Diet Plan for Kidney Patients Made Right

Healthy eating is important for good health. The food we eat causes a huge impact on our body and health. Eating junk and processed food is badly affecting the health of the people. But isn’t it amazing that investing time and capital in healthy food can prevent your further expenses of treatments? So, why not pay for the food instead of medicines.

A good diet plan for kidney patient assists in the prevention of further deterioration of kidneys. There are certain minerals and nutrients that can harm the body during kidney disease. At that time, a good diet limits these minerals and prevents their buildup.

Nutrients to be restricted

As we said, there are certain nutrients that cause damage to the kidneys. They are four in numbers. These are potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and fluid. Significantly, a person suffering from kidney disease should abstain from consuming these four.

Why potassium is harmful?

Potassium plays a crucial role in persistently keeping control over the functions of muscles and nerves but an excess of potassium disturbs the functioning of the heart and no one is unaware of the relation between the heart and the kidneys. Therefore, any problem to the heart is a problem for the kidneys. This is why all food containing potassium in it is excluded from the diet plan for kidney patients.

Why sodium is harmful?

Blood pressure and fluid balance should be importantly maintained in the body. When a kidney gets ill, it cannot treat excess sodium in the body leading to high blood pressure and fluid retention that causes major damage.

Why phosphorus is harmful?

A good diet for kidney patients is that which has no phosphorus in it. Phosphorus is a mineral that is responsible for bone buildup along with calcium. In addition, it regulates the functioning of the heart with vitamin B. Excess phosphorus causes major harm as it cannot also be removed with dialysis.

Why fluid is harmful?

As we all know, kidneys remove waste through urine. What happens when kidneys are ill and cannot excrete waste through urine? Then obviously it results in fluid retention in the body leading to the swelling (edema) of certain body parts. Sometimes the situation can be as worst as breathlessness. Furthermore, dialysis cannot remove an excess of fluid from the body this is what makes monitor of water in the body important.

Fruits for kidney patients

Dietitian customizes diet plan for kidney patients according to the need of the patient’s body. This diet plan includes some fruits that compliment the treatment of kidneys and never adds up to the problem. These fruits are:

• Cranberries - Research says that the juice of cranberry is kidney cleansers that help in the removal of excess fluid and breaking down of fatty tissues. It assists in flushing and throwing out bacteria that cause infections in the urinary tract. Cranberry supplements and extract helps in the prevention of kidney stones. There are some other health benefits of cranberries such as monitoring cholesterol, helping cardiac health, etc.
• Apple - There is no doubt that Apple has numerous benefits but how it helps kidneys? Apple is rich in a significant fiber, pectin. This fiber reduces the risk of some major losses associated with kidneys. This is why apples are included in the diet plan for kidney patients.
• Papaya - There are micronutrients present in the seeds of papaya. They are a rich source of polyphenols and flavonoids that promotes good kidney health.
• Guava - Guava is one of the very good sources of vitamin C and vitamin A. This fruit has anti-hyperglycemic properties for the promotion of kidneys’ health and betterment of gastrointestinal problems.
• Lemon - Lemon is hoarded with citrate and can treat kidney stones successfully.
• Grapes - Grapes are good for kidneys, especially the red ones. This is why it is added to the diet plan for kidney patients. They are rich in resveratrol which is a kind of flavonoid. This assists in the prevention of disease associated with the heart and kidneys.

Furthermore, strawberries and pineapples are also some nutrition-rich fruits that help in the prevention and cure of kidneys’ disease.

Vegetables for kidney patients

Like fruits, there are some vegetables fit for the health of the kidneys. Adding these fruits and vegetables to the diet plan of a kidney patient can help him in a very effective manner. Given below is the list of those majestic vegetables.

• Eggplant - Eggplant will be one of your great choices during kidney disease as it has a low content of all three nutrients that are needed to be restricted during kidney disease, i.e phosphorus, sodium, and potassium.
• Bottle gourd - Bottle gourd helps in the reduction of inflammation caused during kidneys disease. It also lends a hand in curing the problems associated with constipation.
• Onion - There could be nothing as great as onion in the diet plan for kidney patients. It provides a flavor to the dishes of kidney patients, a flavor which is independent of sodium. It has vitamin C and B, prebiotic fibers, and manganese helpful in digestion and gut-related issues.
• Cucumber - It can be a bit tough for kidney patients to find food low in potassium. So, here it is cucumber. It has antioxidant qualities that are beneficial for kidney patients.
• Lettuce - Boiled lettuce has less potassium. So consume it that way.
• Zucchini - Zucchini is also a low potassium food with numerous benefits for kidneys. That is why it can be included in the diet plan for kidney patients.
• Moreover, there are some other vegetables such as cabbage, ivy gourd, radish, and round gourd that are highly beneficial for kidney patients.

Disclaimer- This writing is just for the information. You are advised to consult a dietitian before adding any of this to your diet plan.