Can It Be Prevented
Atrophic kidney cant always be prevented. But there are some measures you can take to keep your kidneys as healthy as possible.
First, try to prevent those conditions that can damage your kidneys, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. If you already have such a condition, work to keep it under good control.
Your diet should be rich in:
- fruits and vegetables
- low-fat or fat-free dairy products
Limit your intake of:
What Is The Outlook
You can live a long, healthy life with only one healthy kidney. However, youll need to watch your diet and see your doctor regularly.
In some cases, chronic kidney disease leads to kidney failure. Its a serious problem if your kidneys are functioning below 25 percent.
For people on dialysis, the average life expectancy is 5 to 10 years, but some may live as long as 30 more years.
The average kidney transplant lasts 12 to 20 years when from a living donor and 8 to 12 years when from a deceased donor.
Of course, much depends on your age and other health considerations. Your doctor can give you more of an idea of your outlook based on your personal situation.
Dangers Of Eating Sweet Potatoes On A Renal Diet
Though there are many health benefits for eating sweet potatoes, the potassium content is what puts your renal diet in danger. Potassium is a common mineral that must be limited when you have chronic kidney disease.
If your kidneys are not able to filter the excess potassium in the body, it can lead to an irregular heartbeat or even a heart attack. Therefore, it is essential that you limit the amount of potassium you take in, as well as how many sweet potatoes you consume.
One of the best ways you can still enjoy sweet potatoes in your renal diet is though leaching.
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Surprising Health Benefits Of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are sweet, starchy root vegetables that are grown worldwide .
They come in a variety of sizes and colors including orange, white, and purple and are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Not to mention, they provide a number of health benefits and are easy to add to your diet.
Here are 6 surprising health benefits of sweet potatoes.
What Should I Know About Potassium If I Follow A Renal Diet
Potassium is a mineral involved in how muscles work. When your kidneys dont work properly, potassium builds up in your blood. This can cause changes in how your heart beats and possibly even lead to a heart attack.
Potassium is found mainly in fruits and vegetables, as well as milk and meats. Youll need to avoid certain fruits and vegetables and limit the amount of others.
Potassium-rich foods to avoid
- Melons such as cantaloupe and honeydew.
- Tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato juice.
- Dried beans all kinds.
- Cooked greens, spinach, kale, collards and Swiss chard.
- Broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
- Salt substitutes or lite salt.
Canned fruits
Canned fruits usually have lower amounts of potassium than fresh ones. Be sure to pour off the juice before you eat the fruit.
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes need special handling to allow you to eat them in small amounts. Peel them, cut them into small slices or cubes and soak them for several hours in a large amount of water.
When you’re ready to cook them, pour the soaking water off and use a large amount of water in the pan. Drain this water before you prepare them to eat.
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Antioxidants May Help You
Every cell in your body needs oxygen. But, too much oxygen in the wrong places can oxidize and cause damage, a lot like rust. Antioxidants help protect your cells, and may help your kidneys. Ask your doctor if antioxidants like these. might be worth taking:
Fish oil can help slow CKD that is caused by a disease called IgA nephropathy.
Note: Talk to your care team before you take any supplement, vitamin, or over the counter remedy. When your kidneys don’t work well, these can build up in your body to levels that could harm you.
Potatoes And Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are potassium-rich vegetables.
Just one medium-sized baked potato contains 610 mg of potassium, whereas one average-sized baked sweet potato contains 541 mg of potassium .
Fortunately, some high potassium foods, including potatoes and sweet potatoes, can be soaked or leached to reduce their potassium contents.
Cutting potatoes into small, thin pieces and boiling them for at least 10 minutes can reduce the potassium content by about 50% .
Potatoes that are soaked in water for at least 4 hours before cooking are proven to have an even lower potassium content than those not soaked before cooking .
This method is known as potassium leaching or the double-cook method.
Although double cooking potatoes lowers the potassium content, its important to remember that their potassium content isnt eliminated by this method.
Considerable amounts of potassium can still be present in double-cooked potatoes, so its best to practice portion control to keep potassium levels in check.
SUMMARY
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are high potassium vegetables. Boiling or double cooking potatoes can decrease their potassium content by about 50%.
Tomatoes are another high potassium fruit that may not fit the guidelines of a renal diet.
They can be served raw or stewed and are often used to make sauces.
Just 1 cup of tomato sauce can contain upwards of 900 mg of potassium .
Unfortunately for those on a renal diet, tomatoes are commonly used in many dishes.
