Healthy kidneys play an important role in removing wastes generated from the food you eat. They are responsible for eliminating urea, wastes from dietary protein, along with minerals like sodium, potassium and phosphorus. If you’re suffering from kidney disease and you take regular dialysis treatment for blood purification, you should be extra careful about the food you eat. Any kind of food that increases the load on your kidneys could result in accumulation of wastes in your body, causing further kidney impairment.
Some recommended dietary changes for people with kidney disease include consumption of a low protein diet, limiting salt intake, reducing intake of phosphorus-rich foods and choosing foods low in potassium. Based on these recommendations, here are 5 super-foods that you must eat if you’re suffering from kidney disease.
1. Cauliflower: Cauliflower is kidney-friendly vegetable that secretly helps your body control various other factors like diabetes and heart disease which contribute to kidney disease. Additionally, cauliflower it is also low in potassium and offers other nutrients like vitamin C, folic acid and fibre, which are helpful for patients with kidney disease. It also has the ability to eliminate certain toxic substances from your system, lowering the load on your kidneys.
2. Carrots: Hypertension is a leading contributor of kidney disease and kidney failure. People with chronic kidney disease should eat foods that help in regulating their blood pressure. One such food that works wonders for reducing hypertension is carrot. It not only takes care of high BP but also helps control diabetes which can also cause kidney disease. However, raw carrots are high in potassium. So, if you’re including carrots in your diet, ensure your intake is monitored and is within the safe amount. Here are 10 reasons to gorge on healthy carrots.
3. Apples: Apples are not just good for your kidneys but can also reduce the overall ill effects of kidney disease in the initial stages. According to a study conducted at the Institute of Child Health, University College London, food sources of pectin (like apples and oranges) significantly reduced kidney damage over a period of time. Here are 10 other health benefits of apples you would like to know.
4. Onions: Onion is healthy food for people who have a high creatinine level along with reduced kidney function. They contain a substance called prostaglandin that naturally reduces blood viscosity and helps to lower high BP, thereby reducing the progression of kidney disease.
5. Garlic: Garlic contains antioxidants that help in reducing inflammation. It is also thought to play a role in reducing renal reperfusion injury which is linked to increased mortality due to acute kidney failure. A study by Bagheri F, Gol A, Dabiri S and Javadi A demonstrated that garlic juice helps to prevent renal reperfusion-induced injuries in rats. Here are some more health benefits of garlic.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.
References:
- Kidney Research UK
- Kidney failure (http://www.kidneyfailureweb.com/)
- Diet – chronic kidney disease- A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/)
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- 12 symptoms of kidney disease you shouldn’t ignore
- 8 tests for checking if your kidneys are functioning fine.
- 10 tips to prevent kidney disease
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- 10 simple ways to prevent kidney stones
- A high-calorie diet can increase your risk of kidney stones by 42%
- Kidney disease: Why the young are now more prone to it
- Which of these kidney-damaging medicines are you on?
- How uncontrolled diabetes can cause kidney failure and stroke
- World Kidney Day: Things you should know about kidney transplants
- Could a nanofibre mesh soon replace kidney dialysis?
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