Improve your kidney diet in 10 minutes
Hello, this is Katherine, welcome to 00Kidney.
In the next 10 minutes, I’ll help you LOWERING your creatinine levels by making your renal diet both HEALTHIER and EASIER to follow.
I know, this is a bold statement, but as you’ll see it’s SUPPORTED by facts!
Because what I’ll show you in today’s video is based on the findings of a recent Italian study.
And you can be sure you never heard about this before, because… who else speaks Italian around here?
So, this team of Italian researchers and nephrologists made an incredible discovery: people NEVER follow their diets.
Yeah, really groundbreaking, am I right?
But they also found some really interesting ways to make the renal diet of patients both EASIER to follow and MORE effective.
For example, did you know that you can still eat oatmeal for breakfast if you have kidney disease?
And that it would be healthy for your kidneys?
Because there’s no way you can lower your creatinine if your nutritional status is unbalanced!
So let’s see how to do this! And if you think this info is useful, share it with anyone you know who may benefit from an healthier renal diet!
Number 5
Eat 5-6 servings of fruit and vegetables daily.
A very easy tip to start with. But it works. It can help you lowering your creatinine levels.
Basically, you have 3 meals in a day and you’re going to eat 5 or 6 servings of fruit and vegetables.
A standard serving is about half cup or 75 grams of your preferred fruit or vegetables or one cup of raw salad or leafy greens.
We are talking about almost 1 pound or half kilogram of fresh, fruit and vegetables here, right?
This is what I’m going to eat today, for example.
Yes, this is how I eat too. I don’t have kidney disease, but it runs in my family and that’s already a risk factor, you know?…
So, I choose to eat healthy. And you should do it too, alright?
What you see here is a little bit more than 6 servings but it’s just greens, so no need to be too restrictive here.
Yes, you can do this too, if we’re talking about greens low in potassium and phosphorus.
If you don’t know what fruit and vegetables to choose,
I’ve made several videos about this very topic, there’s a good playlist up here.
So, what I usually do is to wash all this fruit and veggies in the morning, and then I start all my meals with a fruit or veggie until I eat all this.
Obviously, the foods we are going to choose are rich in healthy, good antioxidants and phytochemicals that your body will use to fight kidney disease.
Why is it important to eat all this fruit and veggies before the meals?
Researchers found out that having the patients starting with knowing what to eat instead of what to avoid, was the best way to have them following the diet.
Greens are also going to help us controlling the body’s glucose levels, very important, and not just for diabetic patients.
And, most diet rich in vegetables will provide high anti-inflammatory levels, to fight the symptoms of kidney disease.
It’s no wonder that healthy greens are considered the corner stone of any respectable diet plan!
Now, before I’ll show you our kidney health tip number 4, there’s a giveaway going on here on 00kidney!
It’s all about the good habits to improve your kidney health. There’s the mug, it says I’m eating FRESH for my kidneys and there’s the t-shirt! Looks nice, doesn’t it?
To enter the contest, just follow the link in description and let me know in comment if you’re participating! The winner will be announced next Friday! So good luck!
Back to the kidney health tips!
Number 4,
yes, you can eat oatmeal
Recent study demonstrated that kidney disease patients can actually eat oatmeal and many other whole grains.
I won’t go too in dept, but as usual I’m linking the source in description, ok?
What the researchers are saying, and I’m quoting here, is:
“We suggest that the role of whole grains in the diet of patients with renal disease should be reconsidered.
The bioavailability of phosphate from whole grains is low, despite their high phosphate content.”
What this means is that, while is it true that oatmeal and other whole grains contain high amounts of phosphorus, your body in not going to absorb all of it!
Just half, according to the papers.
And what about oatmeal? This classic breakfast staple has been considered dangerous for kidney patients for years.
Now it’s time to start rethinking it too!
So, let’s talk numbers. One cup, or 234 grams of oats, cooked, contains 180mg of phosphorus.
Which is a bit high. But you’re going to absorb just 90mg, which is really low for a whole grain healthy like oats!
This is especially true for unprocessed oatmeal. The less refined, the better.
Regular, old-fashioned oats, are the best.
So, next time someone tells you to avoid oatmeal, show them this study and tell them to update their knowledge!
Ok, OUR NUMBER 3 alone can lower your creatinine!
And it’s a very easy rule to follow.
Tip number 3 Do not use table salt during cooking or at the table.
Excess of sodium in the diet means hypertension, one of the main causes of kidney disease.
While avoiding salt at all costs should be a no-brainer for kidney patients, researches have shown that when the dietary regimen becomes too complicated, patients ditch the diet altogether.
And this is devastating for your kidney health, I’ve seen it in person.
What the study I’m talking you about today proves, is that a simple diet, that people actually follow, is a lot better than a complex one that you start to cheat-on the next week after you start it.
This was proven. People on complex protocols were a lot more prone to just stop following the diet.
So, in any case, always remember that just avoiding to add table salt during cooking and at the table is already better than no diet at all.
If you have kidney disease and if you want to improve your kidney health, the single most important thing you can do is to eat right.
And everyone who has seen improvements in their creatinine levels can tell you this: your kidney can only improve when you nourish them.
Because food can be medicine but can also be poison.
Number 2, here’s another simple rule to make your diet more kidney friendly:
Meat, fish, or eggs are allowed in a reasonable quantity.
So, once in a day, you can eat a reasonable quantity of a high quality protein source, like meat, fish, eggs or poultry.
What is a reasonable quantity?
Most patients are having better results the lower the protein, so don’t exceed one portion per day.
One portion is about the size of a deck of cards.
For patients in the advanced stage, eating just half portion a day of these high protein foods is recommended.
Eating high quality protein only is as important as the quantity.
So, what are the best sources of high quality protein?
- fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring
- lean cuts of meat
- poultry
- eggs
- tofu
I’ve listed fatty fish as first choice because they’re rich in omega 3, which is full of benefits for the health of your kidneys.
Omega 3 reduce inflammation, blood glucose levels, cardiovascular risk and improve bone density.
And eggs can actually help you lowering your cholesterol. Watch this video up here if you don’t believe me!
And be careful with your protein choice!
Talking about protein choice, the number one point of this method may look a bit restrictive. I know.
But it’s maybe the most important renal diet tip you can use to lower your creatinine levels.
Number 1
Completely avoid processed meats and dairy products
I really, really want to highlight this last tip. All these foods are rich in something you don’t want to put into your body.
Like protein, salt, potassium and phosphorus… these can really mess up your dietary regimen, trust me.
And your kidneys.
Unfortunately, no exceptions can be made here.
Good part is that this rule can make your life easier.
Now, some nutritionists give patients always more complex indications and rules to follow for what to avoid and what to eat in these categories, right?
But, if we want to make our lives easier, it’s a lot better to just avoid junk foods and dairy altogether.
You’ll thank me as soon as your blood analysis will show you an improvement in kidney function!
Now, if you want to know more about how to lower your creatinine, this video up here is for you.
In this other video, the story of a man who was able to completely reverse kidney disease.
This is all for today, thank you for watching.
About the Author
Michaelw Hi, my name is Michael and in this blog I'm gonna share the story of how I got off kidney dialysis for good. Getting off dialysis isn't easy at all, and that's why I'm trying to help people as much as I can.
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