Foods to avoid with kidney disease aim not to exacerbate the conditions experienced so that healing against the disease heals more quickly.
The kidney is one of the organs in your body shaped like a bean and has many main functions. Each person has two kidneys; they filter blood, remove toxins through urine, produce hormones, balance minerals, and maintain fluid balance.
People with kidney disease should also avoid some vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. These vitamins can accumulate in the body and have a negative impact if you consume too much.
Excessive consumption of vitamin C in patients with kidney infections can also cause an accumulation of oxalate which can cause pain in the bones and tissues.
Therefore, people suffering from a chronic kidney infection (stages 1 – 4) would do well to limit the amount of protein in their diet.
Prohibited foods with Kidney disease
However, people with end-stage kidney disease who are undergoing dialysis have a greater need for protein. The following are 17 foods that you should avoid while on a kidney diet:
Dark soda
Dark soda is a food that they should avoid for kidney disease. In addition to calories and sugar, soda contains phosphorus additives, especially dark-colored soda.
Many food and beverage manufacturers add phosphorus during manufacturing to improve taste, extend shelf life, and prevent discoloration. This drink is not good if consumed continuously and for people with kidney disease.
Not only soda and other carbonated drinks but energy drinks also have a terrible effect on the kidneys. These types of glasses can be involved in the process of forming kidney stones.
Avocado
Avocados are one of the foods to avoid for kidney disease because they are a very high source of potassium. Therefore, this fruit should be avoided by people with kidney infections because it will worsen the symptoms of kidney infections they are experiencing.
Canned food
Canned food that contains high amounts of sodium and sodium can exacerbate the condition of people with kidney infections. Therefore, canned food is one of the foods people with kidney disease should avoid.
Wheat bread
Wheat bread contains phosphorus and potassium; should people with kidney infections avoid it, choose plain bread instead of whole wheat bread.
Red rice
Like whole wheat bread, whole wheat bread and brown rice benefit healthy people. However, people with kidney infections should not eat these foods.
Banana
Bananas are a food to avoid kidney disease due to their high potassium content.
Milk
Consuming too much milk and other phosphorus-rich foods can damage the bone health of people with kidney infections.
Oranges and orange juice
Due to their potassium content, oranges eaten fresh or made into juice or packaged make them a food to avoid kidney disease.
Processed meat
Processed meat is known for its dangers that can cause various chronic diseases, so there is no other reason to avoid this type of food.
Pickles and olives
Processed pickles and olives in the process of processing, a massive amount of salt is added. That certainly can threaten kidney health.
Apricot
It is the potassium content in apricots that makes apricots a food to avoid with kidney disease.
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes are foods rich in potassium, so people with kidney infections should be able to reduce their consumption of these foods.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a high-potassium fruit unsuitable for maintaining healthy kidneys, as they can exacerbate kidney infection symptoms.
Packaged food, instant food, and premade
Whether packaged, instant, or premade, these three types of food contain a massive amount of sodium. For those of you who are still healthy, it is recommended to avoid these foods, especially for people with kidney disease.
Swiss Chard, spinach, and beet greens
These foods to avoid with kidney disease contain high amounts of nutrients, minerals, and potassium.
Dates, raisins, and prunes
These three types of fruit are dried fruits in the drying process and after being dried fruit. All three produce potassium in large quantities.
Pretzels, chips, and crackers
Snacks of this kind are foods that lack nutrition and contain high salt, so they are not suitable for kidney health.
In addition to the foods above, there are foods to avoid for other kidney diseases. Some of them are:
Eat lots of meat
The protein in animal meat triggers an increase in the amount of acid in the blood. That is classified as dangerous because of its negative impact on the kidneys. Excess acid in the blood can also cause acidosis, in which the kidneys cannot get rid of acid quickly.
High Sugar Foods
In addition to protein from animal meat, too much sugar in foods such as cakes and sweets can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes. People with both health problems are more likely to get kidney infections.
Always pay attention to the composition of food every time you want to buy it. That is because sugar may be added in excess, especially if the sugar is an artificial sweetener. Ready-made herbs and spices, and cereals are some examples.
Foods High in Salt
Both sugar and salt are ingredients that trigger addiction. Even so, they must avoid these two ingredients for people with kidney infections. Salt consisting of sodium can increase blood pressure so that it can damage the kidney function itself.
Therefore, it is always recommended to avoid foods that are rich in salt, such as those found in processed foods and food sold by fast food restaurants. Other foods containing much salt include soy sauce, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, salad dressing, chili sauce, canned vegetables, soup, and frozen foods.
Caffeine-containing foods
Foods for the kidneys that are unsafe for consumption are foods with chocolate or coffee flavors because they store caffeine. This substance can increase blood circulation, blood pressure, and kidney stress. Frequent consumption of caffeine is also one of the factors that are often associated with the cause of kidney infections.
