 Hello everyone, I am Dr. Vipin Kavarappa, I am the Consultant Neurologist and Transplant Physician at Manipal Hospital Mysore. Every second Thursday of March, we are celebrating the World Kidney Day. Why are we celebrating the World Kidney Day? We have realized that the number of people who are suffering from kidney diseases have increased day by day. In fact, as per the current statistics, one in every ten adults across the world have one form of kidney disease or the other. It is a huge number. So it is absolutely necessary that we spread the information and knowledge regarding kidney disease to the general population. They need to know what are the common causes of kidney disease and how best we can prevent them. So what are the common causes of kidney disease? Of course, as you all know, diabetes has been rampant, especially in our country. In fact, India these days is one of the diabetes capital of the world. So of course, as a part of the diabetic complex, even the kidneys are getting involved and diabetic nephropathy has become the most common form of kidney disease in India. The next most common disease is hypertension. Blood pressure, high blood pressure specifically can damage the kidneys and the number of people suffering from this sort of kidney disease because of high blood pressure has been significantly increasing over a period of time. Not only diabetes and blood pressure, there are some simple things. For example, let's say somebody is taking a lot of pain killer medications. This habit by itself can increase the number of kidney disease, increase the prevalence of kidney disease on people. So I strongly urge people not to do this. The other form of kidney disease is genetic. There are a lot of genetic forms of kidney disease which has to be seen these days. And of course, global nephritis, which was in huge number in the past, has come down because of diabetes. These are generally the most common form of kidney disease. When you broadly classify a kidney disease can be of two types. One of course is what we call as acute kidney injury and other categories call as chronic kidney disease. In acute kidney injury, the whatever the kidney disease is is reversible. So if you treat appropriately at the right point of time, you can reverse this disease and it can be cured. Moreover, when we talk about chronic kidney disease, this is not possible. So chronic kidney disease is a form of disease which can accumulate over a period of time eventually leads to something what we commonly call as end stage renal disease. So when we talk about kidney disease, one of the most common questions I get from different sectors, of course for patients, even attenders is that how do we prevent kidney disease? There are some simple steps which we all can follow and if we follow these steps, I'm sure a lot of diseases apart from kidney disease can also be prevented. One of course, anybody who is a diabetic make sure you get your diabetic status checked periodically. Keep in touch with your physician, diabetologist, family physician or any doctor who is treating your diabetes and follow their advice to the doctor. Whatever tests regarding blood sugars they ask, get it done and make sure it is kept in control. Second, anybody with blood pressure, make sure your blood pressure is under control. Keep checking your blood pressure periodically, take your medications periodically and keep it under control. Third, of course, avoid taking any sort of painkiller medications unless it's absolutely necessary. Take medications only when it is prescribed by a doctor. There is a general tendency for people to self-medicate, whatever may be the cause. They just go to the medical stores and get the medicine, may be antibiotic, may be a painkiller, I just take it. This sort of a habit needs to be taken down. Medicines needs to be taken only with the prescription and not without a prescription. Fourth of course is smoking. We all know smoking is bad for health. Smoking kills, smoking kills the lungs, it kills the heart, it kills the kidneys also. So quit smoking if you are a smoker immediately. And of course, the fifth but definitely not the final point, make sure you follow a healthy lifestyle. We all have become extremely sedentary in a lifestyle, we are always sitting in a desk doing our work, not getting up, not running around, it's not like how it used to be. So make sure you do some sort of an exercise. Exercise doesn't mean that you have to go to a gym. If you are into some sort of sport, maybe badminton, maybe tennis or even football, make sure you play this sport for at least 45 minutes a day or go for a job, do yoga, go to the gym, whichever suits you. But at least 45 minutes a day, spend some quality time for your health. As long as you can follow these steps, I'm sure you can keep your kidneys in good health and not just your kidneys, you can keep every organ of your body in good health. Thank you.