How To Make A Renal Diet Good Or Bad

12/10/2011 19:57

In regards to kidney health, diet goes further to both defend your kidneys and improve their function if you are suffering from kidney damage. The most effective renal diet can change based upon your degree of kidney health, your degree of physical activity, and other medical ailments which may be present. Even though the appropriate renal diet may alter depending on your kidney health you'll find some simple protocols that you can adhere to, and nutrients that you must be aware of that may want to be included or avoided in your diet. Nutrition can always be used as a type of medicine and here we will look at the positive aspects and dangers in lots of foods and nutrients.

Protein generally results in a sense of dilemma with regards to kidney health and the renal diet. The simplest choice is to approach your doctor pertaining to protein demands as they differ according to your physical activity levels, but basically speaking if you have kidney damage you want to reduce your protein intake. Interestingly in fact we do require some protein in our diet so it comes down to options. Experts recommend to remove dairy and red meat protein sources, as they are typically rich in fatty foods and sometimes sodium, which sets an extra trouble upon both the kidneys and cardiovascular system.

Chicken is preferable to red meat, however it is oftentimes pumped full of hormones, so natural varieties are always better. Fish nevertheless, is an excellent supply of protein as it is loaded with essential fatty acids, which are excellent for many areas of health and have a strong anti-inflammatory action, which is very theraputic for the kidneys. Soy proteins such as tofu and tempeh may also be beneficial, and when eaten often they have actually proven to help decrease the progression of kidney damage.

You'll find three dietary minerals that want to be prohibited as a portion of the renal diet. This is because the kidneys need to filter the blood of these minerals to achieve the correct levels, but in kidney damage this does not occur successfully and levels can develop in the blood and become dangerous. In particular we are looking at phosphorus, potassium and sodium, and we will look at why each of these is a concern and the foods that should be avoided.

Not just the renal diet, but all diets should avoid high amounts of sodium. Sodium can boost hypertension levels, which is not only a risk to the cardiovascular system but also to the kidneys. High hypertension levels is the second leading cause of kidney disease, as it pushes the kidneys to filter at a higher rate, which over time sets pressure on the kidneys, causing harm. To add to insult, kidney damage also causes high blood pressure level. So we certainly do not want to make matters worse by consuming foods that increase hypertension levels further. Obviously this means not adding salt to meals and also avoiding fast foods and take-away, which usually contains a lot of salt for flavoring. But what many people are unaware of is that you will find many foods that contain hidden sources of sodium. These include processed meats, frozen and canned foods, sports drinks and flavored and processed snacks.