What Foods to Avoid with Bad Kidney

Some foods may damage our kidney, so we need to avoid them, especially for people who have bad kidney, as if they take these foods, their kidney condition will be worsened, which may also put them in dialysis or kidney transplant. Therefore, knowing what foods are bad for kidney is very important for us to protect our kidney well.
1.Foods High in Sodium
Try to reduce your sodium consumption. Cut processed foods from your diet, always opting for fresh produce. Other foods high in sodium include soups, sauces, chips, processed cheese and meat substitutes such as vegetarian burgers and sausages.
2. Foods containing potassium. As the kidneys fail this can result in a build up of potassium in the blood, and that in turn can result in cramping and in irregular heartbeats.
3. High phosphorus foods are also bad for kidney. Phosphorus is a mineral that is necessary for healthy teeth, bones, muscles and nerves. However, a decline in kidney function makes it difficult for the body to balance the levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. When phosphorus levels are high, calcium levels decrease, causing the body to leech calcium from the bones. This can lead to brittle bones and bone and joint pain. Avoid high-phosphorus foods such as cheese, sardines, cola soft drinks and peanut butter. Replace them with lower-phosphorus foods such as broccoli, non-cola soft drinks, sherbet and zucchini.
4. Alcohol can interfere with many medicines taken to fight kidney failure. It can also increase dehydration and can directly damage the kidney cells.
5. Avoid too much protein
Your kidneys are responsible for filtering a waste product called urea out of your bloodstream. As your kidney function declines, the ability to filter urea decreases. Excess urea in the blood exerts more pressure on the kidneys, which can further decrease their function. Since urea is a byproduct of protein breakdown, limiting the amount of protein in your diet can also limit the amount of urea in your blood. High-protein foods include meat, poultry, eggs, milk products, and nuts and seeds.

Any questions about foods for kidney disease patients, please feel free to leave us a message or directly consult our online doctor.

Changes of Urine Output in Chronic Kidney Disease

Kidney is responsible for producing urine, so when there is something goes wrong with kidney, urine output changes. Besides, apart from changes of urine output, chronic kidney disease patients also experience some other urine differences like foamy urine and blood urine. Here, in this article, we mainly introduce changes of urine output in chronic kidney disease.
Normal urine output for an adult
How much urine we should urinate a day? The normal range for an adult urinary output is between 400 to 2,000 mL of urine daily -- with a normal fluid intake of about 2 liters per day. Values for normal urinary output may vary slightly between laboratories. A urine output of 500 mL per day is generally considered adequate for normal function. Urinating too much or too less all are abnormal. Of course, exclude the conditions that you drink too much water at one time or drink less water for a long time.
Decrease of urine output in Chronic Kidney Disease
Some patients with kidney disease have decreased urine output, and this is because their kidneys can not filter as much blood as they should. In normal condition, blood flow through kidney and during this process, excess fluid are removed out of the body through kidney, so when kidneys are damaged, they will filter less blood and consequently, less fluids are removed out of the body as urine.
Why some kidney disease patients have normal urine output?
GFR is the indicator for filtration function of kidney. Usually, low GFR means kidneys filter less blood within limited time. Although the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is very low in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), the urine output is variable, ranging from oliguria to normal or even above normal levels.And this is because besides GFR,tubular reabsorption also decides how much urine can be formed.
Blood flow through glomerular filtration membrane and during this process, some fluids are pushed into renal tubule where most of them are reabsorbed back to the body. In some cases, when kidneys are damaged, less blood are filtered by this filtration membrane, but if under such a condition, renal tubule can not function normally to reabsorb some of them back, all the fluids will flow out of the body as urine. Under such a condition, daily urine output may not decrease at all. (Any questions, please feel free to contact our online doctor)

