A nutritious meal is highly essential for everyone. However, for individuals suffering from chronic kidney diseases, having a nutritious meal means having more than a balanced meal. You need to include kidney-friendly meals such as:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Healthy fats
- Less salt and sugar
- Foods rich in refined carbs
According to the National Kidney Foundation, an estimate of close to 37 million people are affected by kidney disease. Suffering from a chronic kidney disease means that your kidney’s functions are reduced. One way to recuperate and slow the damage further is through maintaining proper diet and nutrition.
Your doctor may recommend creating an eating plan to steer away from foods that would worsen your condition. Other valuable tips would be to manage your blood pressure and sugar levels as well.
Benefits of an Eating Plan
With a healthy eating plan in place, you can identify the foods that work for you and those that do not. A balanced diet with low or no salt, sugar, and fat will help control your blood sugar and blood pressure.
An eating plan with kidney-friendly meals protects your body from the buildup of harmful minerals that your kidneys may be unable to filter out. Any nephrologist in Dallas would recommend creating an eating plan and strictly adhering to it.
Here are a few meals to consider changing in your CKD diet.
Lower Sodium Intake
Increasing sodium levels in your body will result in an increase in blood pressure and fluid retention in your body. You need to realize that almost every meal contains approximately 70% of sodium. An increase in this amount would be detrimental to your kidney’s health.
A recommended level of 1500-2000 milligrams a day of sodium will ensure you get the proper nutrients without further health consequences.
Right Amount of Protein
Proteins are essential nutrients that help in the production of hormones and enzymes and the healing of wounds. However, once the protein breaks down, its byproduct can’t be cleared due to damaged kidneys.
An alternative would be to limit the amount of protein intake to a relatively small portion. Proteins can be found both in animals and in plants.
Regulate your Potassium Intake
Having too much potassium or low levels can significantly affect your muscles’ functioning. Potassium is essential to support your muscles. With a reduced kidney function, your body cannot balance minerals in the blood leading to high levels of phosphorus and potassium.
It would be best if you avoided potatoes, bananas, tomatoes, oranges, and melons to keep your potassium levels at a minimum.
Fewer Foods and Drinks with Phosphorus
Damaged kidneys can result in a buildup of phosphorus in your blood. Accumulation of phosphorus will result in your bones weakening. In addition, phosphorus can cause calcium pull from your bones, making them fragile and likely to break.
You can control this by limiting foods rich in phosphorus from your diet. Examples of meals with low phosphorus levels are corn, rice cereals, rice, pasta, bread, vegetables, fruits, or light-colored sodas.
Choose Healthy Meals for A Healthy Heart
Avoid consuming foods rich in fat that would result in fat building up in your kidneys, heart, and blood vessels as well. The best way to achieve this is by reducing the intake of trans and saturated fats. Also, avoid deep-fried food. Instead, you can grill, broil, roast or bake your meals.
Examples of good foods for your heart are; beans, fish, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy, fruits, or poultry with no skin.
Finally, it is essential that you limit your amount of alcohol intake. Too much alcohol will damage your liver, heart, and brain. Consult your doctor on how much alcohol you can consume. A doctor will also advise on your nutritional needs for your eating plan based on your health assessment.