August 2021

PROTECT YOUR KIDNEYS

More than 1 in 7 U.S. adults have damage that keeps these crucial organs from doing their job.  But these dietary tweaks can help keep your kidneys going strong.

For all the hard work they do filtering out waste, regulating blood pressure, converting vitamin D to its usable form, your kidneys might not get the love they deserve.  An estimated 37 million Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that prevents the organs from functioning properly and can lead to heart disease, stroke, and early death.  And 9 in 10 affected people don’t know they have it.  (Your doctor can test to check your status.)  Diabetes, high blood pressure and age all increase your risk for CKD.  But there are some simple ways to lower your odds of the disease or slow its progression.  Here, 4 smart habits to adopt.

Consider Meatless Mondays.  The average American consumes almost twice the amount of protein they need each day, and most of it comes from meat.  Why that can be a problem: When your body digests protein, byproducts are created that need to be filtered out of the blood and eliminated by the kidneys.  This process can stress already compromised kidneys.  But there is evidence that eating too much protein can also harm healthy kidneys.  Those individuals who ate the most meat, particularly red and processed meat, have a 23% higher risk of CKD than those who eat the least.  If you’re a big meat eater (or consume a lot of protein in general) cut back on a daily serving or two. 

Rough Up Your Diet.  When your gut metabolizes fiber, it creates beneficial compounds that improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation, two factors important for kidney health.  This process also reduces the production of toxins that are damaging to kidneys.  In fact, for every 5 grams of fiber people eat (the amount in 1/3 cup of black beans or about a half-cup of raspberries) their risk of developing CKD drops by 11%.

Stop the Pop.  Every additional weekly serving of sweetened beverages like soda and fruit drinks (not 100% juice) is linked with a nearly 20% increase in risk of developing CKD.  Excess sugar and other sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup increase your blood glucose level and can eventually damage the blood vessels in your kidneys.  Plus, many sugary drinks, particularly colas, contain high amounts of the mineral phosphorus, which has also been associated with kidney damage. If you need a little sweetness in your glass, try water with some sliced fresh fruit.

Pass on the Salt Please.  Please who consume the most salt (about 4500 mg/day or nearly twice the AHA recommendation) had a 30% increase in developing impaired kidney function.  The average American consumes 3400 mg/day.  Excess salt intake may damage the kidneys in several ways, including raising blood pressure in the kidneys and taxing the nephrons, microscopic structures that filter your blood, remove waste and control fluid concentration.  Over time, this can damage how the nephrons function.  So read food labels and watch your overall sodium intake, especially when it comes to processed items like store-bought bread, soups and deli meats.  They’re the most common culprit in high-salt diets.

Julie Stewart