The Right Nutrition for Your Kidneys

Kidneys perform many vital functions in your body, including filtering waste and impurities from your blood, maintaining the balance of minerals and electrolytes, and supporting red blood cell production.

Keeping your kidneys healthy and functioning is an essential part of maintaining your overall health. And it probably won’t come as a surprise to know that your diet plays an important role in the maintenance of these important organs. 

What should I eat to take care of my kidneys?

The best way to take good care of your kidneys and ward off chronic kidney disease (CKD) is to prevent diabetes, hypertension, and obesity — the major contributors to CKD. When it comes to your diet, that means eating mostly whole and plant-based foods while limiting foods that are processed and high in added sugars and trans and saturated fats (basically, diet guidance we should follow anyway!). In fact, research shows a link between eating primarily plant-based foods and a decreased risk of CKD.

Once a person develops CKD — the progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function — they often need to follow a renal diet, which limits the intake of sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and (at certain stages) protein. These nutrients may do more harm than good if your kidneys aren’t operating at full capacity.

Here are some foods that are both low in those restricted nutrients and high in other valuable nutrients that may be recommended when following a renal diet:

  • cauliflower
  • blueberries
  • sea bass
  • red grapes
  • egg whites
  • garlic
  • buckwheat
  • olive oil
  • bulgur
  • cabbage
  • chicken
  • peppers
  • onions
  • arugula
  • macadamia nuts
  • radish
  • turnips
  • pineapple
  • cranberries
  • mushrooms

While a renal diet may not be able to repair your kidneys, it may help slow the progression of the disease and support your kidney health. Renal diets should be tailored to the person, so it’s important to work with a registered dietitian and your nephrologist to create a plan that’s right for you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Six Key Food Groups that Are Healthy for Your Heart

Researchers investigated the impact of different food groups on cardiovascular health. They found that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole-fat dairy, and fish were linked to lower cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to understand how much each component contributes to overall risk reduction. Unhealthy diets are a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In particular, higher amounts of processed meats, refined grains, and sugar-sweetened beverages are known to increase cardiovascular risk.  Concurrently, diets such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Mediterranean and Healthy Eating Index (HEI) are linked to lower CVD risk. These diets all include increased consumption of: Fruit Vegetables Legumes Nuts Fish However, recent studies, have shown that some foods—such as whole-fat dairy—previously thought to increase CVD risk may have neutral or beneficial effects. However, many of these new findings have yet to be incorpora
Read more

Nutrients that Prevent Telomere Shortening

Image
Telomerase is an enzyme that helps maintain telomeres , the protective tips of chromosomes. As we age, our telomeres naturally shorten, contributing to the aging process. Telomerase supplements are designed to promote the lengthening of telomeres, which may help prevent some age-related diseases and improve overall health. What are telomeres?  Telomeres are stretches of DNA at the end of chromosomes that protect the end from deterioration. They shorten each time a cell divides, and when they get too short, cells can no longer divide and die off or become cancerous. Telomere length is a good biological marker of aging, and shorter telomeres usually indicate greater age and a higher likelihood of age-related pathologies. As telomeres provide protection for the genetic material inside DNA, shorter telomeres provide less protection. The shorter the telomere, the more likely a subject is to suffer from disease or age-related illnesses.  What is telomerase?  Telomerase is an enzyme t
Read more

Why We Should Not Peel Apple Skin Before Eating!

 It is said that "apple a day may keep a doctor away. Yes, apples do have many health benefits - apples are a good source of fiber and vitamin C. They also contain antioxidants, like vitamin E, and polyphenols, contributing to the fruit’s numerous health benefits. But, many of us like to peel the skin of the apple before eating. If you peel the skin of the apple you are losing many health benefits, which otherwise, consuming an unpeeled apple would offer, such as: 1. Apple peels are a good source of fiber Dietary fiber normalizes bowel movements, it increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it, helps maintain bowel health, lowers cholesterol levels, and helps control blood sugar levels.  2. Contributes to the protection of lung health The apple peel contains quercetin, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound that protects your lungs and heart from a number of diseases. 3. Helps you maintain a healthy heart The polyphenols and flavonoids in apple skin have been shown in
Read more