"Love your kidney"

CEBU, Philippines – The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that extract waste from the blood, balance body fluids, form urine, and aid in other important functions of the body, as described by healthline.com. The kidneys are located against the back muscles in the upper abdominal cavity and opposite each other on both sides of the spine. As components of the urinary system, the kidneys are multi-talented powerhouses of activity, whose core functions  include:

Waste excretion

There are many things your body doesn't want inside of it, and the kidneys help get rid of some of them. The kidneys filter out toxins, excess salts, and urea, a nitrogen-based waste created by cell metabolism. Urea is synthesized in the liver and transported through the blood to the kidneys for removal.

Water level balancing

As the kidneys are key in the production of urine, they react to changes in the body's water level throughout the day. As water intake decreases, the kidneys adjust accordingly and leave water in the body instead of helping excrete it.

Blood pressure regulation

The kidneys need constant pressure to filter the blood. When it drops too low, the kidneys increase the pressure. One way is by producing a blood-vessel-constricting protein (angiotensin) that also signals the body to retain sodium and water. Both the constriction and retention help regulate normal blood pressure.

Red blood cell regulation

When the kidneys don't get enough oxygen, they send out a distress call in the form of erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce more oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Acid regulation

As cells metabolize, they produce acids. Foods we eat can either increase the acid in our body or neutralize it. If the body is to function properly, it needs to keep a healthy balance of these chemicals. The kidneys do that, too.

Owing to all the vital functions the kidneys perform and the toxins they encounter in their day-to-day functioning, the kidneys are susceptible to various problems. Thus, these vital body organs need all the support it can get to keep it healthy.

The Old Orchard brand of healthy juices has launched the "Love Your Kidney" campaign, to build public awareness on the importance of caring for the kidneys. One way to do that is by drinking cranberry juice - proven in several studies to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections or UTI. Cranberry juice has proanthrocyanidin content and hippuri acid that help prevent bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract.

Kidney failure is among the 10 leading causes of death among Filipinos. One Filipino develops chronic renal failure every hour and there is reportedly more than 14,000 Filipino patients undergoing dialysis yearly.

While cranberry juice may not be a cure for kidney diseases, it helps a lot in preventing the diseases from happening or, if a disease is already there, to keep it from worsening. Cranberry juice also acts as a defense against heart disease and contains anti-cancer properties, Vitamin C and dietary fiber. In addition, it lessens the chances of having dental caries.

Old Orchard is often prescribed by many doctors to UTI and kidney-disease patients. Each 9-ounce serving of Old Orchard Cranberry Juice counts as two servings of fruit. And it is easily available at most supermarkets.

More information on Old Orchard Cranberry Juice and other healthy juices is found at http://oldorchard.com. Old Orchard juices are distributed in the Philippines by Fly Ace Corporation.