What Foods To Eat & Avoid If You Have Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD)

If the kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build up to high levels in the blood and make you feel sick. This may cause serious complications like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor health and nerve damage etc. Also, kidney disease increases your risk of having heart and blood vessel disease.

Early detection and treatment can often keep chronic kidney disease from causing serious complications. When kidney disease progresses, it may lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain life.

There is no cure for the CKD except with a kidney transplant. However, the disease can be managed with the dialysis which involves purification of the fluid. But dialysis is not a permanent treatment or solutions for CKD. As soon as you stop it, the condition becomes same again. Read about dialysis here: How does dialysis work?

How to maintain a good health with CKD?

The first step to stay healthy and fit is having a healthy diet. Having right food stock in your kitchen indicates your concern about your health. When you are suffering from chronic kidney disease, you need to have kidney-friendly foods and meals plan. Managing what you eat and drink will help you keep your kidney healthy for longer time and also to make you healthy.

As you know many foods have hidden sources of sugar and sodium, it is necessary to know whether that food is healthy for your kidney or for you or not. 

It is generally seen that kidney disease is associated with diabetes and heart diseases. These two conditions are considered as chronic kidney disease causes. If you choose right food and diet plan to control these conditions, your kidney disease is also controlled or problems can be slowed down.

You should consult to your dietitian to find out best meal plan for you to keep you and your kidney healthy and also to lower risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Read about kidney anatomy and its function.

What you should eat?

The various food items which you can include in your meal plan to keep your kidney healthy are as follows:

• Red bell peppers
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Garlic 
• Onions
• Apples
• Berries
• Red grapes
• Egg white
• Olive oil
• Fish

What you should avoid in food?

If you choose to cut down or avoid following food items your risk of kidney disease can be controlled. Also, avoiding these foods lowers the risk and controls chronic kidney disease. The foods to avoid with chronic kidney disease are-

• High sodium meal
• Potassium rich food
• Phosphorus
• Fatty foods
• Processed foods
• Carbohydrates
• High protein foods
• High calorie foods
• Frozen foods or meals
• Excessive fluid intake

Sarita Thomas, is a medical science professional and is associated with DiseaseFix as a researcher. DiseaseFix develops health information modules for patients and provides a unique platform to allow access of reliable information of a variety of types for diseases.