What Are The Basics of a CKD Diet?

CKD diet stands for chronic kidney disease diet. As the kidney disease progresses, the individual loses the function of one or both of their kidneys. When this is caught or detected in the early stages with the help of proper testing one can take medication and make lifestyle changes such as a CKD Diet that can help.

Early stage kidney disease is defined in medical terms as having moderate damage to the kidneys which hinders the filtering ability of the kidneys. However this does not mean that one will have to undergo dialysis. One will simply have to reduce the amount of waste by making changes in the diet and also preserving the remaining function of the kidneys. People who suffer from this problem need to have a special CKD diet to maintain good health and reduce the stress on the kidneys. By taking the stress off of the kidneys one can postpone kidney failure and even gain back function.

Protein consumption has to be restricted for the people with this problem. Urea is a byproduct of the protein breakdown done by the liver. The kidneys then take this urea and create urine for the excretion of these waste products from the body of an individual. Hence when you consume less amounts of protein in a ckd diet, the workload on the kidneys will decrease and it will be able to function without any pressure. Consuming protein that are easy on the kidney to process is a good solution for people with this kidney problem.

Protein also causes more acid build up in the body. This extra acid makes the kidneys job much more harder to do. This is another reason why certain protein foods should be avoided and reduced with kidney disease.

Phosphorus is the next mineral whose consumption has to be controlled on a ckd diet. This mineral works with calcium to increase the health of your bones. When the function of the kidney becomes worse, the buildup of phosphorus in the body can lead to skin itching and bones losing calcium. This will make the bones brittle, weak and break easier.

Limiting the consumption of phosphorus is therefore helpful for anyone with chronic kidney disease. Consuming high amounts of calcium in meals helps in the reduction of the phosphorus content and thereby reduces the chances of developing kidney associated bone problems. Extra calcium in the diet helps bind to to extra phosphorus so it can be safely excreted out of the body.

Electrolytes help in the contraction of muscles and also for maintaining the fluid balance in the cells. Excess amount of electrolytes can lead to heart problems in ckd. Potassium is one mineral which acts as an electrolyte along with the sodium in the helping of proper muscle contractions and heart rhythm. Based on the lab values, the potassium and the sodium intake can be adjusted. In a ckd diet one will be able to make the consumption of these minerals in the right amount that will help the overall health of the kidneys. Reducing the intake of processed foods will help to lower the consumption of sodium. This will help to keep your kidneys in good condition.

Healthy Kidney Publishing
http://www.healidneydisease.com