Therapeutic Diets And Herbs For Kidney Treatment

When you suffer from a kidney disease the kidneys can no longer perform their function of filtering waste products from the blood. A specialized diet plan can help to limit the buildup of wastes and fluid in the blood and will decrease the workload on the kidneys. Such a diet can even help slow down any loss of kidney function.  The main goal ultimately is to keep you healthy. Your doctor could recommend a specialized diet, determined by the advancement of the disease. You will most likely need to consult with a renal dietician, who is trained and experienced in diet plans for kidney diseases.

Diet For Chronic Kidney Disease

The diet recommendations here are more general since I don’t know the nature of the disease or any other details about your health and kidney functions.  The diet that is generally prescribed during the early stages of the disease controls and regulates the amount of phosphorus and protein you eat. Sodium intake is also closely regulated. During this period however it is important that your caloric intake is sufficient so that you can maintain a healthy weight. Eating a healthy diet formulated for you will help to control your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, helping slow down the progression of the disease. Calcium supplements or vitamin D supplements may also be recommended to maintain and strengthen your bones.

Here are some more detailed but general guidelines regarding the intake of food groups that are of particular concern.

Protein:
While proteins are an essential part of your diet for building muscles and tissue repair the waste (urea) left behind can be a problem. You may need to restrict your protein intake depending on the extent of loss of kidney function.

Phosphorus:
If your kidneys are unable to remove phosphorus from the blood, the blood phosphorus levels may become too high. This may cause a loss of calcium from your bones, significantly weakening them. Phosphorus is particularly high in foods like milk, pudding, cheese, yogurt, dried beans and peas, split peas, lentils, nuts and aerated or caffeinated beverages.

Sodium:
When purchasing foods check for the sodium content as you will need to limit your sodium intake since blood pressure and kidney disease are often related to sodium levels. Foods with a high sodium content include table salt, some snacks, soups, processed cheese, and some canned and pickled foods, as well as smoked or cured foods.

Calories:
Your reduced caloric intake from protein will need to be supplemented with other food sources. This is very important as a lack of calories can lead to rapid weight loss and other complications. While vegetable fats and sugar may be good alternative sources of calories it is best that you consult with your dietician.