Kidney Health

 
 

Vocabulary

aisle	shed (2)	patient (2)
avoid	priority	discomfort
impair	checkup	blood pressure
advise	function	combination
avoid	dialysis	make sure
require	range (2)	regular (2)
pain	properly	what’s more
scary	examine	pyelonephritis
fluid	insidious	kidney stones
tension	internist	around the world
reveal	long term	warning sign
failure	head for	every now and then
sample	massive	particularly
urine	monitor	manage (2)
wurst	probably	grow accustomed
routine	available	along the way

 
 
 
 

Video: Healthy Kidneys

 
 
 
 

Transcript

When Rainer Frenken goes shopping, he heads straight for the fruit and vegetable aisle. He tends to avoid eating meat and salty foods.

It wasn’t always that way though: he used to eat a lot of meat. A healthy diet wasn’t a priority.

But when a routine checkup revealed high blood pressure and impaired kidney function, his doctor advised him to change his diet.

Rainer Frenken, Kidney Patient: “The combination of high blood pressure and impaired kidney function is not a good way to avoid dialysis in the long term. Changing my diet allowed me to keep my blood pressure within a normal range, and sometimes even below.

That’s good for my kidneys, so yeah, diet is hugely important.”

If he hadn’t changed his diet, he’s probably require regular dialysis. Frenken is a regular at Aachen University Hospital.

Making these lifestyle changes probably saved his kidneys. He had no idea that his kidneys were no longer functioning properly.

Professor Jurgen Floege, Internist: “The scary thing is that in many cases kidney diseases don’t cause any pain. Kidney stones is very painful, and so is pyelonephritis.

But many diseases that lead to kidney failure don’t cause any discomfort at all. You might notice a bit of fluid or tension in your legs, your blood pressure might be high, but that’s it.”

Experts believe that millions of people around the world don’t realize that their kidneys are not functioning properly.

Rainer Frenken, Kidney Patient: “I realize that there are some insidious diseases that don’t give you any warnings signs, but later massively impact on your quality of life.

So I can really only advise people to go for checkups and to make sure they get properly examined every now and then — particularly as they get older.”

You can also monitor yourself.

Professor Jurgen Floege, Internist: “Blood pressure meters are readily available. And if your blood pressure is more than 40 over 90, then you should get a check to the doctor’s office.

Ask them to take a urine sample. And check that your kidneys are functioning properly.”

Rainer Frenken has grown accustomed to his new diet — he no longer even likes the taste of curry wurst.

He’s happy to have avoided dialysis, and what’s more, he’s even managed to shed thirty kilograms along the way.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

Questions

1. Has Rainer Frenken changed his diet or has it always remained the same? Why did he change his diet?

2. What would have happened if Rainer continued eating the same foods? If he had continued his old eating habits, . . . .

3. Is there only one type of kidney ailment or are there many types?

4. Rainer’s knew he had problems because his kidneys became sore and painful. True or false?

5. Is it good that people don’t have to suffer pain or discomfort when they have kidney disorders?

6. Do Rainer and the internist professor give advice to people? What advice do they give?

7. Rainer life has changed. Is this right or wrong? Does he still crave currywursts?

 
 

A. I know someone who has had kidney disorder or ailment. True or false?

B. Have kidney ailments been increasing, decreasing or remaining the same over the years?

C. Do you know anyone who has make major changes in their lifestyle? What happened to them?

D. What will happen in the future?

E. What is the solution for kidney disorders? Can people maintain healthy kidneys?