LOCAL FOOD THAT PREVENT KIDNEY DAMAGE

Today is world kidney day(WKD).several studies have shown that more Nigrians are developing kidney problems especially End Stage kidney damage (ESKD) and kidney stones. Researchers blame the situation on adoption of Western diets by most Nigerians and the attendant rise in hypertension and diabetes; pesticides and insecticides to mention but a few. Indeed, in recent times, many Nigerians have been coming down with kidney failure needing regular dialysis and kidney transplant, which comes at a very high cost, to live. However, researchers have identified how to prevent kidney damage and eliminate renal stones with plant - based diets such as avocado, stonebreaker, corn silk, garlic, ginger, beetroot, cucumber, scent leaf/basil, lettuce, and watermelon among others.

Avocado

Persea Americana (avocado) is a tree belonging to the Laurel family, lauraceae. Several parts of persea Americana plant have been shown to possess vaso-relaxant properties and reduce vesoconstriction leading to reduction in blood pressure. A recent study published in international journal of pharmtech research. A study published in HAYATI journal of biosciences demonstrated how leaf extract of Avocado (persea Americana) could be used to prevent growing stones to be bigger and helping excretion of kidney stones (nephrolith) spontaneously. The researchers also showed that Avocado extracts act as diuretics that are momonly used in the treatment of hypertension and other disorders associated with edema and heart disease. The leaves have been used as a diuretic, anti-inflammation,  anti-hypertension, hypoglycaemia(reduce blood sugar), diarrhea, sore throat, and bleeding. In Indonesia, avocado leaves have been used as traditional medicines for diureticum to cure urolithiasis. Diuretics remove water from the body and are used to treat for high blood pressure and other conditions. Urolithiasis is the formation of Stony concretions in the bladder or urinary tract. The research was to determine anti lithiasis activity of avocado leaves (persea Americana) extract on white male rats nephrolithiasis model induced by ethylene glycol. Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones) is a disease affecting the urinary tract.