Lisinopril is a commonly prescribed angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. Although it is routinely given to patients with high blood pressure, it is also given to kidney patients without hypertension as a preventive measure.

Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, are both nitrogen-containing waste products generated by muscular activity. Many patients panic if lab results come back with elevated creatinine or BUN. This is understandable because these values can be red flags for kidney disease.

Kidney disease occurs when the kidneys are unable to perform their function of filtering excess fluids and waste from the blood. As the disease progresses, waste builds up in the blood and damages other organs.

Creatinine is a waste product of muscle metabolism. When muscles work, they break down proteins, including the amino acid creatine, to produce energy. Most creatine is consumed but about 2 percent enters the bloodstream as creatinine. The kidneys remove most creatinine.

Your kidneys filter your blood and release toxic substances from digested foods into your urine for elimination. Some foods, especially when eaten in excess, produce waste products that can damage your kidney filtration capabilities, and your health.

A kidney removal surgery is called a nephrectomy. The surgery is done either through a large incision in the front or side of the stomach area or via a laparoscopic method, which involves 3 to 4 smaller incisions of about 1-inch in size, notes MedlinePlus.

Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located near the middle of the back. They play an important role in removing wastes from the blood and in maintaining its chemical balance.

The kidneys connect to the bladder with a small tube called a ureter. Some medical conditions, such as kidney stones, can cause an obstruction in the kidney or the ureter.

Foods that are often considered healthy, such as milk or yogurt, can sometimes present health risks in those who suffer from kidney malfunction or potential kidney disease.

Laxatives in small and infrequent amounts may help regulate your bowel movements and should not damage your kidneys or other organs, according to MayoClinic.com. If you use laxatives to lose weight, take them frequently or in high doses, you could damage parts of your body and in extreme cases even die.

Many herbs can improve kidney function. Most herbs do so in preventing common kidney and urinary-tract infections or by acting as a diuretic to flush out excess fluid and kidney stones.

Cinnamon has a long history of culinary and medicinal use. Its distinctive and exotic taste has made it a common ingredient in a wide array of both savory and sweet foods and beverages. From a medical perspective, it may also provide health benefits for kidney health in terms of your risk of developing kidney disease.