List of Kidney Diseases to Avoid
Reporting to NYU Langone Health, doctors provide drugs to treat kidney pain and recommend lifestyle changes. A healthier lifestyle is carried out to overcome the symptoms of kidney disease and prevent the risk of complications.
Therefore, knowing the restrictions that need to be avoided when the kidney disease is necessary for a better quality of life. It would help if you reduce or not do the following things so that kidney health does not worsen.
Excessive use of painkillers
One of the taboos that people with kidney disease need to avoid is the excessive use of painkillers. Types of painkillers (analgesics) such as NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs) can reduce pain. However, this drug can worsen the condition of your kidneys.
Excessive consumption of analgesic drugs, such as ibuprofen, can reduce kidney function and blood flow to the kidneys. If continued for a long time, the risk of chronic kidney failure also increases. Generally, there is a label warning that you should not use non-prescription analgesic drugs for more than ten days.
Consumption of too much salt
The kidneys function to remove excess fluid and waste through urine so that they can filter blood properly; therefore, it requires a balance of sodium and potassium to draw water across the walls from the bloodstream into the collecting ducts of the kidneys.
If people with kidney disease consume too much salt, that can damage this balance, and kidney function will decrease. That makes a high-salt diet one of the taboos people with kidney disease must avoid.
In addition, excessive salt intake also risks forming kidney stones and makes the kidneys work harder. Instead of getting better, a high-salt diet only worsens kidney function, which may increase the risk of complications.
Processed food
Processed food aficionados suffering from kidney disease may need to exercise restraint. That is because processed foods are also taboo for people with kidney disease. After all, they contain high phosphorus and sodium.
The kidneys help the body regulate phosphorus levels in the blood by removing excess phosphorus. If the kidney is damaged, there is excess phosphorus in the blood.
That can then make bones weak and blood vessels stiff due to a buildup of phosphorus.
Here are some foods containing phosphorus and sodium that people with kidney disease should avoid.
- Milk and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, and pudding, contain milk.
- Soy milk.
- Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, cereals, and pasta.
- Processed meats, such as sausages and patties.
- Nuts.
- Chocolate, including chocolate drinks.
- Soda.
High protein diet
Protein is one of the primary nutrients that make up food and is commonly found in meat, nuts, and milk. The body does need protein to build muscles, red blood cells, and hormones. However, for people with kidney disease, it is necessary to reduce protein consumption so that it is not too much.
Abstinence from kidney disease on this one can make this already problematic kidney condition worse. As a result, protein waste cannot be filtered optimally, which causes the kidneys to work harder.
That makes people with kidney disorders need to limit protein consumption or change the food sources of protein that are usually eaten.
Don’t forget to discuss this issue with your doctor or nutritionist to find out what amount and source of protein you should consume.
Lack of sleep
Did you know that sleep deprivation can reduce kidney function? Research published in the World Journal of Nephrology shows that sleep disturbances impact kidney function.
The work of the kidneys is regulated by the owner’s sleep and wake cycles. That helps control the workload of the kidneys that occurs for more than 24 hours. If a person does not get enough sleep, kidney function declines more quickly, especially in people with kidney disease.
The longer you are awake, the less time your kidneys have to rest. As a result, the kidneys work too hard and exacerbate the previous condition. Therefore, lack of sleep is taboo for people with kidney disease because it dramatically decreases kidney function.
Smoke
It’s no longer a secret that smoking harms health, including kidney function. Several factors make smoking a taboo when experiencing kidney disease.
- It affects drugs used to treat hypertension
- Slows blood flow to essential organs, especially the kidneys
It’s never too late to reduce to quit smoking for the survival of yourself and those around you.
Excessive drinking Alcohol
On certain days a healthy kidney will work harder than usual but still within normal limits; however, not for alcohol drinkers who suffer from kidney disease. People who are categorized as heavy drinkers are those who drink alcohol more than seven to 14 times a week.
If this habit is maintained, the condition of the already problematic kidneys can undoubtedly worsen. The reason is a body that contains high levels of alcohol can cause the kidneys to lose their function. The kidneys not only have to filter the blood but also maintain the balance of water levels in the body.
Meanwhile, alcohol has affected the ability of kidney function and has a drying effect on the role of kidney cells and organs. Consuming too much alcohol can also increase blood pressure and hurt people who use drugs to control blood pressure.
Don’t drink too much.
Meeting daily fluid needs is good, but for people with kidney disease, it turns out that drinking too much can be a taboo that is detrimental to their kidneys. Why is that?
Damaged kidneys are no longer able to filter excess fluid in the body. If there is too much fluid in the body, it can cause high blood pressure, swelling, and heart failure. Excess fluid in the body can also surround the lungs and make it hard for you to breathe.
