| Your kidneys are 2 of the hardest working organs in | | | | outcome, diabetes has become the number one |
| your body; filtering just about 50 gallons of fluid from | | | | reason of end stage renal disease (chronic kidney |
| the blood that passes through them every day. Later | | | | failure), accounting for 35% of all cases. Both type 1 |
| than the million or so nephrons in each kidney balance | | | | and type 2 patients are at threat for developing |
| electrolytes and filter toxins, 49.5 gallons of fluid are | | | | kidney problems and the threat of developing end |
| returned to the bloodstream cleansed and chemically | | | | stage renal disease increases with the length of time |
| and hormonally balanced. The remaining 1/2 gallon | | | | since diabetes diagnosis, perhaps due to the |
| leaves the body as urine. | | | | occurrence of high blood pressure in diabetes and the |
| Citizens of certain ethnic and racial backgrounds are | | | | added stress it places on the kidneys. In truth, |
| at a higher threat for developing kidney disease, as | | | | uncontrolled hypertension is the second most |
| well as African Americans, Hispanics, Mexican | | | | ordinary cause of kidney failure in America, |
| Americans and Native Americans. Blood vessel harm | | | | accounting for about 23% of the end stage renal |
| and hypertension linked with diabetes can take a | | | | disease patient population according to the National |
| serious toll on renal (or kidney) function, harmful this | | | | Kidney Foundation. |
| amazing filtration ability of the kidneys. As an | | | | |