Potassium Intake for Chronic Kidney Disease

Potassium intake should be regulated when one is affected by Chronic Kidney Disease. Therefore, if you are a kidney disease patient, you need to be careful about high potassium foods and low potassium foods.
Potassium’s most important function is to keep your heart beating. Potassium helps trigger your heartbeat which circulates blood throughout your body. In addition, potassium maintains fluid, electrolyte and pH balance in your body, promotes muscle growth, and sustains a healthy nervous system and brain function.
Normal blood potassium levels for adults are 3.5 to 5.0 mmol/L. The goal is less than 5.0 if you are on peritoneal dialysis, and less than 5.5 if you are on hemodialysis.
If you experience kidney failure, your body cannot filter a sufficient amount of potassium from the body. As a result, the excess potassium upsets the fluid balance in the body, resulting in muscle weakness, nausea and irregular heartbeat, according to Up to Date. When you have potassium levels above 5 meq/L, this is known as hyperkalemia. Your physician may recommend a low-potassium diet to prevent or reduce this condition's effects.
Potassium counts are listed on food labels, which allows you to closely monitor your intake. While you should consult your doctor on the best number for you, most patients with kidney failure should consume between 1,500 and 2,700 mg of potassium per day---the typical recommended daily allowance is 4,700 mg, according to Up to Date.
Potassium is a crucial mineral for the body, but moderation is best when you have kidney disease. Find out your potassium level and make the necessary lifestyle changes, such as substituting lower potassium foods for ones high in if you require a low potassium diet. Use the charts in this article and talk with your renal dietitian on ways you can lower potassium when you’re on the kidney diet.

Can Kidney Failure Be Cured with Dialysis

Dialysis is suggested in many cases after the diagnosis of kidney failure. Dialysis is the most commonly used life-sustaining way, so many people wounder if kidney failure will be cured after dialysis. If you also have this question, read on to find the answer.
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is the artificial process of eliminating waste (diffusion) and unwanted water (ultrafiltration) from the blood.Several weeks or months before your first hemodialysis treatment, your doctor will need to prepare an access site to your bloodstream. This procedure is called arteriovenous (AV) fistula, and is done in the hospital with an overnight stay, though it can also be performed on an outpatient basis. An AV fistula artificially connects a vein with an artery and is usually placed in your forearm. While doing dialysis, blood is triggered out of the body and then flow into dialysis machine through AV fistula.
Can kidney failure be cured with dialysis?
Healthy kidneys clean your blood by removing excess fluid, minerals, and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. When your kidneys fail, harmful wastes build up in your body, your blood pressure may rise, and your body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells. When this happens, you need treatment to replace the work of your failed kidneys.Dialysis replaces failed kidney to purify blood, but it can not repair kidney damage and improve kidney function Therefore, kidney failure can not be cured through dialysis. Dialysis shows temporary treatment effects, so once kidney failure patients start dialysis, they need to do it regularly.
Lastly, there are two main types of dialysis - hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. What type of dialysis a patient should have really does depend on each individual case.You can consult our online doctor about which type of dialysis is good for the patient.

Natural Remedies for Kidney Disease

Kidney disease, also known as kidney failure, is any condition that causes kidney dysfunction.Medical home remedies for chronic kidney disease symptoms reverse impaired kidney function avoiding dialysis and kidney transplant surgery even without using drugs at all. Well, what are the natural remedies for kidney disease?
Dietary Changes
The main priority of making changes to your kidney disease diet is so that you will consume the foods that do not counteract or put stress on the kidneys. Limiting the amount of salt and protein within your diet will lessen the strain on the kidneys. Phosphorus and potassium are also commonly avoided. However it should also be noted that reading labels and understanding what minerals are in foods is crucial to successful dietary changes. More dietary tips can also be found through The Kidney Disease Solution.
Astragalus
Astragalus herb belongs to the legume family and is native to China and Mongolia. Astragalus root extract is being used since years in Chinese medicines to treat common health problems such as cold and flu.

