The Best Polycystic Kidney Disease Diet to Improve Kidney Function
Polycystic kidney disease, or PKD, can cause serious harm to your kidneys and can lead to permanent kidney failure if you do not take care of it. If you have polycystic kidney disease, you need to pay special attention to your diet in order to keep your kidneys healthy and working properly and prevent further kidney damage. Keep reading for the best polycystic kidney disease diet that will help improve your kidney function and keep your kidneys from getting worse!
Why a kidney-friendly diet is important
A kidney-friendly diet can help improve kidney function and reduce the risk of further kidney damage by focusing on eating a healthy, balanced diet. The best kidney-friendly diet includes lean protein sources like lean beef, poultry, eggs and fish, plenty of produce (including leafy greens) and whole grains. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. It’s also important not to drink too many fluids with meals because this can dilute your stomach acids, which are needed for proper digestion.
What to eat
A polycystic kidney disease diet should be high in protein and low in carbohydrate. It is important that you consume enough protein because it will help with the removal of waste material from your body. Protein can also keep your blood pressure levels at a healthy level, which is important for people with PKD. A diet rich in carbohydrates can cause an increase in uric acid, which is something you want to avoid if you have polycystic kidney disease. The following are some Foods that are good sources of protein:
-Eggs
-Lean Beef
-Turkey Breast
-Pork Tenderloin
-Chicken Breast
Some foods that are considered healthy and low in carbohydrates include: berries, lean meat, oatmeal and whole grain breads.
What to avoid
- Stay away from high-fat foods.
- Avoid processed foods with a lot of sodium, sugar, or preservatives.
- Drink plenty of water to help your kidneys flush out toxins and waste products.
- Limit alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men (if you’re a woman).
- VMake sure you have enough protein in your diet, since the kidneys need amino acids and protein to function properly. Animal protein is the best source of protein, but it may be hard for those with PKD to digest at first so start slowly by adding small amounts of meat into your diet until you can tolerate it more easily.
Foods to limit
Some foods that should be limited in the diet of a person with PKD are: shellfish, organ meats, and chocolate. Seafood can have high levels of mercury which might worsen kidney health. Organ meats and chocolate are high in purines which can be bad for people with PKD.
Tips for following a kidney-friendly diet
You can’t control your kidney disease, but you can control what you eat. That’s why it’s important to learn about the best polycystic kidney disease diet and start following a diet that will help your kidneys work better and reduce your risk of developing other health problems such as diabetes. Here are some tips for following a kidney-friendly diet:
1) Cut back on salt
2) Avoid red meat
3) Use Herbal Remedies for Polycystic Kidney Disease and spices instead of salt when cooking or eating out
4) Reduce or eliminate added sugars like sugar, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup
5) Limit your intake of animal proteins (e.g., eggs, milk, cheese), which require more processing by the kidneys than plant proteins do.