Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : June 13, 2015 4:10 PM IST
According to the National Kidney Foundation, one out of every ten people will suffer from kidney stones in their lifetime and 10% of the general population suffers from some form of kidney disease. Known to be a silent killer, the symptoms of kidney disease do not appear in the initial stage (remains undetected until late in its course). However, with some simple dietary changes people with kidney disease can lead a healthy life. Here are some simple yet effective tips to start with --
6 diet tips people with kidney disease should FOLLOW
Dr Neha Sanwalka, a dietician and nutritionist says, There are few foods that are good for the kidneys and hence, they should be consumed regularly for healthy kidneys. However, when a person is already suffering from kidney disease, the load on the kidney to excrete waste from the body has to be reduced. Thus, the diet of people suffering from kidney disease should be low in sodium, potassium and animal proteins.' Apart from this, there are few tips you need to follow. These include -
#1 Eat right
It is important to eat right amounts and good quality proteins. Read labels of foods thoroughly to look for the sodium, potassium and phosphorus content of the food. However, consult a dietician before you start to include proteins in your diet.
#2 Consult a dietician
People with kidney disease are more prone to hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, it is wise to consult a dietician, who will help you plan a healthy meal, depending on your condition. Read about 11 common risk factors of kidney disease.
#3 Opt for leaching of vegetables
Leaching of vegetables is an effective cooking option for people with kidney disease as it lowers the sodium, potassium and phosphorus content of the vegetables. It involves soaking cut vegetables in warm water for 2-3 hours, discarding the water and using the leached vegetables to prepare food.
#4 Drink sufficient amount of water (even in winters!)
Drink about 3- 4 litres of water every day to flush toxins out from the body and decrease load on kidneys. The common reason being, when you drink more water, more urine is produced, which in turn flushes out the harmful toxins from the body. By doing so, the pressure on the kidneys is reduced, which lowers your risk of kidney problem.
#5 Include immune boosting foods in your diet
For people with recurrent kidney infection, immune boosting foods such as fruits, fresh vegetables, milk and milk products and fresh water fish should be included. Some of the common kidney-friendly foods are:
#6 Don t shun calcium completely
Many people avoid consuming calcium-rich foods as they fear that eating calcium might cause deposition of calcium salts leading to kidney stones. However, calcium-rich foods do not increase your risk of developing kidney stones. Instead, restricting calcium intake might increase your risk of forming stones. This is because, excess calcium will bind with oxalates, thereby preventing the absorption of oxalates (which might cause kidney stones). Here are 9 reasons you should eat calcium rich foods.
5 foods people with kidney disease should AVOID
Dr Neha Sanwalka, a dietician and nutritionist, says The major function of kidneys is to remove waste and maintain electrochemical balance in the body. This is the reason why a person suffering from kidney disease needs to consume a kidney-friendly diet that is low in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, proteins and fluids. Here is a list of foods that you should consume in limited amounts to lower burden on your kidneys:
#1 Stay away from sodium-rich foods
The consumption of foods containing sodium increases your blood pressure level, which in turn puts pressure on your kidneys, leading to various complications. Hence, people suffering from kidney disease should avoid foods packed with sodium. These majorly include salt, baking powder, soda-bicarbonate, canned foods, cheese, bacon, ham sausages, meat, yeast, salted chips, biscuits, nuts, popcorn, papad, pickle, commercial salad dressing, soft drinks containing sodium benzoate, soup cubes, health drinks, cocoa, MSG and pudding mixes.
#2 Avoid foods high in potassium
Kidneys are responsible for eliminating wastes (toxic compounds) and minerals like sodium, potassium and phosphorus from the body. If you re suffering from kidney disease and eat foods rich in potassium, you increase the load on your kidneys. This in turn leads to accumulation of wastes in your body, causing further kidney impairment. Hence, avoid foods containing high amounts of potassium such as amaranth, coriander leaves, drumstick leaves, spinach, colocasia, potato, sweet potato, tapioca, yam, drumstick, green papaya, all fruits & fruit juices (except guava, apple, pear, papaya, pineapple), nuts, jaggery, brown sugar, instant coffee, chocolate and cocoa powder.
#3Limit intake of foods containing phosphorus
Almost every food that we consume on a daily basis contain phosphorus. However, people suffering from kidney disease should reduce intake of phosphorus-rich foods as excess consumption of these foods puts pressure on the kidneys, leading to impaired kidney function. Hence, foods rich in this mineral such as milk, curd, meat, poultry, fish, jaggery, pulses, banana, guava and colas should be consumed in limited quantities.
#4 Consume less of oxalate-rich foods
Foods containing oxalates are spinach, peanuts, seeds, grains, legumes, beetroots, chocolates, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Oxalates are compounds that bind calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals or stones during formation of urine by the kidneys. If your diet contains more of oxalate-rich foods (following kidney stones), you are more likely to suffer from various kidney complications. Here are 6 foods to avoid if you are suffering from kidney stones.
#5 Check your protein intake
People suffering from kidney stones (or those at an increased risk of kidney stones) have to restrict intake of seafood, meat and other proteinaceous foods. This is because, these foods contains high amounts of purines, which in turn increase the production of uric acid, leading to uric acid stones.
Diet plays a major role in dealing with kidney disease and lowering the intake of foods that put pressure on the kidneys. However, apart from dietary changes, people with kidney disease should implement few lifestyle modifications to lead a healthy life, explains Dr Neha. Finally, it is wise to consult a nutritionist or dietician before embarking on a kidney-friendly diet. As he/she would be the right person to assess your blood parameters and give you a diet plan as per your health and severity of kidney disease. Read about 3 good reasons to get a kidney check up done.
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