This herb contains certain polysaccharides, saponins called astragalosides, flavonoids and triterpenes.Astragalus possesses anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory properties.
Buchu
Buchu is an herbal remedy that is commonly used in treating kidney disease and various conditions of your urinary tract. Buchu, notes certified nutritional consultant and nutrition researcher Phyllis A. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," has historically been used in controlling kidney problems and may be helpful in treating water retention, cystitis and prostate inflammation. This herb -- the leaves of the plant, specifically -- may be particularly helpful in treating kidney disease when taken in tea form, notes Balch.
Radish:
Radish juice is one of the most potent home remedies to get rid of kidney diseases caused by kidney stones. Drinking half a cup of fresh radish juice on an empty stomach dissolves kidney stones and passes them out of the body in the urine. Radishes are consumed raw on an empty stomach for maximum therapeutic effect. Radishes are also used as natural kidney cleansers to improve elimination.
Kidney disease is refractory illness and it is hard to stop its progression or cure it. Usually, the earlier that patients take treatment, the better treatment effects they will take and also the easier to bring kidney disease under control. In the above, we introduce the some of the natural remedies for kidney disease and hope it is helpful for you. Besides, you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us and we will try our best to help you solve your problems.

Diet Plan for Chronic Kidney Failure

What is the diet plan for chronic kidney failure? Diet changes are needed when kidneys shut down, as improper diet not only increase kidney burden, but also increase toxins in the blood. Therefore, knowing how to eat is very important for one with failed kidneys.
1.You will need to limit the amount of protein you eat to help decrease waste in your blood. Foods that are high in protein are meat, poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, eggs, and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt). Your caregiver will tell you how much protein to eat each day.
2.Avoid eating too many processed foods because there may be thousands of hidden milligrams within each meal. Eat home-cooked meals instead of going out, and cook with a variety of lean proteins and fresh or frozen vegetables.
3.When kidneys fail they can no longer remove excess potassium, so the level builds up in the body. High potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia. This may occur in people with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). High potassium level in blood cause many problems like nausea, weakness, numbness or tingling, slow pulse, irregular heartbeat, heart failure and sudden death. Therefore, when potassium level is higher than normal range, reduce potassium intake is very important.
4. You may need to limit the amount of liquids you drink each day. If your body retains fluids, you will have swelling and fluid may build up in your lungs. This can cause other health problems, such as shortness of breath.
Diet changes should be made on the basis of kidney condition, so knowing kidney condition firstly is necessary. You can describe your illness condition to me: phoebe871124@gmail.com. I will help you make a specific diet plan.

Chinese Medicine Improves Kidney Function

Many western medicines can be used to treat kidney disease and in some cases, kidney function gets improved after the treatment. They are very helpful and important for the tight control of chronic kidney disease, but some of them may cause many terrible side effects after being used for a long time. Chinese medicine also can be used to treat kidney disease and with Chinese medicine, not only symptoms of CKD can be alleviated successfully, kidney function is also improved greatly after the treatment.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on the beliefs and practices of the Chinese culture. It has been developed and employed over thousands of years, using herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure and qigong to cure illness and disease, including kidney disease.
The Kidneys control the reception of the Qi of the air that is breathed in by the Lung. The Lungs send this energy down to the Kidney. When the Kidney cannot hold this Qi, it creates congestion in the chest. This is a frequent cause of chronic asthma.The Kidney opens to the ear. When the Kidneys are weak, hearing may be impaired or there may be tinnitus.The Kidney generates heat and energy for the proper functioning of all the organs in the body.The Kidney is associated with the emotion of fear. Fear, either as a sudden fright or a chronic state of anxiety will weaken the Kidneys.
Chinese medicine can treat kidney disease well by regulating Qi in the body. Kidney plays an important role for a healthy body and when kidney is weaken, various symptoms like high blood pressure, proteinuria, tiredness and poor appetite. By Chinese medicine, kidney function can be improved and in this way, symptoms resulted from impairment of kidney function are alleviated well.
In medicine, there are different types of Chinese medicine like Acupuncture, Medicated Bath, Foot Bath and Chinese herbs. They work differently and show different effects in improving kidney function. CKD patients should consult their doctor and to choose the right one according to their specific kidney condition.Also, you can leave your contact information to me and I will help you figure out the most proper and effective Chinese medicine.

