Why Kidney Failure Patients Should Pay Attention To Their Potassium Intake

Keeping up with the day-to-day requirements for maintaining your kidneys can be very taxing. Medications, check-ups, and dialysis start to take so much time and effort and you're never sure what the next check-up could bring. However, there is another way to approach the problem. That may be what brought you to this website in the first place. If you're looking for more help or other ways that kidney disease could be dealt with than read on! There are some really good, really effective, and really safe treatments out there for your kidneys. See for yourself how to get greater energy, increased GFR, less or no fluid retention, and the return of positive health and attitude.

Patients experiencing kidney failure should take care of their potassium intake since they are at a high risk for potassium metabolism disturbance. The kidneys help in the maintenance of normal serum-potassium level by removing excess potassium from the body. A person is most likely going to experience high levels of potassium in the body if the kidneys do not work effectively.

Patients with chronic kidney disease should limit their intake of potassium as this will help them to reduce the risk of fatigue, cramping, confusion, muscle weakness, myasthenia, arrhythmia, nerve damages, digestive problems, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain.

For patients who have lost about 50% kidney function, their diets should be low-fat, low-protein, and low-potassium. This is because the body cannot effectively remove excessive electrolytes and water from their blood. Therefore, proper diets help in reducing kidney burdens and also slow down the rate of kidney function decline.

NOTE: it is important to note here, that not all kidney disease sufferers will have high potassium levels. The majority will, but definitely not all. Therefore it is crucial that when you visit with your doctor you get your blood potassium levels checked… As you may be in a small percentage of people that can consume potassium freely.

For kidney disease patients, high concentrations of potassium can cause cardiac arrhythmia, metabolic acidosis, low blood calcium and muscle weakness. This can stop the heart from beating resulting in death.

The Recommended Potassium Intake For Kidney Disease Patients

Though the allowed amount of potassium varies from case to case, it should generally range between 1500mg-2700mg daily. Foods that have more than 250mg of potassium per serving are high potassium foods. The most common foods that are rich in potassium include salmon, lobster, tomatoes, potatoes, legumes, beans, beet, dried fruits and avocados. Kidney disease patients should therefore stay away from consuming these foods.

Foods To Choose

Most, if not all, foods contain some potassium. Kidney disease patients should therefore aim foods that have less than 250mg per serving. Examples of foods low in potassium include chicken, eggs, grapes, onions, green peas, berries, plums, raspberries, tangerine, kales, peaches and asparagus.

Foods To Reduce/Avoid

Foods that have more than 250mg of potassium per single serving are considered to be rich in potassium. Most dairy products and vegetables contain high levels of potassium. Examples of foods that should be reduced or avoided include black-eyed peas, avocados, corn, spinach, potatoes, bananas, apples, kiwi fruit, water melon, beans and oranges.

Considerations

Too much potassium in the body can cause irregular heartbeat. As the kidney disease is being treated, the patient should reduce his intake since the kidney cannot remove the excess potassium.

Apart from doing away with foods rich in potassium completely, the patient can alternatively remove the potassium by soaking the vegetables in water. The ions will then seep out, after which he can then cook and eat the vegetables. This method is called ‘potassium leaching’.

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Can Too Much Protein Exacerbate Kidney Problems?

Are you wishing you could reverse your kidney disease? Wishing you could improve your kidney function? Well I'm here to tell you that you can both improve the function of your kidneys and yes, even reverse the effects of your kidney disease. There are many little known natural health solutions to the problem of kidney disease. With the right foods, vitamins, and herbs you can strengthen your kidneys much more than you think. You will also generally feel much better than you could have hoped for. If you're looking for a real solution to kidney problems check out this specially designed program for people with kidney disease.

Can sacrificing a carbohydrate diet for a dominant protein diet harm your kidneys? The answer to this query is a definite 'yes'. As much as hordes of body builders would prefer taking truck-loads of protein with the hope of enhancing their body muscles, research still shows that taking more than the recommended daily amounts of protein can be harmful to your body. In fact, the amount of protein that anyone takes should not account for more than 30% of the daily calorie intake. Let's look at the relationship between protein and kidney problems.