SUMMARY
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Which Fruit Is Good For Creatinine
On the other hand, it is also found that fruits that are rich in potassium are beneficial for patients with chronic kidney disease as potassium helps to improve cardiac and muscular function. Certain fruits to reduce creatinine level that and are rich in both dietary fiber as well as potassium include Bananas. Melons.
/7here Are Some People Who Need To Pay Attention
Without a doubt, sweet potatoes are healthy. Even though it is starchy and high in carbs and calories, the root vegetable is brimming with nutrients. Protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, just adding this one food to your diet can provide you with all these macro and micronutrients. Owing to its amazing nutrient profile, it is recommended for those trying to shed kilos, suffering from respiratory problems, fighting arthritis and dealing with a stomach ulcer. Although sweet potato is safe for consumption for all, some people may need to pay a little extra attention when consuming it due to the presence of vitamin A. Here are some people who need to pay attention:
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Rich In Dietary Fibers
The starchy texture of sweet potatoes contains fiber, which aids digestion. Fiber also helps your body release built-up waste to prevent blockage or constipation. Unfortunately, most of us are completely unaware of how much fiber we eat daily and are nowhere near the recommended daily amount.
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The average adult needs 20-30 grams of fiber per day, but most Americans only get about 15. To maintain a regular digestive system and promote your overall health, consider adding a sweet potato to your diet a few times a week .
People With High Blood Potassium
If you consistently have too much potassium in your blood, more than 5.5mEq/L7 , you should reduce how much potassium you eat. There is not a recommended amount of potassium people with hyperkalemia should eat. Instead, it is best to just cut back how much potassium you eat.
I often recommend limiting high potassium foods to a set number of servings per week, depending on how high potassium levels are and how much my patient was eating before. Some patients can tolerate one high potassium food per day, others can only handle one serving per week. Your dietitian can help you figure out how much is right for you.
Your doctor typically checks how much potassium is in your blood when they check labs. Check out what your potassium level is to figure out if you should be eating a lot of potassium or cutting back. If you dont have your lab results, call your doctor and ask!
Can I Still Eat Fruits & Vegetables?!
YES! Common advice for people with high potassium is to avoid ALL fruits and vegetables. THIS IS NOT NECESSARY!
Although fruits and vegetables are known for being high in potassium, there are many healthy choices for people with high potassium on a renal diet. Completely avoiding fruits and vegetables could be harmful and put you at risk of malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and excess intake of other foods such as protein or carbohydrate. Fruits and vegetables are a critical part of a healthy diet for everyone, especially people with kidney disease!
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Nutritional Information For Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are loaded with lots of healthy nutrients. A medium one is packed with Vitamin A, which is has anti-aging properties and has been known to help reduce the risk of cancer.
Sweet potatoes also have heart health benefits, as they have an abundance of Vitamin B6. This nutrient in breaking down a substance called homocysteine, which increases the chance of hardening of the arteries and blood vessels in the body.
Sweet potatoes are on the low on the glycemic index, so they help to regulate your blood sugar and maintain your energy levels when eaten. Their good source of fiber aids in digestion as well.
As for the specific nutrition information, sweet potatoes contain no fat and a medium sized potato is about 100 calories. Total carbohydrates are 23 grams and potassium is 440 milligrams.
Leaching Sweet Potatoes For Your Renal Diet
To leach your sweet potatoes, follow these instructions:
- Peel the sweet potatoes and place them in a pot filled with cold water.
- Slice each potato in 1/8 inch thick slices.
- Rinse and warm water.
- Place the slices in a pot of warm water for at least two hours before cooking them. If you wish to soak them longer, change your water every four hours.
- Rinse the sweet potatoes again with warm water when you remove them from the soaking water.
- Cook the sweet potato in a pot with five times the amount of water versus amount of the vegetable.
Sweet potatoes can be a beneficial part of your renal diet, as long as you stick to your potassium restrictions. Try leaching the potatoes in order to reduce their potassium content so you dont make your kidney work harder and risk even more serious health problems.
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Foods To Eat Or Avoid If You Have Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease can be either long-term or chronic, but it is possible to live a normal life with the disease. One of the best things you can do to help manage your disease and keep it from progressing is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
For those with chronic kidney disease, a low-protein diet is recommended, but for someone on dialysis, a high-protein diet is best. Depending on your individual needs, your physician may also recommend limiting additional fluids, minerals or electrolytes. Here are 10 foods to eat or avoid if you have kidney disease:
Foods to Eat
Foods to Avoid
Kidney disease or not, what you eat and drink affects your health. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet is key to controlling your blood pressure and blood sugar. High blood pressure and diabetes are two of the leading causes of kidney disease, as well as many other conditions including heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.
