If you have a kidney problem, or you want to make sure you avoid having one in the future, you have to be careful about the kinds of food you eat.
The goal 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 is also intended to help anyone who is a caretaker for someone who is afflicted with kidney problems, or has to cook on a regular basis for such an individual.
Diet plays a big role in managing a kidney problem. Your food choices depend on a number of health factors, including
* The current state of your kidney health
* Your overall state of health, including any ongoing conditions or disorders.
* Your BMI, or body mass index or BMI (the kidneys of obese people have to work harder).
There are five types of food that deserve special consideration when planning a diet for people with kidney problems.
Amount of Sodium
Sodium or salt is important for metabolism. It helps control blood pressure, keep a fluid balance in the body, and even influences muscle movement.
Many people have too much sodium in their diets. In some cases, it’s because they eat a lot of processed and pre-packaged foods – which are generally loaded with sodium. Normally, your kidneys filter out excess salt. But kidneys that aren’t working well will allow sodium to accumulate. When this happens, fluids begin to build up, which causes bloating in various areas – specifically, the face and joints.
If you’re concerned about your kidneys, keep the following foods to a minimum:
*pre-packaged dinner mixes
*salted snacks, especially potato chips
*salted nuts
*meat that has been processed, like cold cuts
*cheese
*canned, dehydrated, or instant soup or bouillon cubes
*canned vegetables
*bacon
You can also do yourself a favor by reducing the amount of salt you use from the salt shaker at the dinner table.
Protein
Protein is good for you unless you have kidney problems and you eat too much of it. A protein rich diet can put strain on your kidneys by creating more metabolic waste than they can handle efficiently.
Meat and poultry products, including eggs, contain a lot of protein. Vegetables and grains generally include little or no protein.
Potassium
Potassium plays an important role in maintaining the health of muscles and nerves. But once again, you can get too much of it, which may result in an irregular heartbeat.
Almost all foods contain some level of potassium. So if you’re concerned about your kidneys, you have to become aware of how much potassium is contained in your food choices.
Meanwhile some foods have high levels of potassium, so you should make sure to limit your consumption. Examples include apricots, bananas, beets, bran & bran products, broccoli, cantaloupe, chocolate, and coffee.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is similar to potassium in that it promotes healthy muscles and nerves. When combined with calcium, it also gives us strong bones and teeth.
Kidney problems can throw your phosphorus levels out of balance. As a result, your calcium levels drop, and your body begins taking calcium from your bones to compensate.
But having too much phosphorus isn’t healthy either. It can cause skin irritation and itchiness, joint pain and brittle bones.
Here are some foods that contain a lot of phosphorus: peanut butter and many kinds of nuts, liver (both chicken and beef) cheese and caramel. Also be aware that certain drinks contain high phosphorus levels too, including beer and cola.
Fluids
One of the most important functions your kidneys perform is filtering fluids.
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. Consuming a lot of fluids can result in swelling, high blood pressure and shortness of breath.
This is a subject that’s best discussed with your doctor.
It’s important to remember that some fluids start out as solids and then melt into liquids in your stomach. Ice cream is a good example of this type of food.
Final thoughts on a Diet for People with Kidney Problems
Anyone who has a serious kidney problem – or wants to avoid one – needs to be maintain a healthy, kidney-friendly diet. If a kidney fails, or kidney function is seriously compromised, your only options are kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.
By maintaining a diet designed for for people with kidney problems today, you will reduce your chances of ever being faced with such choices in the future.
To learn more about related topics, click on kidney failure.