High blood pressure is known as a silent killer. You can have it for years without getting any symptoms until you experience a fatal heart attack. But there is another silent killer: kidney disease.

Given the many priorities already on your plate, you probably haven’t given much thought to your kidneys. But since March 10 has been named World Kidney Day (and March, National Kidney Month), we’d like to draw your attention to kidney health if only for a couple of minutes.

According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), more than 26 million Americans have kidney disease, and most of them don’t know it. By the time you experience clear symptoms, your kidneys may already be shot necessitating dialysis for the rest of your life . . . which may not be that long. Kidney disease is the 9^th leading cause of death in the US. Even before symptoms of kidney disease are evident, the disease significantly raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis and anemia.

A simple urine or blood test can rule out kidney disease, so make sure your doctor includes one or the other in your next check-up. This is especially critical for those at high risk of getting kidney disease. According to the NKF, you are at higher risk if you are:

1. High blood sugar damages many organs in your body, including the kidneys.
2. Diabetes and high blood pressure cause most chronic kidney disease (CKD)—between them, they cause about 2/3 of all CKD. By the way, kidney disease can also cause high blood pressure; it works both ways.
3. Over the age of 60
4. Have a family history of kidney failure
5. Belong to a population group that has a high rate of diabetes or high blood pressure. This includes African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and American Indians.

Meanwhile, the World Kidney Day website suggests the following eight ways you can prevent kidney disease:

1. Keep fit and active
2. Control your blood sugar
3. Monitor your blood pressure and maintain a healthy blood pressure
4. Eat a healthy diet of fresh, non-processed foods
5. Limit salt
6. Drink plenty of water
7. Don’t smoke
8. Don’t take over-the-counter drugs regularly (many cause kidney damage)