subject: Diet For Patients With Kidney Diseases [print this page] If you have kidney problems, or you want to take steps to make sure you don't get one someday, you have to be careful about the kinds of food you eat.
The intention of this article is to give you tips on a sensible diet for people with kidney problems - whether you currently have a kidney problem, or hope to avoid having one in the future. The information in this article will also help anyone who lives with someone who has kidney problems, or has to plan meals everyday for such an individual.
When you're dealing with kidney disease, kidney failure or similar challenges, diet is an extremely important component in controlling your condition. Diet can also be important in preventing recurring problems like kidney stones. Decisions about what to eat depend on several factors.
* Your current kidney health and ability to function.
* Your overall health and physical well-being, especially in regard to any other conditions or illnesses you may have.
* The "state of your weight." Overweight individuals with a high body mass index (BMI) are at a higher risk for kidney problems.
When planning a diet for people with kidney problems, there are five main food groups that must be taken into consideration.
Sodium
Your body needs sodium, or salt, to function. Sodium plays a role in controlling muscle contractions, balancing fluids, and regulating yopur blood pressure.
But many people eat way more salt than they should. Some don't realize that many of the prepackaged and processed foods that are so convenient are loaded with sodium - it's not just the salt that comes out of the shaker on the dinner table.
Part of normal kidney function is to filter out sodium. But unhealthy kidneys fail to do this. They allow salt to accumulate.
This allows fluids to build up in the body, causing bloating. Typically, this bloating appears first in the face and joints.
If you're concerned about your kidneys, keep the following foods to a minimum:
* processed dinner mixes
* snack foods that are heavily salted, like potato chips
* nuts that have been salted
* meat that has been processed, like cold cuts
* cheese
* Soups that come from a can, a dehydrated package, or broth made with bouillon cubes
* Processed vegetables that are packed in cans
* bacon
It's also a good idea to avoid adding table salt to your food.
Protein
We all need protein. But anyone who has kidney problems should be careful not to eat too much of it. A diet that's high in protein strains the kidneys by creating more metabolic waste than they can handle. You need to get enough while being careful not to get too much. Your doctor can help give you some guidelines that are appropriate to your situation.
Meat and poultry products, including eggs, contain a lot of protein. Very little protein can be found in grains and vegetables.
Potassium
Potassium is important to nerve and muscle health. Too much potassium in your diet, however, can lead to an irregular heartbeat. Almost all foods contain potassium.
So if your doctor tells you that you have kidney issues, you have to educate yourself about the amount of potassium in the food you choose.
Some foods contain a lot of potassium, and you should watch how much of them you eat. Foods that contain a lot of potassium include collard, mushrooms, mustard, oranges, potatoes, prunes, raisins, salt substitute, tomatoes, apricots, bananas, beets and broccoli.
Phosphorus
Like potassium, phosphorus helps maintain normal nerve and muscle performance. It combines with calcium to build strong bones and teeth.
When you have kidney problems, your phosphorus balances can be affected. As a result, your calcium levels drop, and your body begins taking calcium from your bones to compensate.
But high levels of phosphorus aren't good either. It can cause skin irritation and itchiness, joint pain and brittle bones.
These are the foods that contain a lot of phosphorus: caramel, cheese, chicken livers, beef liver, many kinds of nuts, and peanut butter. Also be aware that certain drinks contain high phosphorus levels too, including beer and cola.
Fluids
Your kidneys act as the "fluid filters" of your body. Someone with a kidney problem has challenges in this area. So, it's important to watch your fluid intake carefully as part of a healthy kidney diet.
When your fluid intake is excessive, you may experience swelling, shortness of breath and high blood pressure.
Your doctor can give you some recommendations on what's best for you.
Be aware that fluids don't don't always come in a bottle, carton or a can: fluids also come from other sources, especially foods that melt into liquid in your stomach. Ice cream leads the list here.
If you have a kidney problem, or want to avoid one, eating the right kind of diet is important.
Kidney failure leaves you faced with two grim possibilities: years of renal dialysis, or a kidney transplant. Maintaining a diet designed for people with kidney problems today will reduce your chances of ever being faced with such choices in the future.
