Kidney patients are constrained to some restrictions in their diet because of the inability of the renal to filter waste from the blood. It is the role of the kidneys to eliminate toxins and waste (leftovers after digestion) from the blood. But when the filters of the kidney get damaged, those leftovers stay inside only, making an individual sick. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the health of the kidney with proper medications and a renal diet so as not to burden the kidney. A kidney-friendly will allow the kidney to stay functionally healthy. What makes a renal diet? A renal diet is a way of letting kidneys work properly without burdening them. It means limiting certain food, fruits, and drinks in your daily eating regimen so that fluids do not get build up in the blood while simultaneously making sure that you get the required amount of nutrients, such as carbs, vitamins, minerals, and protein in the diet. DASH is the dietary approach to prevent kidney disease and hypertension. A DASH diet is a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, low-sodium, and sugar. Basics of a healthy diet Track down your intake of the following nutrients: • Protein • Potassium • Sodium • Phosphorus Make sure that your diet has sufficient of these nutrients in your meal. Track down the nutritional label of each food or product you buy from the market. This will allow the kidneys to work with full efficiency. Protein As you know, the body needs protein to grow, heal, and stay healthy. But consuming too much protein can be troublesome for kidney patients as it may lead to proteinuria. Proteins are hard to digest by the kidneys hence; your renal dietician may advise taking a low-protein diet when your kidneys are not working sufficiently well. But the reverse is the case when you are on dialysis, your protein intake has to be increased at that time. Some low-protein foods are: • Bread • Vegetables • Fruits • Pasta and rice • Bread • Rice • Oats • Barley • Avocados • Olive oil • Asparagus • Berries or grapefruits High-protein foods: • Red meat • Poultry • Fish • Eggs • Legumes • Nuts like walnuts or almonds Potassium Potassium is needed for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. But excess of potassium in the body causes mineral disposition in the blood makes it toxin for carrying oxygen to other parts. When kidneys fail, they can no longer sieve excess potassium, leading to accumulation of them. Hence, it is necessary to limit milk and milk products and substitute them for low-fat dairy products or non-dairy products and avoid salt. High potassium food that should be avoided • Avocados • Prune juice • Papaya • Mangos • Kiwi • Tomatoes • Sweet potatoes • Ice cream • Chocolate Sodium Sodium is found in all food in the form of artificial salt to let the food item preserved. Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and may worsen the health of the kidney if you are already a kidney patient. In order to limit sodium, you should avoid food products like: • Canned food • Salt • Regular canned vegetables • Hot dogs • Canned soup • Tomato sauce • Snack food Phosphorus Damaged kidneys allow phosphorus deposition in the blood. Too much phosphorus can pull calcium from the bones, making them weak. Phosphorus buildup in the blood also causes dry or patchy skin, a symptom of CKD. TO prevent phosphorus accumulation, you should avoid: • Egg yolks • Beans • Bran cereals • Processed meats • Cola or soft drinks • Lemonade If you want ayurvedic kidney disease treatment and a renal diet plan to improve the function of the kidney, connect with Karma Ayurveda Hospital, we are a team of dieticians, led by Doctor Puneet Kidney Specialist. Apart from a renal diet, ayurvedic medicines also play an important role in improving the health of the kidney. Ayurvedic medicines are prepared with herbal extracts of Kaasni, Punarnava, Shirish, Varunadhi Vati, Gokshuradi Guggulu, and a couple of other herbs.