Did you know that if you’re a Hispanic American, you are more than one and a half times likely to develop kidney failure.

When kidneys fail, everything else starts to go wrong as well, and waste is no longer as efficiently eliminated from the blood. Hormone balance is thrown off and serious symptoms start to impair quality of life at a steady pace. The good news, however, is that you can beat the odds and potentially prevent chronic kidney disease from ever even developing by changing up your diet!

The Center for Disease Control has previously stated that 10% of Hispanic Americans have diabetes, which is one of the leading risk factors for developing eventual kidney disease. The typical Hispanic American diet includes many high-salt foods and, often, many dishes which are prepared using less healthy cooking methods like frying and breading. It’s important to reduce your salt intake and limit foods like this, even if you don’t eliminate them altogether. 

Hispanic diets also tend to feature many meat dishes. The research connecting high meat intake to a number of diseases like cancer and kidney disease is widespread and conclusive, so efforts should be taken to limit meat intake and try substitutions like meatless vegetarian food products which come in a variety of textures perfect for many favorite dishes. Higher vegetable and fruit intake is also a wonderful idea.

Additionally, experts recommend a low sodium diet, as limiting sodium has been proven to reduce high blood pressure and any potential kidney problems. 

Trying to eat healthier, even beginning with just one “Meatless Monday” or two a week is a great first step and could mean the difference between healthy kidneys and kidneys on the verge of collapse.