Dr. Abraham Coquia, spokesperson for the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in the region and co-owner of a local dialysis center here, said people should opt to prevent kidney diseases rather than dealing with them when they develop.

People whose kidneys have been compromised either have to undergo transplant or regular dialysis as the kidneys cannot heal themselves, he said during the KBP Forum at the Philippine Information Agency office on Thursday.

Transplant, he said, is the best remedy for kidney failure. But because the operation costs up to as much as one million pesos, patients usually choose to undergo dialysis, instead.

Coquia said prevention of kidney diseases takes as little as checking ones diet such as proper intake of food and water and avoidance of food supplements, medicines—or their substitutes—that are known to have adverse effects on the kidneys.

Men should drink at least three liters of water, while women should take 2.5 liters a day, increasing the intake after every exhaustive physical activity, he said as he cautioned the use of soda and energy drinks as substitutes.

Excessive intake of salty foods, he noted, can also damage the organ as it increases the likelihood of developing kidney stones.

Different chemicals such as calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, and uric acid also contribute to the formation of stones. Excessive consumption of foods that contain them like innards, beans and peanuts, would likely accelerate the formation of stones, he explained.

Frequent use of analgesics, or pain reliever, can also damage the kidneys overtime, resulting in progressive chronic renal failure. Similar injury can be sustained thru the use of herbal products, which contain impurities, such as aristolochic acid.

Renal diseases, according to Coquia, are usually asymptomatic, but bouts urinary tract infection, lower back pain and blood in urine should already serve as caution.

He advised those experiencing any of these symptoms to consult the doctor immediately. (JCR/ARRF-PIA 1 Pangasinan)

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