Herbs to Lower High Creatinine Level in Blood

High creatinine level in blood is problem faced by chronic kidney disease patients. Few western medicines can be used to lower high creatinine level down effectively, so Chinese herb is a good option for high creatinine level patients.
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that is naturally produced in the human body where it is primarily stored in the muscles to supply energy to the body’s cells. When creatine is metabolized, creatinine is produced and eliminated from the body through the kidneys. When kidneys aren’t functioning well, levels of creatine in the body is increased causing problems. For high creatinine level patients, the following herbs are helpful.
Chamomile
Chamomile is another herb that may help lower creatinine levels in the body. In a 2005 study published in the "Journal of Agriculture Food Chemicals," researchers found that, compared to control samples, decreased levels of creatinine appeared in those drinking chamomile tea. This benefit lasted up to two weeks post-treatment, and may have been due to high levels of antioxidants present in chamomile.
Dandelion
Dandelion leaves have a slightly bitter flavor that goes well in salads and they are increasingly available in produce and grocery stores. Vitamins A, B-complex, C and D are found in the leaves. Dandelion also provides the minerals iron, potassium and zinc. Dandelion has diuretic effects -- it promotes increased urine production. Creatinine is normally excreted out of the body through urine, so when urine output is increased, much more creatinine will be brought out of the body as well and consequently, high creatinine level is lowered down.
Corn Silk
Corn silk is probably the best single herb to use in improving kidney function. Creatinine in blood is normally excreted out of the body through kidney and impairment of kidney function is the real cause of high creatinine level. Herb of corn silk show effects in improving kidney function, so with this herb, high creatinine level can be lowered down effectively.

Foods to Avoid with High Creatinine Level

Creatinine, a type of molecular waste found in the blood, is created by muscle metabolism. It comes from the molecule creatine, which helps build muscle mass. Creatinine is filtered from the blood by the kidneys and expelled from the body in urine. However, people with kidney impairment sometimes cannot properly filter out creatinine.Therefore, creatinine level in blood is usually measured to test kidney function.
1. When elevated creatinine is related to kidney damage, doctors advise decreasing the amount of protein in the diet. Protein, when broken down, creates a waste product called urea. When kidney function is decreased, the body cannot rid itself of the waste and it builds up. Reducing protein in the diet can help decrease the amount of waste produced. Animal proteins are most contributory, such as red meat, chicken and pork. It is advisable to get adequate protein from plant sources, such as soy and legumes.
2. When high creatinine is caused by dehydration, it is important to avoid foods that will further dehydrate the body. Caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea and colas should be replaced with regular water or fruit juice. At least 64 ounces of fluid should be ingested daily.
3. Salted foods also need to be avoided by high creatinine level patients, because eating too much not only elevates blood pressure, trigger fluid rentention, it also increases kidney burden. Therefore, avoiding salted foods like salted eggs, bacon, various sauces, pickles, and salad dressing should not be included in patients' dinning table.
4. When kidneys aren't working well, potassium levels can become too high. This can be serious and even cause sudden heart failure. Potassium is found in many foods, and patients must carefully monitor their potassium intake on a renal diet. They may be asked to limit or eliminate leafy green vegetables, broccoli, bananas, potatoes, oranges and apricots, all of which are high in potassium, and encouraged to choose lower potassium foods including cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, apples, cranberries, grapes and rice.

