How Much Black Tea Is Safe
Of course, having a cup of black tea every so often is perfectly safe for most people. Even though black tea contains higher oxalate levels than most teas, its generally not enough to worry about.
One study looked at the amount of oxalates in black tea and found quite low levels. They concluded that drinking 4 cups of black tea would not pose a risk to kidney stones, and for kidney stone patients they recommended not to consume anything with more than 10 mg of oxalate, which is just over two 8oz mugs according to this study .
Whether you can consume black tea with a kidney condition depends on how severe your condition is, how much youre consuming, and your doctors instructions. While most people can drink reasonable amounts of black tea with no problem, be sure to check with your healthcare professional first if you have issues with kidney health.
TopicsKidney KitchenHealthy livingNutritionHealthy eating
Many of us love reaching for a refreshing, ice cold drink on a hot summer day, or cozying up with a warm beverage during the dead of winter. But, did you know that the drinks you choose to quench your thirst can have a tremendous impact on your kidney health?
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Altered Dietary Salt Intake For Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease
What is the issue?
People with chronic kidney disease have a reduced kidney function that persists over time. People with CKD are at increased risk of heart disease and worsening kidney function which can lead to the need for dialysis or kidney transplantation to survive. High salt intake is linked to risk factors for both heart disease and worsening kidney function, including high blood pressure, excess protein in the urine and fluid overload. Therefore reducing salt intake may help reduce risk of heart disease and preserve kidney function. We aimed to assess the benefits and harms of reducing salt intake for people with CKD.
What did we do?
We searched the evidence up to October 2020 to find randomised controlled trials comparing two or more levels of salt intake in adults with CKD, including those in the earlier stages of CKD, those treated with dialysis, and those who had received a kidney transplant.
What did we find?
We found 21 studies that included 1197 adults with CKD . Study participants included adults who were in the early stages of CKD , adults who were on dialysis , and adult kidney transplant recipients . The average study duration was seven weeks, ranging from one to 36 weeks. We did not find any studies that measured the effect on the incidence of death, heart disease, or need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. Instead, we found studies that measured risk factors for these outcomes.
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.
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The Solution: Which Teas Are Best For Kidneys
Not all teas are cause for concern when it comes to kidneys. There are plenty of tea types that havent been linked to kidney disease, and in fact may help improve kidney health! The key you may have learned by now is levels of caffeine and oxalates, and also other constituents like certain antioxidants which can actually be beneficial to kidney health.
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The Right Balance Between Too Little And Too Much Salt
Public awareness about a potentially adverse role of high sodium chloride consumption was first raised by a study in Finland . In that prospective study on 1173 men and 1263 women, 24-h urinary sodium excretion was measured at baseline. A 17-year follow-up documented that a high sodium intake predicted mortality, particularly in males and overweight individuals .
Unfortunately, there is a paucity of high-quality prospective randomized controlled intervention trials investigating whether a lower than currently usual level of dietary salt intake improves long-term outcome. Only two prospective intervention trials have been conducted. Long-term follow-up data of these trials provided evidence that reducing salt intake confers cardiovascular protection. In the TOPH I and TOPH II trials 3126 men and women received comprehensive education and counselling on reducing salt intake. The participants were randomized to intervention, i.e. dietary sodium reduction or usual care, for a duration of 18 months or 3648 months . In TOPH I, a net reduction in the daily sodium excretion of 44 mmol/24 h was achieved and in TOPH II a reduction of 33 mmol/24 h . Although the effect on blood pressure during the intervention was unimpressive, after a 1015-year follow-up, the risk of cardiovascular events was 25% lower in the intervention group .
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Foods To Add To Your Diet
Foods are considered low in potassium if they contain 200 milligrams or less per serving.
Some low-potassium foods include:
- beef
- chicken
Although reducing intake of potassium-rich foods is important for those on potassium restricted diets, keeping total potassium intake under the limit set by your healthcare provider, which is typically 2,000 mg of potassium per day or less, is most important.
Depending on your kidney function, you may be able to include small amounts of foods higher in potassium in your diet. Consult your healthcare provider if you have questions about your potassium restriction.
Who Uses Salt Substitutes
People who retain fluid if they consume too much salt or who have high blood pressure, often want to use salt substitutes. Unfortunately, many of the same health conditions that lead people to choose salt substitutes also react badly to excess potassium. Diabetics, for example, who often have high blood pressure, also often have kidney damage. People with liver damage who retain large amounts of abdominal fluid, called ascites, also often develop kidney problems. If you do not have kidney problems but still want to keep your sodium intake under the recommended 2,400 milligrams per day, ask your doctor about the benefits of using either a light-salt — half sodium and half potassium chloride — or a salt substitute which replaces sodium with another mineral, such as potassium or magnesium.
