lesser known, Cystatin C evaluation will let us how are kidneys are performing. Kidney dysfunction largely plays out under the radar. We might feel fine while our kidney function is deteriorating. By the time we experience fatigue, swollen ankles, our blood pressure levels are climbing and we just don’t feel right our kidneys might have already started to significantly implode, our eGFR will have fallen, and this destructive trend might not be easy to reverse. There are a number of steps we can take to enhance our kidney function. These include, optimising our blood sugar status, normalising our blood pressures, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding excess alcohol consumption and attending to our diets. With regard to our eating habits the Western diet rich in pre-packed foods, red meat, high-sugar drinks, processed meat and high-fat dairy products corrodes kidney function while a plant-based, vegetarian diet and even eating less preserves youthful kidney activity. Astaxanthin, quercetin, vitamins A and D are natural substances that increase the production of Klotho
