Nutrition And Low Kidney Function
Food is what our bodies use for growth, homeostasis, and healing. This is why its important for you to consult with a dietician who is knowledgeable about kidney disease. Youll need to find and maintain a balance between the levels of electrolytes, minerals, and fluid in your body.
A modified diet for chronic kidney disease may include adjustments to your intake of the following food items:
When Your Child Has A Chronic Kidney Disease
Parents of kids who are diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease have many questions about what might happen next, how their child might feel, and what treatments are likely to be involved.
Four major areas of concern are blood pressure, diet, anemia , and growth. Kids may feel sick at times, need to take medicines, and watch what they eat and drink.
Read on to learn about treatments for kidney disease and what parents can do to help.
Kidney Damage From High Blood Pressure
One of the most common causes for kidney damage is high blood pressure, which can occur as a result of a wide number of different risk factors .
Think of your kidneys as one of your bodys natural filtration pumps, which function ideally at normal blood pressure. Hypertension due to heart disease, high cholesterol, or any number of other conditions that can increase your blood pressure puts an excess strain on this filtration system.
Over a long time exposed to high blood pressure, the blood vessels in the kidneys can be damaged, worn down, or hardened, which limit the kidneys ability to filter your blood and perform its vital functions.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Kidney Failure
You may notice one or more of the following symptoms if your kidneys are beginning to fail:
- Itching
- Swelling in your feet and ankles
- Too much urine or not enough urine
- Trouble catching your breath
- Trouble sleeping
If your kidneys stop working suddenly , you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- Rash
- Vomiting
Having one or more of any of the symptoms above may be a sign of serious kidney problems. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor right away.
Take Fish Oil To Make Dialysis Work Better

A study published in June 2013 in Kidney International reported that omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish oil, may protect dialysis patients from sudden cardiac death. The researchers looked at blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids in 400 dialysis patients, 100 of whom died within their first year of treatment. The risk of sudden cardiac death is highest during the first year of dialysis.
The researchers observed in their paper that, during the first year of beginning hemodialysis, those participants who had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids which are found in fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, as well as flaxseed and walnuts had a lower risk of sudden cardiac death. The study may offer clues for new treatments against sudden cardiac death in people with kidney disease who are undergoing dialysis.
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Getting A Kidney Transplant
Manage Diabetes High Blood Pressure And Heart Disease
If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, the best way to protect your kidneys from damage is to
Keep blood glucose numbers close to your goal. Checking your blood glucose, or blood sugar, level is an important way to manage your diabetes. Your health care team may want you to test your blood glucose one or more times a day.
Keep your blood pressure numbers close to your goal. The blood pressure goal for most people with diabetes is below 140/90 mm Hg. Read more about high blood pressure.
Take all your medicines as prescribed. Talk with your health care provider about certain blood pressure medicines, called ACE inhibitors and ARBs, which may protect your kidneys. The names of these medicines end in pril or sartan.
Be careful about the daily use of over-the-counter pain medications. Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can damage your kidneys. Learn more about over-the-counter medicines and your kidneys.
To help prevent heart attacks and stroke, keep your cholesterol levels in the target range. There are two kinds of cholesterol in your blood: LDL and HDL. LDL or bad cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. HDL or good cholesterol helps remove the bad cholesterol from your blood vessels. A cholesterol test also may measure another type of blood fat called triglycerides.
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Stay Away From Phosphorous:
Phosphorous is the mineral which can be found in most foods. However, you may rarely hear about this mineral. The possible reason may be that people hardly lack of phosphorous mineral. Therefore, too much phosphorous may become the problems, especially for your kidneys. Processed, prepared foods and carbonated soft drinks which have the great source of phosphorous should be avoided. According to the Standard American Diet , you should only consume 800 mg to 1,200 mg of phosphorus per day. The extra phosphorus will be flushed from your body thank to healthy kidneys. If the kidneys function deteriorates, phosphorus may accumulate in your body. Overtime, it will lead to some serious complication such as bone or heart or bone disorders, calcification of tissues. Therefore, as the effective way on how to treat kidney stones naturally, you should not get too much phosphorus in your diet. It is recommended eating nutritious, whole foods diet and staying away from convenience and fast foods.
