Diet Help for Early Stages of Kidney Failure

Our kidneys play a quite significant part in keeping us healthy as they help our bodies to keep the balance of nutrients and minerals in our body. Unfortunately, if you have kidney disease, your kidney will no longer be able to perform their job of balancing out for which you will be needing some major diet changes.

The very first step for changing your diet plan is to consult your doctor about meeting with a registered dietitian so that he can teach you how to make food choices that are best for you. If you are on stage 1-2 of kidney failure, the major diet changes will be done to preserve your kidney functions from any further damage, reduce blood pressure, and control blood glucose. Making changes in your diet to control diabetes and high blood pressure can also assistance to keep your kidney disease from getting worse.

In the early kidney failure stages (1 and 2), your kidneys do not function normally, but they do work well enough to keep you well. At this point, you do not need excessive and drastic changes in your diet. The main goal is to eat healthy food and to be at a healthy weight. This will help your kidneys function better for longer.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with kidney disease such as kidney failure may need to control the amount of protein, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium in their diet. Find yourself a dietitian or a healthcare provider at Healthsoul, who will let you know if you are in dire need of such nutritional changes in your diet based on your blood test report. Therefore, consuming the right amount of protein, sodium, potassium or phosphorus will help you to control the buildup of waste and fluid in your blood. This simply means that your kidneys do not have to work hard to remove the waste fluid.

In order to prevent kidney disease from getting unavoidable and prevent kidney failure, one should limit meat and dairy in order to help achieve a moderate protein intake. This can be achieved with the following things:

1. Add up more fiber in your diet through fresh fruits and vegetables. Also include whole-grains in your meal such as whole grain bread and high-fiber cereal.
   
   
2. Limit high-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, frozen desserts, cream cheese, and sour cream.
   
   
3. You should eat less red meat and instead, have more lean poultry and seafood. Choose grilled or baked protein instead of fried.
   
   
4. Have fewer processed foods, particularly ones with hidden phosphorus.
   
   
5. Reduce your sodium intake in your meals — it is recommended to have 1,500 to 2,300 mg/day.
   
   
6. Also try to limit alcohol consumption.
   
   
7. Adjust calorie intake to reach a healthy weight. You can start by eating in moderation, snacking on fruits and vegetables, and eating an appropriate portion of healthy fats.
   
   
8. Last but not the least, choose vegetables without cheese, sauces or fried preparation.

Conclusively, since there are fewer symptoms in stages 1 and 2 of kidney disease, you may not feel any different. However, even small changes in your diet may help preserve your kidney function for a long time.