A kidney-healthy diet isnt so much about eliminating a ton of foods entirely, but more about portion control and finding the right balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates to ensure you are consuming enough calories and nutrients.
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The Best Foods For Kidney Health
Kidneys are small organs located underneath the rib cage, on each side of the spine. They are responsible for filtering waste out of the blood and excreting it out of the body through urine. Kidneys also balance the bodys fluid and electrolyte levels and play a significant role in overall health. Some foods may boost the performance of the kidneys, while others may place stress on them and cause damage. Eating foods rich in certain vitamins and nutrients may help the kidneys function properly and prevent damage to them. However, some foods that generally help support healthy kidneys may not be suitable for people who have an existing kidney disease. Check with your doctor or dietitian if you have an existing condition to find out which foods are best for you.
1. Dark leafy greens
Dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard, and collard greens are loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, and many other important minerals. Kale also is a significant source of carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin K. Spinach is high in vitamins A, C, K, and folate. The beta-carotene found in spinach is important for boosting your immune system and a good source of magnesium. Try replacing that nutritionally challenged iceberg lettuce with some dark leafy greens.
2. Berries
3. Cranberries
4. Sweet potatoes
5. Olive oil
6. Fatty fish
7. Cabbage
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Limit Shellfish And Meat
Research has found that a toxin called domoic acid in shellfish and some fish that eat algae can harm kidneys in mice. People are not mice. But, the really troubling finding was that very tiny levels of the toxin could harm kidneys. Shellfish also have high levels of purines, which can be a problem if you have gout. So, it may be wise to cut back on shellfish if you eat it a lot.
Vegetable Potassium Food List
Potassium Foods List PDF
Dairy and Potassium
Dairy is moderately high in potassium. Eating too much can contribute excess potassium. Milk, yogurt and cheese are all moderately high. Be careful to avoid large amounts of these foods. For most of my patients, I recommend no more than 1 serving of dairy per day . Rice milk can be a great low potassium substitute for cows milk.
Hidden Potassium
Extra potassium has found its way into our food supply as part of food additives in processed foods. One study found that meat and poultry products labeled as low-sodium actually contained 44% more potassium than regular versions as a result of potassium additives9. The potassium is added in an effort to make the food more heart-healthy. However, this extra potassium could be harmful for kidney patients.
As of January 2020, food manufacturers are required to start adding potassium to food labels, so this will help us figure out how much potassium is in our food. However, I still recommend reading the ingredients on Nutrition Facts labels to be safe. Look for the word potassium in ANY part of a word in the ingredients.
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Packaged Instant And Premade Meals
Processed foods can be a major component of sodium in the diet.
Among these foods, packaged, instant, and premade meals are usually the most heavily processed and thus contain the most sodium.
Examples include frozen pizza, microwaveable meals, and instant noodles.
Keeping sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day may be difficult if youre eating highly processed foods regularly.
Heavily processed foods not only contain a large amount of sodium but also commonly lack nutrients .
SUMMARY
Packaged, instant, and premade meals are highly processed items that can contain very large amounts of sodium and lack nutrients. Its best to limit these foods on a renal diet.
Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are leafy green vegetables that contain high amounts of various nutrients and minerals, including potassium.
When served raw, the amount of potassium varies between 140290 mg per cup .
While leafy vegetables shrink to a smaller serving size when cooked, the potassium content remains the same.
For example, one-half cup of raw spinach will shrink to about 1 tablespoon when cooked. Thus, eating one-half cup of cooked spinach will contain a much higher amount of potassium than one-half cup of raw spinach.
Raw Swiss chard, spinach, and beet greens are preferable to cooked greens to avoid too much potassium.
However, moderate your intake of these foods, as theyre also high in oxalates. Among sensitive individuals, oxalates can increase the risk of kidney stones (
Is Rice Or Sweet Potato Better For Dogs
While you should always boil or bake your potatoes before feeding them to your dog, the American Kennel Club actually recommends sweet potatoes as they have even more vitamins in them, making them a better alternative, but much like rice the starch and carbohydrates can cause a rise in blood sugar that can be harmful
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What Should I Know About Sodium And Salt If I Follow A Renal Diet
Sodium is a mineral found in salt . Its widely used to prepare foods.
Salt is one of the most commonly used seasonings. Itll take time for you to get used to reducing the salt in your diet. However, reducing salt/sodium is an important tool in controlling your kidney disease.
Here are some suggestions.