Ketones And Kidney Problems

To start with, ingesting more than the required amounts of protein can lead to the accumulation of toxic ketones in the body. Ketones are harmful protein wastes that give the kidney nephrons (filtering units) a hard time. The situation is even made worse when an unhealthy kidney is involved in the process. Subsequent build up of protein wastes in the blood stream will gradually deteriorate the kidney, and in the long run it will lead to chronic stages of kidney problems.

Reduce Protein Intake To Slow Down The Degeneration Of The Kidney

Different studies show that patients with renal failure can slow down the degeneration process of their kidneys by cutting down their protein intake. These studies were conducted on patients with kidney problems, and those that were subjected to high protein diets registered fatal kidney problems as opposed to their counterparts. Consequently, as the kidney struggles to get rid of the protein waste in the body, the patient is likely to lose significant amounts of water which can in turn subject the patient to dehydration.

Prolonging Renal Function

Some of the most effective ways to prolong the functioning of the kidneys, is to control the blood pressure and the amount of ingested proteins in the diet. For diabetic patients, the attention is shifted to controlling the amount of blood sugar. In both cases, controlling the amounts of consumed proteins will relieve the kidney from processing too many proteins. Those with kidney disease should aim for no more than 20 to 50 grams a day (depending on the stage of kidney disease).

Quality Proteins For Patients With Kidney Problems

You are advised to take chicken, fish, eggs or soy products. Similarly, some protein foods are known to contain high levels of phosphorus, and such foods are not recommended to patients with kidney problems. Such foods include dried beans, yoghurt, cheese and nuts.

To conclude, patients experiencing kidney problems are advised to adopt healthy eating habits by incorporating all nutrients in their diet. They should remember to always take limited amounts of protein foods, as well as adequate calories to prevent weight loss and break down of body muscles.

Please consult with a naturopath or nutritionist to get a dietary plan.

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Types of Kidney Tests

Kidney tests are carried out to determine how well the kidneys are functioning. This is vital in averting possible kidney failure and also gauging how well a treatment is working if a person has already been diagnosed with kidney disease.

Kidneys tests also help detect what is responsible for causing damage to the kidney in addition to helping know when to a commence treatment. It is important to note that kidneys tests can be done by the use of urine or blood samples.

Listed Below Are Various Types Of Kidney Tests

Creatinine Clearance

A creatinine clearance test is used to establish the kidneys degree of function. Creatinine is a by-product of muscle. The amount of creatinine in the urine is what determines how well the kidney is functioning.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

Another test carried out to find how well the kidneys are functioning is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). A special substance known as a tracer is injected into the body through the vein. After the injection is done, follow up tests which may include blood imaging to establish how quickly the tracer passes through the kidneys and the time it takes to exit the body are carried out.

Urinalysis

A urinalysis tallies the total number of red blood cells and white blood cells present in the urine. It also tests for proteins levels, sugar and bacteria in the urine.

Blood Urea Nitrogen Test

A blood urea nitrogen test helped determine the level of nitrogen in the blood and urine. High levels of nitrogen could be an indication that the kidneys are not function well enough to eliminate urea from the blood.

Computed Axial Tomography (CAT)

The computed axial tomography scan uses x-rays to give pictures of the body in crosswise slices. A computed axial scan can detect presence of kidney stones cysts, blockage and any other solid mass.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

A magnetic resonance imaging scan exposes the body to strong magnetic fields to create images based on the molecular composition of the kidneys. Magnetic resonance imaging scans produce images that have finer details than computed axial tomography scan but cannot be conducted on individuals who have metal devices such as pace makers or defibrillators in the body. This is because the scan involves exposing the patient to a strong magnetic field.

One of the major functions of the kidney is to filter blood and remove waste products from the body. The inability of the kidneys to perform this function could be an indication of kidney failure. A regular visit to a doctor for kidney tests is advisable.

Searching for other ways to lower Creatinine levels, improve kidney function, and safeguard your kidneys from further damage? Kidney disease can come as a complete surprise. You are just living your life and one day seemingly all at once you learn you have a major problem with your kidneys that must be dealt with. While kidney disease is a great burden know that there are solutions and you can heal your kidneys and even restore them to their original health. Hopefully this information will help you come to a better understanding of the other options you have outside of dialysis and transplant.