Too many bad air days

University of Michigan study suggests that air pollution can fuel chronic kidney disease. “Similar to smoking, air pollution contains harmful toxins that can directly affect the kidneys,” says study author Jennifer Bragg-Gresham, MS, PhD, a Michigan Medicine epidemiologist, in a news release. Fine particulate matter can lead to serious health effects including kidney disease when inhaled often. In addition, air pollution contains heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium—all of which can harm the kidneys, the study authors point out. Learn more about what air pollution can do to your health, and make sure you’re watching out for these hidden signs of kidney cancer you’re likely to ignore