Role of Diet in Nephrotic Syndrome. How Pineapple And Blueberries Help in Nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is another kidney disorder. It is a problem where the kidneys are unable to hold proteins present in the blood and these proteins are filtered out in the urine. This excretion of proteins in urine reduces the amount of protein in your blood and affects the way your body balances water.

One must remember that improper diet is never a single cause of nephrotic syndrome. But, yes, it along with other factors can be influencing your progress of disease. Your diet could definitely worsen the symptoms and cause other complications, such as high blood pressure, renal insufficiency, and raise the cholesterol percent in the bloodstream. These symptoms would contribute to nephrotic syndrome.

Complications of nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome can turn complicated if you don’t follow the diet and medicine recommendations. Condition when left untreated, complications might turn uncontrollable, leading to other diseases:

•     blood clotting
•     chronic kidney disease
•     high blood cholesterol
•     high blood pressure
•     high blood triglycerides
•     infection in urine
•     kidney failure
•     malnutrition
•     vitamin D and calcium deficiency
•     weight loss

How diet affects nephrotic syndrome

Diet plays a crucial role in handling and avoiding your kidney damage. You must also note that it is mostly misinterpreted that the protein loss in urine must be compensated with a protein-rich diet. However, a high-protein diet is not recommended for nephrotic syndrome patients. High amounts of protein could be dangerous as it can damage nephrons and cause renal insufficiency. Adequate protein intake is recommended, depending on the condition of your kidneys. Your doctor and a dietitian would help you determine your specific needs.

A low-sodium diet is recommended for nephrotic syndrome. Excess amounts of sodium can cause swelling and hypertension. This disorder can also be associated with hyperlipidemia; reducing your fat intake may prevent cardiovascular disease.

Managing Nephrotic syndrome includes understanding what foods you should and should not eat. There are certain seasonings and condiments containing high salt content. Low-sodium options include ketchups, sauces, herbs and spices, vinegar, lemon juice, and no- or low-sodium seasoning blends are also available in the market. Certain condiments and seasonings that should be avoided include-Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, olives, pickles, and soy sauce, as they can prove harmful to kidneys.

Effect of Pineapple and Blueberries in Nephrotic Syndrome

Pineapple

 

Pineapple is a delicious fruit. It is nutrient packed and low in calories. The nutrients present in pineapple are bound in complex compounds. These nutrient compounds are difficult to break even in some unfavourable conditions. Pineapple is beneficial for us in many ways. It is an incredibly versatile fruit and can be consumed in various ways like baking, roasting, blending, etc. To experience its health benefits, one can incorporate pineapple into one’s weekly diet.  

Also known as Ananas, it is a tropical fruit. This plant has a long life and can live up to 50 years. Originating in South America, it gained popularity worldwide. Different types of pineapple are available worldwide varying in shape, size, colour, and texture.

 Nutritional Value of Pineapple per 100gm

•     Calories – 56.6
•     Carbohydrate – 9.42 grams
•     Fat – 0.16 grams
•     Protein – 0.52 grams
•     Fibre – 3.46 grams
•     Phosphorous – 9 mg
•     Iron – 2.42 mg
•     Choline – 8 mg
•     Magnesium – 33 mg
•     Sodium – 34.7 mg
•     Potassium – 37 mg
•     Selenium – 20mcg
•     Vitamin A – 18 mcg
•     Vitamin C – 39 mg

Oranges, bananas, and kiwis are rich in potassium. Fortunately, pineapple is a comparatively sweet and low-potassium alternative for those with kidney problems. Pineapple is rich in fibre, manganese, vitamin C, and bromelain, an enzyme that helps reduce inflammation.

Similarly, blueberries are a popular berry with rich colour and sweet juicy taste.

Blueberries

Blueberries are good sources of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, and antioxidants. A nearly 100gm serving of blueberries has less than 150 milligrams of potassium, making it a low-potassium fruit choice. Blueberries are found to be low in sodium and phosphorus and thus making them suitable for a kidney friendly diet.

 Nutritional Value of Blueberries per 100gm

•     Calories – 60
•     Carbohydrate – 12 grams
•     Fat – 0.7 grams
•     Protein – 1.2 grams
•     Fibre – 8.4 grams
•     Phosphorous – 29 mg
•     Iron – 0.28 mg
•     Sodium -nil
•     Potassium – 187 mg
•     Vitamin A – 3 mcg
•     Vitamin C – 9.7 mg

They are safe to eat in the following kidney conditions and treatments: CKD/Transplant, Hemodialysis Daily Home and Nocturnal Hemodialysis/Peritoneal Dialysis, Kidney Stones etc. The consumption of any fruit should always be mindful.

Diet tips for Nephrotic Syndrome

Monitoring your diet can be challenging, but it is essential to improve your health and alleviate symptoms of nephrotic syndrome. Following are the few tips to assist you with dietary changes.

Be mindful of protein intake. The recommended and approximate protein intake for nephrotic syndrome patients is 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day. This amount may vary based on the health of the kidneys.

Read the food labels properly and check the sodium content before purchasing the food items. One should try to limit sodium intake to less than 400 milligrams (mg) per meal.

One should limit or avoid using seasonings with high salt content. These seasonings contain higher salt content than herbs and spices. Suppose one has to use any sauce then substitute it with its fresh form or powder.

Prepare meals at home. Pre-cooked or restaurant meals may contain a higher salt content. Opt for low salt foods.

    Use healthy oils such as olive or coconut oil for cooking.

    Remove salt from the dinner table.

Choose fresh fruits and vegetables. If one has to go for canned vegetables, then no added sodium or low sodium foods should be selected.

If you have been suffering from any renal disease, it is usually advised that you speak with a doctor or dietitian who can help you choose your diet. 

Learn about Nephrotic syndrome ayurvedic treatment that can help you.

This Ayurvedic treatment is done to treat Nephrotic syndrome with the use of this natural medicine. There are various foods in Ayurveda that help to heal the problem of Nephrotic syndrome. Our ayurvedic doctor will surely suggest you the best way to get rid of Nephrotic syndrome.

Nephrotic syndrome is a condition that causes high protein levels in the urine. Symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include excessive protein loss from the body, dehydration, raised blood pressure and intracellular pathologies. Nephrotic syndrome is more common in children who are severely ill or malnourished.

The main symptom of nephrotic syndrome is an abnormal accumulation of protein in the blood, called uremic toxins.

Nephrotic syndrome ayurvedic medicine uses herbal medicines to cure patients with Nephrotic syndrome in their body. It is a condition where the body makes too much protein and this can affect kidney function causing damage.

This product is a mix of herbs, which are used for the treatment of the diseases in ayurvedic medicines. It contains Karpagam Chikitsa Maharaja, Pishti, Hari Hara Matra, Ganapati Bhasma, Gavyamadrishtini and others. These are Pitta reducing ingredients that help to get rid of excess phlegm from the body.

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