- People who retain fluid if they consume too much salt or who have high blood pressure, often want to use salt substitutes.
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How Is Kidney Pain Treated
The treatment for kidney pain depends on what is causing it. Be sure to call your doctor if you have any kidney pain. Your doctor may do:
- A urine test to check for signs of infection
- Imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to see if your kidneys are injured
Once you know what is causing your pain, your doctor can work with you to find the right treatment.
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The Question Of Salt Sensitivity
Salt affects people differently. Some people can consume sodium with no effect on their blood pressure, says Dr. Thomas. But for others who are salt sensitive, even a slight increase in sodium intake wreaks havoc on the kidneys ability to regulate fluid, and increases blood pressure.
Salt sensitivity is most prevalent among people who are middle-aged or elderly, overweight or obese, and African-American. It also tends to become more prevalent as we age.
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How Eating Too Much Salt Is Harmful :
Eating too much salt can be very harmful to your health. Heres what it does to your body:
Salt is an essential part of our bodies to function properly. However, eating too much salt can lead to a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
While we need a certain amount of salt to maintain our health, most of us consume far more than we need. The average American diet contains about 3,400 mg of sodium per day, which is more than twice the recommended amount.
Eating too much salt can cause our bodies to retain water and can lead to dehydration. It can also increase our risk for developing obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
If you are eating too much salt, there are a few things you can do to cut back. Choose foods that are low in sodium and avoid processed foods as much as possible. You should also cook at home more often so that you can control the amount of salt that goes into your food.
Best Tea For Kidney Disease
In addition to green tea, there are a couple of other teas that can benefit the kidneys. Some additional best teas for kidney disease include hydrangea and sambong.
Hydrangea is a flowering shrub. According to an animal study published in December 2017 in Frontiers in Pharmacology, extracts from Hydrangea paniculate offered kidney protection to the animals. More human studies are necessary, but this study showed promise.
Sambong is a tropical shrub found in the Philippines and India. One study published in October 2017 in the Asian Journal of Urology found that Blumea balsamifera extract found in sambong reduced the size of crystals in the kidneys. The reduction in size may help prevent kidney stones.
If you have kidney disease, adding hydrangea tea and sambong tea to your beverages along with green tea may increase the benefit you receive. However, be sure to talk to your doctor about adding any herbal teas and supplements first.
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Lifestyle Changes Can Help
One of the first things your doctor will recommend is modifying your lifestyle by:
- Eating a low-sodium diet , especially if youre at risk.
- Limiting alcohol.
- Exercising regularly.
- Maintaining a healthy weight.
Even with salt restriction and lifestyle changes, blood pressure may remain elevated, Dr. Laffin notes. Medications, in addition to lifestyle changes, are oftentimes also needed to lower your blood pressure. Examples of medications include:
- Diuretics, or water pills, which increase urination to help discharge excess fluid.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers , which help to relax blood vessels.
Besides encouraging you to keep hypertension and diabetes under control, your doctor may test you annually for kidney disease.
Working with your doctor to ensure that salt intake is not raising your blood pressure and impacting your heart and kidneys can have a dramatic impact on your health and longevity.
These 6 Foods Are The Worst For Your Kidneys And Cause Bone Loss
When I first started researching drug-free ways to prevent and reverse osteoporosis, balancing the pH emerged as a crucial element in bone health. Its so important to preserve and increase bone density, that I based the Osteoporosis Reversal Program on this concept.
At the center of the pH balancing act are the kidneys, and today well discuss six foods that youll want to avoid to keep these organs healthy, and how that plays into preventing bone loss.
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Where Do I Feel Kidney Pain
You feel kidney pain in the area where your kidneys are: Near the middle of your back, just under your ribcage, on each side of your spine. Your kidneys are part of the urinary tract, the organs that make urine and remove it from your body. The urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
You may feel kidney pain on only one side or both sides of your back. Having pain in these areas does not always mean there is something wrong with your kidneys. Because there are muscles, bones and other organs around your kidneys, it can be hard to tell what exactly is causing your pain. If you have constant pain you think may be caused by your kidneys, talk to your doctor.
The Cycle Of Damage: How Your Heart Is Affected
Over time, excessive salt intake can lead to high blood pressure , which stiffens and narrows the blood vessels. Blood and oxygen flow to key organs decreases. So the heart tries harder to pump blood throughout the body, which further increases blood pressure.
Elevated blood pressure, particularly over a long period of time, puts an incredible strain on the heart, says cardiologist Luke Laffin, MD. It can enlarge the hearts left pumping chamber and weaken the heart muscle .
Unchecked hypertension can also damage the artery walls, which begin to collect fat, leading to heart disease and potentially heart attack or stroke.
The best way to prevent a heart attack is to stop the arteries from becoming damaged, Dr. Laffin says.
