Kidney Disease Nutrition & Intervention

According to statistics released by the National Kidney Foundation, one in nine adults residing in the U.S. suffers from kidney disease. Increased awareness about this growing problem may help others avoid kidney disease through dietary and lifestyle changes.

Function

• The kidneys perform the important function of cleansing the blood in the body--up to 200 quarts per day--and sifting out toxins and waste from the system.

History

• Risk for chronic kidney disease increases for those who smoke cigarettes, are overweight, have family histories of kidney disease and have hypertension or diabetes issues.

Identification

• Warning symptoms of kidney dysfunction are changes noted in the amount or frequency of urination (especially at night), foamy or bloody urine, painful urination, pain near the kidney area, lack of appetite or nausea, and fatigue.

Considerations

• Food with high sodium content, such as canned, pickled or smoked meats, should be avoided by those with kidney disease. Limiting your fluids will also help take some of the burden off of the kidneys, as damaged kidneys might struggle to balance fluid intake.

Prevention/Solution

• According to the 1997 Annual Revue for Nutrition, those suffering with kidney disease may stop its progression an average of 33 percent to 50 percent by following a strict low-protein diet.

Warning

• Once kidney function is at less than 10 percent capacity, the only two options are renal dialysis or a kidney transplant.