Since the kidneys play an essential role in filtering all the waste from our body, it is crucial to eat foods that help your kidneys and are not causing them to work harder. For those with kidney disease, nourishing the body with the right food is even more important and can play a role in if the kidney disease progresses.
By choosing your foods carefully, you may be able to decrease the amount of waste that builds up in your blood while also improving the function of your kidneys. These two actions combined will help prevent further damage from occurring to your kidneys and stop the progression of your kidney disease.
Let’s go over the main foods and drinks to avoid if you have kidney disease.
Foods High in Sodium
When you eat foods high in sodium, your blood pressure increases. If you do this consistently, your blood pressure will remain at an elevated level, which is not suitable for the health of your kidneys and can decrease the overall health of your body.
Because of this, you want to be sure to avoid food that is too high in sodium. Processed and pre-prepared foods are the biggest culprits of this, and so it is best to try and avoid these foods when you can. Instead, try and prepare as much of your meals from scratch as you can. When you do choose processed foods, look for low-sodium options.
Alcohol
Alcoholism is one of the causes of kidney disease and can cause your kidney disease to worsen. If you want to have your kidney health as a top priority, avoid alcohol, as this will only further damage them.
Potassium-Rich Foods
Those with kidney disease often have an abundance of potassium in their body because their kidneys cannot remove this waste material. Because of this, it is best to avoid or eat only small portions of foods high in potassium, such as bananas and avocados. Even though these foods are very nutritious and offer many health benefits, their high potassium content makes them something to avoid if you have kidney disease.
Limit Protein
While you don’t want to avoid protein completely, you do want to try and limit how much protein you eat. When the body uses protein, it produces a certain type of waste product that can be hard for the kidneys to filter, especially if they are already in a damaged state due to kidney disease. This can lead to a buildup of waste material which will further damage the kidneys.
Because of this, it is best to limit the amount of protein you consume and eat protein in smaller portions so that the kidneys are not overloaded with protein waste.
However, those on dialysis due to end-stage renal disease should do the opposite and eat more protein, so it is important to talk to a doctor about what is best for you.
Speak To a Doctor
Individuals in all kidney disease stages will have different dietary restrictions, so it is always best to talk to a doctor and dietician before making any changes to a diet. While the above foods are often recommended to avoid or limit for those with kidney disease, it is not always what is best, so be sure to check with a doctor.
Just remember: not EVERYONE with kidney disease should lower their potassium intake. For many people it’s the opposite and increasing potassium may be beneficial. Ask your doctor, better yet, dietitian!