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| 7 Foods to Avoid That Negatively Affect Your Kidneys |
Filtering and excreting waste products in the bloodstream
We put our kidneys through a lot,
both knowingly and unknowingly, via diet, medications, and environmental
toxins. The result can be a struggle with kidney cancer, stones, polycystic
kidney disease or even kidney failure.
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| Healthy Kidneys |
Some stresses on our kidneys can’t
be helped, and because they are designed to handle toxins, we can trust that
our kidneys are tough. But any organ can become overburdened and sustain
damage.
Keeping your kidneys healthy and
functioning, then, is essential for detoxifying your body and removing wastes.
Unfortunately, many foods can harm your kidneys and keep them from functioning
at optimal levels. You might be surprised to know how many foods can
damage the kidneys, even seemingly healthy ones. Make sure you’re not overdoing
it on any of the following 7 foods. Certain
foods put a lot of stress on these bean-shaped organs and should be eaten
moderately to avoid developing kidney infection.
7. Nuts
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| Nuts - kidney infection |
If you are prone to kidney
stones, nuts are not a good snack. They contain a category of mineral called
oxalates, which are found in the most common type of kidney stone. If you’ve
had stones in the past, skip the nuts all together.
For healthy people, it’s important
to be aware of your intake of oxalate-containing foods, such as spinach, beets,
potato chips, French fries, and bran flakes.
Some of these items, including nuts,
can be very healthy additions to your diet. But as with all things, balance is
key. Choose a variety of greens rather than just spinach, and eat nuts only in
moderation.
6. Avocados
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| Avocados - Kidne Damaged |
Not avocados! These creamy and
delicious green fruits are what taught us that eating fat is okay.
However, avocados also
come with a high dose of potassium,
which controls fluids, electrolyte balance, and pH level. Kidneys rely on the
right balance of potassium and sodium to do their job properly; too much of
either spells
Hyperkalemia is
the name for having too much potassium in the blood, and this happens in people
with advanced kidney disease. It often causes nausea, weakness, numbness, and
slow heart rate.
Luckily, you needn’t worry too much
about avocados or potassium if you don’t have pre-existing kidney disease. Most
of us don’t get enough potassium in our daily diets anyway.
5. Caffeine
This is a rough one if you rely on
your morning cup of coffee or
tea to get going each day. Soda and energy drinks are similarly dangerous if
you already have issues with your kidneys. Studies show that long-term caffeine consumption can
worsen chronic kidney disease and may increase the risk of kidney stones.
Caffeine is a mild diuretic, which
affects the kidneys’ ability to absorb water. In reasonable amounts, this
shouldn’t stop your kidneys from accessing enough water to do their job, but in
excess it can be a problem.
Caffeine also stimulates blood flow
and thereby increases blood pressure. Again, not a problem if you have normal
blood pressure, but something to watch if your pressure is high.
4. Dairy Products
Dairy products, including milk,
cheese, and yogurt, are loaded with calcium and increase the level of
calcium in your urine. This has been linked with a higher risk
of kidney stones.
For people who already have kidney
disease, reducing consumption of dairy has been found to make the filtering
work done by kidneys easier on them. This can delay the need for dialysis.
Butter is a dairy product high in
saturated fat, which ups the risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, heart
disease is a major risk factor for kidney disease, and kidney disease presents
similar risks to the heart.
Switch to olive oil flavored with
your favorite herbs for topping bread and dressing vegetables to reduce your
reliance on butter.
3. Salt
Sodium works in combination with
potassium to maintain the fluid balance in your body, which is crucial
to proper functioning
Too much sodium causes the kidneys
to retain water in order to dilute the salt in your bloodstream, which places
an undue burden on them.
A long-term salt habit raises blood
pressure and can actually damage the kidneys’ nephrons
2. Meat
Meat contains a significant amount
of protein. Now, protein is very important to growth processes and the health
of our muscles, but metabolizing it is one of the hardest jobs our kidneys do.
A diet high in animal-based proteins
also increases the risk for kidney stones. For those reasons, a high protein
diet is not recommended for
people with kidney disease.
Meat, especially organ meat like
liver, also has a high concentration of purine. Purine stimulates the
production of uric acid, a waste product that is normally processed out by the
kidneys. Too much is overwhelming and can cause stones.
1. Artificial Sweeteners
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| Artificial Sweeteners - Kidney Damage |
If you are relying on artificial
sweeteners in an effort to reduce your sugar consumption, you aren’t actually
doing your body any favors. While opinions are mixed on the overall safety of
these sugar substitutes, we know that just two diet sodas per day will cause a
decline in kidney function.
Some studies have concluded that
people who use artificial sweeteners in their beverages don’t actually
take in less sugar
Stevia is a natural herbal extract that has been used in
South America for hundreds of years with no reported adverse effects.
Each of the foods and food additives
on our list are best eaten in moderation because of the load they put on your
kidneys.
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| Natural Herbal |
Most are not necessarily dangerous
if you have healthy kidney function
And because the kidneys play such a vital role in
detoxifying the body, it makes good sense to take care of them while you can.
According to the National
Institutes of Health, the organs filter more than 200 quarts of
blood each day, filtering around 2 quarts of waste products! From the kidney,
waste products and water filter to the bladder, and you release it as urine. Your kidneys will keep you happy
by avoiding the top certain foods.
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