Low Protein Diet in Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects millions of people worldwide. If you are have been diagnosed with CKD, you need to make some changes, so as to avoid further deterioration of kidney. Low protein diet is needed for kidney disease patients who have not started dialysis. Here, in this article, we will mainly introduce low protein diet in chronic kidney disease.
Why low protein diet is needed for chronic kidney disease patients?
Protein is needed in the body for growth, building of muscles and repairing of tissues. It is found in large quantities in animal sources, such as meats, seafood and dairy products; it is also found in plant sources, such as breads, cereals, vegetables and fruits. Protein is necessary in the body, but when it has too much, it produces a waste called urea, which is difficult for compromised kidneys to remove. The key with kidney disease is to have just enough protein without taking in excess amounts.
How much protein is needed by chronic kidney disease patients?
For patients with stage 1 CKD-stage 2 CKD, 0.8 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight is needed every day. For these with CKD stage 3, 0.6g/kg/d is needed. For people with CKD stage 4, 0.4g/kg/d is ok and for patients whose illness is in CKD stage 5, 0.2 gram of protein per day per kilogram is needed if they have not started dialysis. However, if they are on dialysis, much more protein (1.2g/kg/d) will be required.
Protein source for Chronic Kidney Disease patients
According to Every Diet (see Resources), one of the simplest ways to reduce the protein intake is to start using less.
Here is a sample one-day diet for kidney disease patients:
For breakfast have ¾ cup Cheerios with ½ cup non-dairy creamer, ½ banana and ½ cup orange juice. For your mid-morning snack, have a fruit roll-up. Lunchtime consists of a turkey sandwich with 1 ounce turkey, 2 slices of bread, lettuce, ½ cup tomato, ½ cup green beans, mayonnaise, a medium apple and ½ cup fruit punch. For an afternoon snack, enjoy a Popsicle. For dinner a 2 ounce hamburger, ½ cup white rice, ¼ cup broccoli, ¼ cup cauliflower, tossed salad with ranch dressing and ½ cup pineapple. For an evening snack have 1 ounce of gum drops.

If you are diabetic, speak to a renal dietitian before staring any diet plan.

Renal Anemia in Chronic Kidney Failure

Anemia is a common complication of chronic kidney failure, especially kidney failure in end stage. Anemia is a condition in which the body has fewer red blood cells than normal. Red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues and organs throughout the body and enable them to use energy from food. With anemia, red blood cells carry less oxygen to tissues and organs—particularly the heart and brain—and those tissues and organs may not function as well as they should.
How is renal anemia caused by chronic kidney failure?
Chronic kidney failure is marked by the progressive loss of kidney function. Kidney is a very important organ with function of filtering blood, producing urine, keeping balance of electrolyte, secreting hormone and keeping water balance. For chronic kidney failure patients, their kidney function is impaired, and as a result, kidneys fail to function properly. Under such a condition, kidney can not secrete a hormone named EPO which is very important for the formation of red blood cell. Damaged kidney produces less EPO, and consequently, production of red blood cells reduce. Anemia appears when red blood cell account in blood is lower than normal range.
Symptoms of renal anemia
Renal anemia always bring lots of symptoms which go as follow:
weakness
fatigue, or feeling tired
headaches
problems with concentration
paleness
dizziness
difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

chest pain
Although renal anemia is a complication of chronic kidney failure, if left uncontrolled, it will worsen kidney condition. Therefore, treatment is urgently needed to bring it control once kidney failure patients are told to have renal anemia.