Take An Epsom Salt Bath
Both Epsom salts and warm water can ease pain. This can help to make the uncomfortable side effects of the kidney infection a little more tolerable while you wait for the antibiotics to take effect.
Since abdominal pain is sometimes a symptom of antibiotics, as well as kidney infections, this could also help even after symptoms from the kidney infection are resolved. Read about how to make an Epsom salt detox bath, as well as potential side effects to keep in mind.
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How To Choose Quality Supplements
There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to take supplements.
For one thing, some ingredients can interact with certain medications and may negatively impact people with specific health conditions.
Therefore, its very important to talk with a trusted healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your routine and to use products only as directed.
Additionally, keep in mind that not all supplements are created equal. For this reason, its best to buy only from reputable brands that use high quality ingredients.
Be sure to also check the label carefully and steer clear of any products that contain high amounts of fillers, additives, or artificial ingredients.
Opt for products that are tested for safety and quality, ideally by a third-party organization such as USP or NSF International. Looks for a seal from one of these organizations on the product label.
Can Chronic Kidney Disease Be Prevented
Chronic kidney disease cannot be prevented in most situations. The patient may be able to protect their kidneys from damage, or slow the progression of the disease by controlling their underlying conditions such as diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.
- Kidney disease is usually advanced by the time symptoms appear. If a patient is at high risk of developing chronic kidney disease, they should see their doctor as recommended for screening tests.
- If a patient has a chronic condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, they should follow the treatment recommendations of their health care practitioner. The patient should see their health care practitioner regularly for monitoring. Aggressive treatment of these diseases is essential.
- The patient should avoid exposure to drugs especially NSAIDs , chemicals, and other toxic substances as much as possible.
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Sodium Should Be Kept Low In The Diet
- A little cut down in the sodium in your diet can further improve your heart wellbeing and decrease blood pressure by around 5 to 6 mm Hg in case you have hypertension.
- The impact of sodium consumption on blood pressure differs among individuals. Limited sodium intake should not be more than 2,300 milligrams a day. In any case, a lower sodium intake 1,500 mg daily or less is great for most adults.
Consider these tips to reduce the sodium intake:
- Read food labels: Always consider low-sodium choices of the food sources and beverages you ordinarily purchase.
- Eat less processed food: Just a limited quantity of sodium occurs naturally in food varieties. Processed food contains more sodium.
- Try not to add salt: Add natural spices or flavors to your diet.
Prevention And Natural Treatments For Kidney Failure Damage Or Disease

1. Consume a Kidney-Healing Diet
Kidney disease alters metabolism of protein, water, salt, potassium and phosphorous, and kidney failure makes all of this even more complicated. A healthy diet is absolutely key for managing kidney disease or helping someone with kidney failure to have the best possible outcome. Many patients with kidney failure visit a dietician to help analyze their current eating habits, nutrient levels and needs in order to come up with a treatment plan. Thats because theres now strong evidence to suggest that a poor pre-dialysis nutritional status increases patient morbidity and mortality, even after initiation of kidney therapies. A poor diet stresses weak or damaged kidneys and contributes to various complications like anemia, cholesterol changes, heart damage and bone metabolism dysfunction.
The diet thats best-suited to help you depends on the current health of your kidneys. Typically, you want to consume unprocessed foods that are nutrient-dense, such as high-antioxidant foods and foods loaded with electrolytes. Following this type of kidney cleanse diet is great for anybody with kidney stone symptoms or other risk factors. Specific foods to focus on include cranberries, blueberries, celery, burdock, leafy greens, fresh-squeezed vegetable juice, beets, cherries, sea vegetables like seaweed, spinach, avocado, bananas and citrus fruits like lemon.
