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Celebrate the Holidays with Care: Put Kidney Health First

Holidays are fun but make sure to check your kidney health too!

This holiday season is all about celebration, togetherness, and creating lasting memories with your family. But amid the festivities, it’s easy to overlook how stress, indulgent meals, and lack of physical activity can silently affect your health – especially your kidneys.[1]

Every hour, a Filipino is diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), often without warning, making it a serious health risk that can go unnoticed until it’s too late.[2] The good news is, early detection and simple lifestyle changes can help protect our kidneys and overall well-being.

“As the festive holiday season draws near and we look forward to spending time with our loved ones, we are reminded that the gift of good health is the best gift we can give ourselves and our families,” says Dr. Greta Cortez, Head of Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines. “Events like It Starts With U: Get CheCKD are crucial because they bring essential health information directly to the community. At Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines, we are dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by interconnected cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic (CRM) diseases, including CKD,” she added.

This season, let’s give the gift of wellness by putting health at the heart of every family celebration.

Make sure to check your kidney

Why Kidney Health Should Be a Family Priority

Our kidneys perform vital tasks, filtering waste and toxins from the body.[3] However, conditions like CKD, often linked to hypertension and diabetes, can impair their function.[4], [5]  The rich foods, alcohol, and late nights of the holiday season can increase risks, making it essential to practice moderation and adopt healthy habits.

Early detection through simple tests, such as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR), are key to preventing CKD progression.[1] By making health a shared priority, families can stay proactive in protecting their loved ones.

Fun and Learning at ‘It Starts With U: Get CheCKD’

Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc., in partnership with Dialysis PH, Kidney Transplant Association of the Philippines (KITAP), and Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO), hosted the second leg of ‘It Starts With U: Get CheCKD’—an interactive event designed to raise awareness about CKD in an engaging way.

Families had a blast participating in Zumba and POUND® sessions, highlighting the importance of staying active for kidney health. They also enjoyed kidney-friendly treats, proving that healthy eating can be delicious and festive. Through the Check Your Choices game room, families learned about kidney health in a fun, interactive way, reinforcing the idea that making health a priority can be both enjoyable and educational this holiday season.

Expert-led talks highlighted the importance of kidney care and its connection to heart and metabolic health, offering actionable tips for families to embrace healthier lifestyles.

The event also provided free two-step kidney tests, doctor consultations, and resources to guide attendees in making informed choices. Boehringer Ingelheim’s educational website further empowered families with tools to safeguard their health year-round.

The Best Gift for the Holidays: Health

This season, let’s remember that the best gift for our loved ones is the gift of health. By making wellness a family effort through regular checkups and early screening, healthy habits, and staying active, we can ensure a brighter, healthier future for everyone.


[1] Science Direct. The association between changes in lifestyle behaviors and the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in middle-aged and older men.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S091750401730076X. Accessed November 30, 2024.

[2] Novartis. World Kidney Day: Patient groups partner with Novartis to hold multistakeholder forum on enhancing health access of renal replacement therapy patients. https://www.novartis.com/ph-en/news/world-kidney-day-patient-groups-novartis-enhancing-health-access-renal-replacement-therapy-patients. Accessed November 28, 2024.

[3] Cleveland Clinic. Chronic Kidney Disease. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15096-chronic-kidney-disease. Accessed November 27, 2024.

[4] Healthline. Why Congestive Heart Failure and Kidney Disease Often Occur Together. https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-health/chf-and-kidney-failure.  Accessed November 27, 2024.

[5] American Kidney Fund. Heart disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD). https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/risk-factors/heart-disease-and-chronic-kidney-disease-ckd.  Accessed November 27, 2024.

[1] National Health Service. Chronic Kidney Disease Diagnosis. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/diagnosis/.  Accessed November 27, 2024.

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