Herbs for Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease progresses over time and when it develops to end stage, life will be threatened severely. Western medicines are the most commonly used medicines for Chronic Kidney Disease patients. They help to slow down illness progression, but long-term usage of it will cause many dead side effects. Therefore, many Chronic Kidney Disease patients wonder if there are herbs that can be used by them to improve kidney condition.
As a matter of fact, there are indeed some herbs that have been proven to be good for kidney and with the help of these herbs, kidney condition can be improved successfully. In general, medicines can be used by Chronic Kidney Disease patients include:
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is an herb that may help treat kidney failure. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, milk thistle, also known as Silybum marianum, is a flowering herb that is native to the Mediterranean region. Milk thistle has been used for thousands of years to treat numerous health problems, including liver problems, elevated cholesterol levels, certain types of cancer and kidney failure. The seeds of the plants are used medicinally. Dr. Sharol Tilgner, a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth," states that milk thistle is an antioxidant that helps your kidneys function better and protects them from the damaging effects of numerous health complications. Before taking milk thistle to help treat your kidney failure, talk with your doctor about possible side effects and proper dosage.
Rehmannia - Rehmannia glutinosa (Scrophulariaceae)
A perennial with large sticky leaves and purple flowers, rehmannia is the most important herb for kidney and adrenal health in Chinese medicine (where it is called di huang) . Rehmannia root is used medicinally and it contains phytosterols and antioxidants (including rehmannin), along with iridoid glycosides (including catapol). Rehmannia is primarily used as a kidney tonic and also to detoxify the liver and to treat hepatitis. Rehmannia treats autoimmune disorders such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia. Rehmannia helps treat hair loss, respiratory disorders, menopause and other hormone related disorders. Rehmannia has diuretic properties.
Couch grass
Couch grass is a diuretic and the mucilage helps soothe an inflamed and irritated urinary tract. It also helps heal the urinary tract.

Couch grass increases the amount of urine by the osmotic process. It has some active constituents with an antibiotic effect, and can be used in gout and rheumatism. It is also used in cystitis, prostatitis, nephritis, calculus (stones), urethritis, and benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Horsetail
Horsetail is high in silica, and is used as an astringent in the genito-urinary tract. It is also a diuretic. It has been found to reduce the levels of lead in the body, and there is "evidence of an anti-rheumatic effect and a positive effect on lipid [fat] metabolism". (Fisher and Painter)
The increased volume of urine helps flush out irritants and infectious agents. The astringent action may help with bladder tone and the reduction of prostate enlargement. The high levels of silica help with tissue repair.

Horsetail is used in cystitis, prostatitis, prostatic enlargement, incontinence, edema with menopause or arthritis, and urethritis. It helps prevent damage to the ureters, bladder, and urethra, and the prostate.

Foods Good for Kidney Disease Patients

A healthy kidney plays an important role for a healthy life, so we need to protect our kidneys. Scientific diet provide us with necessary nutrition, and improper diet will do harm for our health. For kidney disease patients, their kidneys are injured, so they need to make diet changes, so as to protect residual kidney tissues from being damaged, well, what are the foods good for kidney disease patients? Read on to find the answer.
Fruits and Vegetables
Appropriate foods for kidney failure include low potassium fruits and vegetables. Low-potassium fruits include apples, pears, peaches, pineapple, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apricots, mandarin oranges, plums, lemons, limes and cranberries. Low-potassium vegetables include green beans, raw cabbage, cooked cauliflower, celery, corn, lettuce such as iceberg and romaine, raw spinach, cooked sweet peppers, raw broccoli, cooked summer squash and onions.
Protein for Kidney patients and renal disease
Kidney or renal patients should be specially take care of their protein consumption. Protein intake must also be carefully monitored and may be limited to 0.6 grams per kilogram of the body weight per day. Also it is recommended that you can go to vegetable protein which is supposed not to put extra effort in straining. This means that you must meet protein requirements of your body with vegetable sources like beans, lentils and other green vegetables.

So if you are a kidney patient you must avoid animal protein and go for vegetable protein as animal protein produces purine which is helpful in the production of uric acid forming crystals (kidney stones) in the kidneys
Low-Potassium FoodsSince kidneys regulate potassium, it’s important that you monitor your potassium intake. If your potassium level gets too high, you may develop a greater risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack. Some examples of low-potassium foods include apples, beans, corn, rice, noodles, pasta, eggplant, cookies without nuts or chocolate, pears, peas, peppers and zucchini.