Top 10 Reasons to Love Your Kidneys Sometimes the more you know, the more you love. The National Kidney Foundation urges Americans to get to know two humble, hardworking organs: the kidneys. To help raise awareness and appreciation for all the vital functions the kidneys perform, the National Kidney Foundation offers 10 reasons for Americans to love their kidneys and take steps now to preserve kidney health: 1. Filter 200 liters of blood a day, removing two liters of toxins, wastes and water 2. Regulate the body’s water balance 3. Regulate blood pressure by controlling fluid levels and making the hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict 4. Support healthy bones and tissues by producing the active form of vitamin D 5. Produce the hormone that stimulates bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells 6. Keep blood minerals in balance 7. Keep electrolytes in balance 8. Regulate blood acid levels 9. Remove drugs from the blood 10. Retrieve essential nutrients so that the body can reabsorb them The National Kidney Foundations urges all Americans to love their kidneys. To learn more about CKD risk factors, prevention and treatment, visit www.kidney.org. The National Kidney Foundation is dedicated to preventing kidney and urinary tract diseases, improving the health and well being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, influencing public policy in support of the kidney community and increasing the availability of all organs for transplantation. You can also visit  http://www.kidney.org/patients/kidneykitchen/