The proverbial saying ‘You are what you eat’ is the notion that to be fit and healthy you need to eat good food. What you put into your body on a daily basis affects your health. Maintaining a healthy weight and consuming a sophisticated balanced diet that is low in salt and fat can help manage your blood pressure. If you have diabetes, you can effectively help control your blood sugar levels by cautiously choosing what you eat and drink. Managing high blood pressure and diabetes may help prevent kidney disease from getting worse.
A kidney-friendly diet can also help protect your kidneys from further damage. A good diet limits certain foods to prevent the minerals in those foods from building up in your body.
Consuming the right portion of protein can be an important task for kidney disease sufferers. Protein helps protect your kidneys and your body uses it to produce waste. Your kidneys then help remove these waste materials.
It is also crucial to understand the right types of protein to include in your renal diet. Protein is found in foods from plants & animals and most people eat both types of protein. Consuming small portions of protein foods may show effective results. When excessive amounts of protein are consumed, it may force your kidneys to work harder.
We responded to a client who asked “What kind of meat is best for kidney disease and Why?”
Turns out that Turkey and Chicken are the best meats because they are easier on the kidneys and generate less metabolic waste from protein digestion as opposed to bacon, ham, red meat, sausage, beef, lunch meats, etc. These other meats often include added phosphorus and high sodium content.
If you’re at the store/deli looking to purchase fresh chicken and turkey, be sure to ask for the one with the least amount of sodium and the healthiest option available.
Fish and Eggs can be a healthy way to get some protein in your body.
Plant-based diets and low protein diets are preferred for someone on a renal diet.
For someone with kidney problems who prefers a vegetarian diet, there are some options that can meet your protein needs. Some alternatives to using meat are tofu, eggs, beans, veggie burgers, etc.
Try to avoid commercial non-dairy creamers as most contain phosphate additives.
Following a proper kidney diet should not be taken lightly as when your kidneys are not functioning normally as they should, waste, and fluid build-up in your body. With time, waste and extra fluid may cause heart, bone, and other health problems.
How strict your meal plan is should depend on your stage of kidney disease. However, you’d always want to manage your potassium and phosphorus levels and it may help to stay away from certain fluids like dark soda.
A kidney-friendly meal plan limits how much of certain minerals and fluid you eat and drink. This can help to prevent waste and fluid from building up and causing problems.
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