Some recommended dietary changes for people with kidney disease
Dr.Hasib Sheikh
Healthy kidneys play an important role in removing wastes generated from the food you eat. They are responsible for eliminating urea, wastes from dietary protein, along with minerals like sodium, potassium and phosphorus. If youre suffering from kidney disease and you take regular dialysis treatment for blood purification, you should be extra careful about the food you eat.
Any kind of food that increases the load on your kidneys could result in accumulation of wastes in your body, causing further kidney impairment.High blood pressure over time, this can put strain on the small blood vessels in the kidneys and stop the kidneys working properly. Diabetes too much glucose in your blood can damage the tiny filters in the kidneys. High cholesterol this can cause a build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels supplying your kidneys, which can make it harder for them to work properly. Kidney infections glomerulonephritis kidney inflammation.
Polycystic kidney disease an inherited condition where growths called cysts develop in the kidneys. Blockages in the flow of urine for example, from recurrent kidney stones or an enlarged prostate. Long-term, regular use of certain medicines such as lithium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Some recommended dietary changes for people with kidney disease include consumption of a low protein diet, limiting salt intake, reducing intake of phosphorus-rich foods and choosing foods low in potassium. Here are 5 foods that you must eat if youre suffering from kidney disease.
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is kidney-friendly vegetable that secretly helps your body control various other factors like diabetes and heart disease which contribute to kidney disease. Additionally, cauliflower it is also low in potassium and offers other nutrients like vitamin C, folic acid and fibre, which are helpful for patients with kidney disease. It also has the ability to eliminate certain toxic substances from your system, lowering the load on your kidneys.
Carrots: Hypertension is a leading contributor of kidney disease and kidney failure. People with chronic kidney disease should eat foods that help in regulating their blood pressure. One such food that works wonders for reducing hypertension is carrot. It not only takes care of high BP but also helps control diabetes which can also cause kidney disease. However, raw carrots are high in potassium. So, if youre including carrots in your diet, ensure your intake is monitored and is within the safe amount.
Apples: Apples are not just good for your kidneys but can also reduce the overall ill effects of kidney disease in the initial stages. According to a study conducted at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, food sources of pectin (like apples and oranges) significantly reduced kidney damage over a period of time
Onions: Onion is healthy food for people who have a high creatinine level along with reduced kidney function. They contain a substance called prostaglandin that naturally reduces blood viscosity and helps to lower high BP, thereby reducing the progression of kidney disease.
Garlic: Garlic contains antioxidants that help in reducing inflammation A study by Bagheri F, Gol A, Dabiri S and Javadi A demonstrated that garlic juice helps to prevent renal reperfusion-induced injuries in rats.
If you have chronic kidney disease, good nutrition and diet are critical components of the treatment plan. The recommended diet, including amounts of protein, calories and nutrients, changes depending on how much kidney function you have. For that beginning dialysis treatment, monitoring your diet is essential to staying healthy. Here are some tips to keep you on track:
Eat a high protein food at every meal. This includes meat, fish, poultry, fresh pork or eggs.
Cut out potassium and phosphorus.
Avoid peanut butter, nut, seeds, dried beans and lentils. Even though these are high in protein, they are also high in potassium and phosphorous.
Use less salt and eat fewer salty foods. This may help to control blood pressure and reduce weight gains between dialysis sessions.
Use herbs, spices and low-salt flavor enhancers in place of salt
Avoid salt substitutes made with potassium.
Avoid whole grain and high fiber foods such as whole wheat bread, bran cereal and brown rice to help limit your intake of phosphorous.
Limit your intake of milk, yogurt and cheese. These are very high in phosphorus. Limiting dairy-based foods protects your bones and blood vessels.
All fruits have some potassium. Limiting potassium protects your heart. Choose apples and berries over oranges and bananas.
All vegetables have some potassium. Choose broccoli and cabbage over potatoes and asparagus.
