The Healthy Kidney & Diabetes Diet

 
If you have kidney disease, you may already know that diabetes is a common cause as well as an aggravator to people who already have kidney problems. However, it’s important to note that not everyone with diabetes will develop kidney disease. If you want to avoid kidney disease or at least greatly decrease your chances of getting it, there are some things that you can do.

To start with, you need to keep your blood glucose levels balanced as much as possible. When your blood sugar reaches dangerous levels, it has the potential to harm your kidneys and if this happens repeatedly, you can have permanent damage to the kidneys and develop kidney disease.

To look at how diabetes affects the kidneys, you need to understand how they work. When you don’t maintain the proper blood glucose levels, your kidneys will not function properly for the elimination process. The kidneys may try to work overtime to eliminate blocked proteins and other waste products from the body. When this happens, the kidneys can filter too much blood and will begin to leak.  

When there is a leak through the kidneys, waste product will begin to build up in the blood, causing severe problems for the person. This leads to kidney disease.

There are actually many different things that can cause kidney disease but diabetes causes the kidney to overwork trying to filter out the excess starch and sugars in the blood. When you maintain healthy glucose levels, your kidneys can function properly, as they are supposed to and will not become overworked.

Just like any other organ in the body, if the kidneys become overworked, they can shut down. When this advanced stage of kidney disease occurs, it may be necessary to have dialysis or even a kidney transplant. The problem with kidney disease for a diabetic person is that a transplant is not always an option, due to other medical concerns.

The best way to avoid kidney disease is to learn as much as you can about how the kidneys work. When you have a clear understanding of how they work, you can help keep them as healthy as possible, even with diabetes.

Dangers of high protein foods

It’s very important that you work with your doctor or a registered dietitian on a kidney-friendly program. They'll probably suggest that you limit your protein intake, balancing phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.

Large amounts of protein place extra stress on the kidneys because they excrete waste products derived from protein.

Someone with kidney problems or diabetes should restrict the amount and type of protein they eat. Protein in your diet should come from sources that are easily assimilated into body tissue.

Generally speaking, food that comes from animals--beef, fowl, fish, and dairy products--have high protein content. But some grains and vegetables do also.

It's also exrtremely important that you regularly monitor your blood glucose levels. Don’t just guess based on how you feel but actually test yourself on a regular basis to ensure your sugar levels stay where they belong.

Another step to avoiding kidney disease is to maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, it greatly increases your chances of kidney disease, especially if you are diabetic. If you take care of your body, you will benefit from the result in a longer, healthier life- without kidney disease.

Related articles: Kidney Failure, Kidney Dialysis, Diabetes and Kidney Problems.