Kidney beans and kidney health

In the olden times, people believed that a particular body part was cured or made healthy by plants that resembled it. Years later, science has proved that this belief is not entirely baseless. Take kidney beans, for example.

Image Source: timeinc.com

The kidneys play a key part in a person’s overall well-being. Responsible for keeping the body clean and for maintaining homeostasis, they prevent people from being poisoned by their own waste. However, they may be damaged by factors like stress and practices like an imbalanced diet rich in fat and sodium.

Image Source: angsarap.files.wordpress.com

While there are many types of food that help nurture the kidneys, special interest is given to kidney beans. True to their name, they look like human kidneys in terms of shape and color. They also contain many nutrients that can enhance kidney health. For one, they contain very low levels of fat but plenty of soluble and insoluble fiber, making them great for maintaining low blood pressure and stable blood sugar levels. Kidney beans also contain low amounts of sodium, sugar, and cholesterol, but they are an excellent source of protein, magnesium, and potassium.

Image Source: amisvegetarian.com

Kidney beans are a great addition to a balanced diet as they help maintain healthy kidneys. Meanwhile, people with kidney disease must monitor their consumption of this legume. The protein it contains is helpful under normal circumstances, but too much of it may have adverse effects on the kidneys.

Dr. Paul Frymoyer is a licensed nephrologist. He provides advice valuable for healthy kidneys. Get more information about kidney health on this Facebook page.

AIDS: Reduced infections in Sub-Saharan Africa but rising elsewhere

Image Credit: thejustlife.org

Scuttling the AIDS epidemic where it has been coasting most is probably every medical and healthcare professional’s global advocacy. Seven years ago, volunteers from Doctors Without Borders and medical doctors who have been on Sub-Saharan African missions to provide assistance to its impoverished ailing populations would have proffered a mix of panic and ruefulness in their situationers.


Currently, there are signs that interventions to curb the global AIDS pandemic are working in Sub-Saharan Africa. This area is still the most important region of concern, for it is the residence of 23.5 million global cases of HIV infection. An alarming percentage of victims are women who pass on the disease to their babies.

Image Credit: triplehelixblog.com

Seven years ago, too, the dismal toll of the yet incurable disease could have completely disheartened humanitarian movements. The slog to reduce morbidity from 1.8 million in 2005 to the now more optimistic figure of 1.2 million (2011 statistics) has taken painstaking efforts and donations from UNAIDS, non-profits, governments, CSR movements, and philanthropists. Another heave of global resources to salvage the most afflicted region in the world should be lined up for another push at the reduction of deaths and infections.


Yet, countering the silver lining in Sub-Saharan Africa is the push of AIDS to other regions of the world. Asia is alarmingly looking like the next emergency situation. Sadly, its rising toll is due not to extreme poverty but complacency in prevention. Sexual practices in the continent’s thriving sex work sector could be libertine about protection, while in some countries, contraception remains a taboo.

Image Credit: newsone.com

Consult this website for updates on Dr. Paul Frymoyer and other global medical and pathological trends.