Best Diet for Diabetes and Kidney Disease

Having diabetes and a kidney disease is never easy. There are various things that you have to keep in mind while ensuring that neither of the health issues are getting neglected. One of the most important things to take care of is the diet you follow while you are managing these conditions. A diabetic renal diet has to be carefully constructed keeping in mind the specifications of the person and the advice of the doctor and nutritionist. A diabetic renal diet helps your body function to the best of its ability and helps you avoid any other health issues. 

Diabetes Diet

A nutritious diet for people with diabetes resembles a healthy diet for anyone: it includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein, as well as less salt, sugar, and items rich in refined carbohydrates (cookies, crackers, and soda, just to name a few). Your unique carb target is determined by your age, degree of exercise, and any medications you are now taking. Following your meal plan will assist in keeping your blood sugar levels within your goal range, preventing further kidney damage.

Renal Diet

Depending on the stage of renal illness, there are different dietary limitations. For instance, dietary limits for persons with chronic kidney disease in the early stages vary from those for those with end-stage renal disease, or kidney failure. Dialysis patients with end-stage renal failure will also have a range of dietary limitations. Dialysis is a sort of therapy that filters waste and eliminates excess water. Most people with end-stage renal disease will need a kidney-friendly diet to prevent an accumulation of certain chemicals or nutrients in the blood. The kidneys are unable to efficiently eliminate too much salt, potassium, or phosphorus in those with chronic renal disease. They are thus more likely to have increased blood levels of these elements. The kidneys are unable to efficiently eliminate too much salt, potassium, or phosphorus in those with chronic renal disease. They are thus more likely to have increased blood levels of these elements. A renal diet, also known as a kidney-friendly diet, often restricts salt consumption to under 2,300 mg per day as well as potassium and phosphorus intake. There are various diabetic renal diet recipes available online which make following a particular diet much simpler. 

Diabetes & Renal Diet

One of the most significant therapies for diabetes and renal disease is diet. If you've been diagnosed with kidney damage as a consequence of diabetes, you'll need to work with a nutritionist to develop a personalized dietary plan. This approach will assist you in managing your blood glucose levels as well as reducing the quantity of waste and fluid processed by your kidneys. Your dietician will provide you with dietary recommendations that specify how much protein, fat, and carbohydrate you may have each day, as well as how much potassium, phosphorus, and sodium you can consume. Because your diet must be lower in certain minerals, you will restrict or avoid specific items while meal planning.

Portion management is also essential. Discuss with your dietician how to precisely measure a serving size. What is considered one serving on a typical diet may be considered three servings on the renal diet. Your doctor and dietitian will also advise you to consume meals and snacks of the same size and calorie/carbohydrate content at certain times of the day to maintain an equal level of blood glucose. It is important to monitor your blood glucose levels on a regular basis and to communicate the findings with your doctor.

Here are a few fruits and vegetables that people with diabetes and renal disease can easily consume:

• Non Dairy creamer, skim or fat-free milk, plain yogurt, sugar-free yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free non dairy frozen desserts. Due to high protein, potassium, or phosphorus levels, portions of dairy products are sometimes restricted to 4 ounces.
• Apples, apple juice, applesauce, apricot halves, berries (strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, and blueberries), low sugar cranberry juice, cherries, fruit cocktail, grapefruit, grapes, grape juice, kumquats, mandarin oranges, pears, pineapple, plums, tangerine, and watermelon. These have natural sugars in them and must be consumed in the mornings.
• Asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, frozen broccoli cuts, green beans, iceberg lettuce, kale, leeks, mustard greens, okra, onions, red and green peppers, radishes, raw spinach (1/2 cup), snow peas, summer squash, turnips.
• Lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish and seafood; eggs, low cholesterol egg substitute; natural cheeses (limited amounts) cottage cheese (limited due to high sodium content)

Bottomline

Having diabetes and a chronic kidney disease (CKD) is no easy task. A diabetic renal diet has to be carefully constructed keeping in mind the specifications of the person and the advice of the doctor and nutritionist. Here's a list of foods that should be avoided if you have kidney problems. The kidneys are unable to efficiently eliminate too much salt, potassium, or phosphorus in those with chronic renal disease. They are thus more likely to have increased blood levels of these elements. A renal diet, also known as a kidney-friendly diet, often restricts salt consumption to under 2,300 mg per day. People with diabetes and renal disease can easily consume fruits and vegetables. Due to high protein, potassium, or phosphorus levels, portions of dairy products are sometimes restricted. It is important to monitor your blood glucose levels on a regular basis and to communicate the findings with your doctor.

FAQs

What foods should you avoid if you have kidney problems?

Here’s a list of the foods that should be avoided if you have kidney problems. 

• Dark colored sodas as they contain phosphorus 
• Avocados
• Canned foods
• Whole wheat bread
• Brown rice
• Bananas 
• Dairy products and processed meats

How do I stop my CKD from progressing?

Controlling or managing chronic kidney disease is not as difficult as it may seem, with a few lifestyle changes and the advice of your doctor, you can manage to keep your condition under check. Here are a few ways that you stop CKD from progressing. 

• Managing blood pressure
• Following a diabetes and kidney disease diet specifically
• Exercising regularly
• Regular visits to the doctor

What is the best exercise for the kidney?

Opt for a continuous action like walking, swimming, biking (indoors or outdoors), skiing, aerobic dance, or any other sport that requires you to continually move a lot of muscle. Low-intensity strengthening exercises might be a helpful addition to your regimen.