Article: If you have goals set, you'll be able to make the most out of your teenage years and form valuable memories pursuing your passions. There may be certain things that you have a natural aptitude for, or talents or skills you've spent years developing. Considering your strengths can help connect you to your passions and allow you to set personal goals.  Is there anything that always came easily to you? Look back to your early childhood. Maybe you never had any interest in playing sports with your classmates, but loved to sit for hours drawing pictures during recess. Maybe you always aced math quizzes without much effort. Consider things you seem to have a knack for, or that others have complimented you on. You may, for example, love taking pictures with your smart phone and uploading them on Instagram. You may get a lot of compliments on your pictures. You may benefit from pursuing photography more seriously. You could look into taking a photography class in school or at an art center. Do not limit yourself as a teenager. Have fun and make the most of this time by exploring a variety of pursuits. Join many different extracurricular clubs. Look into taking classes in a variety of fields. On your own time, read about subjects that intrigue you, like art, history, science, and culture. You'll end up making great memories that will make your teenage years a valuable time of your life.  It's okay if you try something and dislike it. Don't waste time doing something you hate. Stick to the pursuits that make you feel happy and inspired. You'll also make friends while exploring your interests. Having a solid friend group will help you form lasting memories for your teenage years. Passions should make you feel excited and invigorated. Considering what inspires you in  your day-to-day life can help you identify passions. Maybe you love reading about artists in class, and find going to art museums personally invigorating. This may mean you have a passion for art or art history. Spend your time pouring your energies into your personal passions. Conversely, think about things that rub you the wrong way. Oftentimes, feelings of jealousy or frustration with another person are rooted in your own insecurities. If you feel miffed that your cousin's piano recitals and plays get so much attention from your family, maybe you wish you were more creative yourself. You may want to consider pursuing theater or music to see if you like it. After you've spent some time considering your passions, set goals for yourself. It's important to have goals as a teen, as these can help shape the trajectory of your adult life. Writing down a variety of goals for a given year, semester, or summer can help you upgrade your life.  Start by writing down the abstract. Just jot down some ideas on where in life you want to improve. For example, you may write something like, "I want to be a better writer." Try to narrow down your goals into concrete terms. How might you go about achieving some of your abstract goals? What small goals can you set along the way? For example, "I want to write 20 pages by the end of the summer." Specific and realistic goals work best. Passions and interests are often abstract, so when writing goals you should work on specifying how you want to pursue these things. For example, maybe you're interested in animal welfare. A goal like, "I will avoid using products tested on animals," is a more specific goal than, "I will do my part to end animal cruelty." Set a series of specific and concrete goals that move towards a larger purpose. If you want to be a writer, you can set goals for how many books you will read each semester, and decide to write for a set number of hours each night.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Consider your talents. Make memories by exploring a variety of pursuits. Discover what inspires you. Set goals for yourself. Be specific and realistic.
Article: One of the earliest signs of kidney issues is microalbuminuria, which is the presence of protein and albumin in your urine. Often diabetic patients with kidney damage show no overt symptoms, and no changes to their urinary patterns or frequency. Therefore, it is important to request specific tests such as this one from your doctor, as it is the easiest way to detect any damage to the kidneys in the early stages.  Protein in your urine (as detected on the microalbuminuria test) is usually a red flag that your kidneys are not in optimal health, and that it is time to begin steps to prevent any further damage. This test is recommended to have once a year. If you have type 1 diabetes, testing should begin five years after diagnosis. If you have type 2 diabetes, testing should begin annually starting at the time of diagnosis. What starts as small amounts of protein in your urine (called "diabetic nephropathy" by medical doctors), if left untreated eventually progresses to chronic kidney disease and ultimately to kidney failure. This is why showing up for regular testing, and then following your doctor's advice for lifestyle modifications and medical treatment, is key to delaying or altogether preventing the development of long-term kidney disease and kidney failure. Your body will begin to retain fluid because when your kidneys start to fail, they become less able to remove excess water from your body. When this occurs, you will experience swelling around your ankles and feet because your body is holding on to fluid. One of the main signs of fluid retention is the skin around your eyes becoming puffy. When your kidneys stop working, they have a harder time processing toxins that they can normally deal with. This will cause these toxins to accumulate in your body, which will keep your body from functioning normally. One of the first things that will be affected by this toxin accumulation is your appetite. Your kidneys process all of the good and bad stuff that you put into your body. When they stop working properly, waste will build up in your body. This waste buildup can actually cause your skin to become irritated, which will result in your feeling itchy. When your kidneys stop processing waste, toxins can build up throughout your body. This means that toxins can also accumulate in your brain, making it harder for you to function properly. This can result in you having a hard time concentrating on anything for a long period of time. Muscle cramps, nausea, and vomiting can occur because of an imbalance of electrolytes in your body. Electrolytes are ions that are found in the body that help to maintain the normal functioning of the body. When you don’t have enough electrolytes, your muscles can cramp up. At the same time, you may begin to feel nauseous, which may cause you to vomit. The most common electrolytes include sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Ascites is the medical term for a swollen abdomen caused by an accumulation of fluid. When your body accumulates fluids because your kidneys are not working properly, your abdomen will more than likely swell up.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Have your doctor test for microalbuminuria. Understand the progression of kidney disease. Look out for signs of fluid retention. Take note if you experience a lack of appetite. Be aware of itchiness as one of the later symptoms of kidney failure. Talk to a doctor if you find that you are having trouble concentrating. Watch out for muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting caused by an electrolyte imbalance. Check to see if your abdomen is swollen.