What is Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. Kidney disease can affect your body’s ability to clean your blood, filter extra water out of your blood, and help control your blood pressure. It can also affect red blood cell production and vitamin D metabolism needed for bone health. In early stages you may notice a few signs or symptoms. Chronic kidney disease may not become apparent until your kidney function is significantly impaired. If kidney disease gets worse, wastes can build up to high levels in your blood and you may develop complications like high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones, poor nutritional health and nerve damage.
Signs and Symptoms
Over time, signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease will develop if kidney damage progresses. Below are some common signs of kidney disease:
• High blood pressure • Poor appetite • Trouble sleeping • Loss of energy • Chest pain • Shortness of breath
• Trouble concentrating • Muscle cramping at night • Swollen feet/ankles • Puffiness around eyes
• Persistent itching and dry skin • Frequent urination
Risk Factors
The following are some risk factors for kidney disease:
• Diabetes • High blood pressure • Cardiovascular disease • Smoking • Obesity
• Being African-American, Native-American or Asian-American • Family history of kidney disease • Abnormal kidney
structure • Older age
Kidney Disease and Potassium Levels
People with kidney disease have diminished renal function and are unable to regulate potassium efficiently which can cause hazardous levels to remain in the blood. Some medications used to treat kidney disease also raise potassium which can add to the problem. If your potassium spikes suddenly, you may experience difficulty breathing, chest pain, or heart palpitations which requires immediate medical care.
If you have kidney disease, you should have your potassium level checked by your doctor with a simple blood test. Your doctor can work with you to determine how much you should ingest daily, while maintaining the highest level of nutrition possible. Levels should also be monitored to ensure you’re staying within a safe range.
Kidney Disease and Diet
One of the best ways to reduce potassium build-up is through a kidney-friendly diet. You will need to learn which foods are high in potassium and which are low. Make sure you read nutritional labels carefully and do your research.
Keep in mind that portion control is as important as what you eat. Eating smaller portions of protein, such as chicken and beef is important as a protein-rich diet can cause your kidneys too work too hard.
Foods to Add
Some foods that are considered to be low in potassium:
• Berries (strawberries and blueberries) • Apples • Pineapple • Cranberries • Broccoli • Cauliflower • Eggplant
• Green Beans • White Pasta • White Bread • White Rice • Canned Tuna (in water) • Egg Whites
Foods to Avoid
Some foods considered to be high in potassium include:
• Bananas • Raisins • Avocados • Oranges • Prunes • Tomatoes • Spinach • Brussels Sprouts • Lentils
• Potatoes • Milk • Nuts • Pumpkin • Beef • Chicken
If you can, swap canned fruits and veggies for fresh or frozen versions. The potassium in canned foods gets into the
water or juice in the can and can cause a spike in potassium levels.
Dining Out with Kidney Disease
You can still eat at your favorite restaurants once you know your kidney-friendly foods. For example, choosing grilled or broiled seafood and meat are better options. You can also order a salad for a side in place of fries, chips, or mashed potatoes. Some types of cuisine such as Chinese or Japanese are usually higher in sodium. Always request “no added salt” and order salad dressings on the side. Deli meats are also high in salt and should be avoided as should anything containing MSG.
Prevention
To lower your chances of developing kidney disease, you will want to focus on two other conditions: diabetes and high blood pressure. They’re two of the biggest threats to your kidneys. Many people have diabetes and/or high blood pressure and don’t know it. So if it’s been a while since your last checkup, you may want to schedule one.
Science Based Wellness offers the “gold standard” of testing; blood, hair, urine, and fecal. Our customized testing will reveal illness or tendencies toward disease even before symptoms are present. With this valuable information, we are able to make specific dietary and lifestyle recommendations and monitor your progress through re-testing.
Everyone should get properly tested at least once year because the earlier you find a problem, the easier it is to fix and better the results you will have. We encourage you to get tested with a properly trained HEALTH expert to identify those weaknesses in your body so you have a science based game plan to get yourself healthier. Then, plan to get tested once per year to prevent problems that could be creeping up on you. THIS IS real preventative healthcare.
Yours in health,
Dr. Steven M. Nickels, DC, NMD, DACBN, DCBCN
904.834.2337