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Ginger & Kidney Stones
No research has been done to see if ginger is good for kidney stones.
Ginger does have a fair amount of oxalate. And, most of that oxalate is soluble, which makes it more absorbable. It is unlikely that eating or cooking with ginger will add a significant amount of oxalate to your diet. But, ginger supplements and extracts might. Id recommend avoiding ginger supplements if you have high urine oxalate.
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Reducing Sodium Is A Challenge What Can We Do
When you look at the menus of fast food, fast casual and even high-end restaurants, you will see that its very easy to exceed the recommended daily intake of 1500 mg of sodium. Unfortunately, the American palate has become so used to high sodium foods, anything with a normal amount of salt tastes downright boring. Further, some dishes, including soups, that you would think are very healthy, may contain upwards of 2000, 3000 or even 4000 mg of sodium. The bottom line its hard to get away from sodium.
However, we often recommend that patients reduce their sodium intake significantly by cutting out fast food, checking labels on the goods they buy in the store and prioritizing fresh fruits and vegetables. Doing so has immediate health benefits in the form of reducing blood pressure and strain on the kidneys and other organs of the body. Over the long term, fresh food begins to taste better, and we realize very quickly that we do not need so much sodium in our daily lives.
Just as with any lifestyle change, reducing sodium is difficult and requires an understanding and appreciation of how it affects our bodies. While sodium is a necessary nutrient to stay healthy, excess sodium has become a hallmark of the American diet. Reducing sodium can go a long way to eliminating many of the diseases associated with high blood pressure and obesity while also enjoying what we eat.
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Low Sodium Diet For Kidney Disease
A low sodium diet is a pillar of healthy eating for nearly every health condition that affects the kidneys. People with Chronic Kidney Disease, Polycystic Kidney Disease, FSGS, nephrotic syndrome and kidney stones should all avoid too much salt.
A high salt diet can cause high blood pressure, which is harmful to kidneys. In fact, high blood pressure is the second leading cause of Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States. In addition, a high salt diet can make uncomfortable swelling, or water retention, worse for people with kidney disease.
For most people, a healthy daily sodium goal is 1,500-2,300mg per day. Only 1 teaspoon of salt has around 2,300 mg of sodium. This is less than half of what most people in the United States eat every day!
It is very important to realize that most of the salt we eat is already in our food. The best place to start removing salt from your diet is to eat foods low in sodium in the first place! Then, make those foods tasty with a healthy salt substitute for kidney patients!
Diabetes And Kidney Disease: What To Eat
One meal plan for diabetes, another for chronic kidney disease . Find out how you can eat well for both.
If you have diabetes and CKD, youre definitely not aloneabout 1 in 3 American adults with diabetes also has CKD. The right diet helps your body function at its best, but figuring out what to eat can be a major challenge. Whats good for you on one meal plan may not be good on the other.
Your first step: meet with a registered dietitianexternal icon whos trained in both diabetes and CKD nutrition. Together youll create a diet plan to keep blood sugar levels steady and reduce how much waste and fluid your kidneys have to handle.
Medicare and many private insurance plans may pay for your appointment. Ask if your policy covers medical nutrition therapy . MNT includes a nutrition plan designed just for you, which the dietitian will help you learn to follow.
Diabetes and CKD diets share a lot of the same foods, but there are some important differences. Read on for the basics.
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Eating Too How Much Salt Can Kill You Heres What It Does To Your Body
Eating Too How Much Salt Can Kill You, Heres What It Does To Your Body
Eating too much salt can lead to a lot of health issues, including high blood pressure and heart disease. It is important to know how much salt you are putting on your meal so that you can maintain a healthy diet and avoid any the risks.
Impact Of Salt Intake On The Response To Renoprotective Interventionin Particular Renin
In the debate over the possible merits of low sodium intake, it might be useful to distinguish between the effects of diet as such in subjects without medication, and the effects of low dietary sodium as an amplifier of the benefit of well-established treatments, e.g. reninangiotensinaldosterone system blockade and others. As RAAS blockade is evidence-based first-line treatment in CKD as well as in heart failure, and a main treatment in essential hypertension, this issue deserves more consideration in the salt debate.
Effect of dietary salt reduction, hydrochlorothiazide and their combination on proteinuria in proteinuric patients treated with losartan. Figure reproduced with permission.
Annual event rate end-stage-renal-disease according salt intake in non-diabetic patients and diabetic nephropathy patients . *Salt intake was estimated from 24-h sodium excretion in both trials.
Finally, the benefits of dietary sodium reduction appear to go beyond renal and cardiovascular disease. In the elderly population, which constitutes a major cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease, low sodium intake has also beneficial effects on the preservation of cognitive performanceillustrating that one has to look at the patient in his or her entirety and not simply at one organ or one disease .
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