These are the kidney care recommendations from the IMSS.

Kidney care is important because it prevents the development of important and serious diseases.

Specialists from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) called on beneficiaries to take care of their kidney health through preventive measures such as eating well, controlling conditions associated with diabetes or hypertension, and regularly attending checkups at their Family Medicine Unit (UMF) for specialized evaluation of kidney diseases .

When leading the expert panel: “Take Care of Your Kidneys: Prevention and Treatment,” the director of Medical Services, Dr. Célida Duque Molina, pointed out that it is important to identify warning signs such as: pale skin, bloody urine, decreased urine output, swelling in the legs, ankles or feet, shortness of breath, to name a few .

For his part, the head of the IMSS Family Medicine Division, Dr. Héctor Raúl Vargas Sánchez, recommended early detection and control of these types of conditions to avoid health complications, preventing damage from reaching other organs and causing problems that did not exist before .

Meanwhile, Itzel Valtierra Martínez, a nutritionist with the Nutrition and Health Division of Social Security, said that in the case of diabetes, hypertension, overweight, and obesity, it is recommended to follow a healthy diet with special control of calories and moderation in protein consumption .

He emphasized that IMSS Family Medicine Units provide nutritional counseling based on the Healthy Eating Plate. They also provide QR codes for downloading healthy menus geared toward a specific population, and provide nutrition information to help meet monitoring goals and thus prevent complications from chronic degenerative diseases.

The coordinator of Medical Programs in the Hospital Division, Dr. Roberto Teva Luna, explained that kidney disease is a painless and asymptomatic disease in its initial stages , and therefore, he recommended that those at risk consult their family doctor for a timely diagnosis.

In addition, he said, there are standard recommendations for kidney care in healthy populations and secondary nephroprotection focused on at-risk patients, based on actions that promote lifestyle changes, as well as pharmacological interventions, and hygienic, dietary, and nutritional measures .

Primary prevention, he explained, is oriented toward the consumption of plain water, reduction of foods rich in salt, and decreased intake of animal protein .

The specialists agreed that those with any degree of kidney disease should seek support from a multidisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, nutritionists, and physicians; and if they have any risk factors for the condition, they should visit their primary health unit (UFM) for a timely diagnosis.

With information from the IMSS

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