2. Discuss Your Medications with Your Doctor
3. Prevent Kidney Damage with Herbs and Supplements
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Treating Acute Kidney Failure
What Can I Do To Keep My Kidneys Healthy
You can protect your kidneys bypreventing or managing health conditions that cause kidney damage, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The steps described below may help keep your whole body healthy, including your kidneys.
During your next medical visit, you may want to ask your health care provider about your kidney health. Early kidney disease may not have any symptoms, so getting tested may be the only way to know your kidneys are healthy. Your health care provider will help decide how often you should be tested.
See a provider right away if you develop a urinary tract infection , which can cause kidney damage if left untreated.
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What Is Kidney Failure
The kidneys are the organs behind the back of the spine, above the waist. They take on a number of functions to sustain a persons life. Healthy people have two kidneys, which are about the size of a fist and situated near the waste at either spines side. Waste products filtered by the kidneys include particles, extra fluids left behind in our digestive system, salt / sodium and other electrolytes, not to mention a variety of other substances in the blood.
The kidneys filter blood by removing waste and excess water, maintaining a balance of salt and electrolytes in the blood, helping to regulate blood pressure. This organ not only passes the waste out from our body in the form of urine, but also control blood pressure, eliminates toxins, regulate hormones and maintain a strong skeletal system . When the kidneys are damaged, wastes and water can build up in the body, cause edema of the ankles, vomiting, weakness, poor sleep, and shortness of breath.
May Improve Gut Health
Macadamia nuts contain fiber, which can benefit your digestion and overall gut health.
As is the case with most nuts, the soluble fiber in macadamia nuts can act as a prebiotic, meaning that it helps feed your beneficial gut bacteria (
37 ):
Keep in mind that these potential attributes are far from proven. More human studies are needed.
Summary Regularly eating macadamia nuts may reduce your risk of dying prematurely and help protect against cancer and brain diseases. Its important to note that more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
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Garden Of Life Vitamin Code 50 & Wiser Women
Price: $$$
Because your nutritional needs can change as you get older, selecting a multivitamin thats designed to support healthy aging is crucial.
This product from Garden of Life is formulated for women over 50.
It contains an assortment of vitamins and minerals tailored to your needs, including higher amounts of nutrients for bone health, such as vitamin D and vitamin K (
25 ).
Garden of Life Vitamin Code 50 & Wiser Women is also kosher, certified gluten-free, and made without any binders or fillers to ensure youre getting the best quality product possible.
Whats more, Garden of Lifes products are third-party tested by Informed Choice and NSF Certified for Sport.
New Chapter Bone Strength Take Care Slim Tablets
Price: $$$
As you age, your body starts to break down bone faster than it can replace it, which can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis, fractures, and falls .
For this reason, women over 50 and men over 70 have increased needs for calcium an important nutrient that makes up the structure of bones and teeth .
This supplement from New Chapter provides 905 mg of plant-based calcium in each serving to help support bone health, along with other bone-building nutrients such as vitamin D3, magnesium, and vitamin K .
Its also free of artificial flavors and colors and is vegetarian, organic, and certified gluten-free by NSF International.
According to New Chapters website, all of its products are tested by a third-party laboratory to ensure quality and purity, though the name of the testing organization isnt disclosed.
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Natural Remedies For Kidney Disease
Remembering that our kidneys are damaged by stress, it behooves us to get our stress under control. Whatever you choose, whether it is Yoga, Tai Qi, meditation, or fishing, any stress relief measures will benefit your Kidney. It is vital for kidney patients to be able to measure their stress. In addition, slowing and deepening the breathing is a powerful way of bringing stress under control.
Foods that are particularly nourishing to your Kidney include those that are very dark in color. These would include dark fruits and vegetables, and foods like black beans, black sesame seeds, and black walnuts. The water element comes into play when choosing foods for your Kidney. Foods from the sea, such as fish, shellfish, seaweed, kelp, and sushi are all excellent Kidney tonics.
Your acupuncturist has a number of tools to help you strengthen your Kidney organ system. They can combine acupuncture with moxibustion and herbal formulas specifically designed to nourish your Kidneys.