Reading Beauty Labels: What is Urea?

It’s time for another closer look at the stuff that goes into our favorite beauty products. Today’s target: urea. Urea (sometimes known as carbamide) is an organic chemical compound. It is produced by humans and many other mammals, amphibians, and some fish. It is produced when the liver breaks down ammonia and protein or ammonia and amino acids. The kidneys then send urea out of the body along with urine. Urea helps carry excess nitrogen out of the body. Um… sounds like kind of a yucky thing to put into beauty products! But it’s used in cleansers, conditioners, hair dyes, … Continue reading

Kidney Disease: The Basics

Your kidneys have a pretty important job: they remove waste products and extra water from your body. And they work pretty hard, too. In a minute, a healthy kidney filters about a half a cup of fluid (between 88 and 137 milliliters) — that makes for some 200 quarts of liquid filtered every day. Kidney disease means that your kidneys have been damaged and can no longer perform their usual functions. It can develop for a variety of reasons, and may be mild or severe. There are several stages of kidney disease; the early stages may have few or no … Continue reading