How to Manage Chronic Kidney Disease

One needs to understand how to manage chronic kidney disease to prevent the disastrous effects of complete renal failure and the inability to filter bodily waste from the body. No cure exists for chronic kidney disease, but its management will ensure a better quality of life. A reported 20 million Americans suffer with it, but proper diet choices, regular exercise and certain behavior modifications lead to proper management of chronic kidney disease. 

1. Maintain good blood pressure levels by taking prescribed medications as required. Limit the use of salt in your diet as the sodium in salt raises blood pressure. Well-maintained blood pressure most significantly affects the management of chronic kidney disease.


2. Manage the level of blood sugars in the blood. Doing this will significantly slow the progress of chronic kidney disease.


3. Know the elements of healthy eating and regular exercise. Frequent exercise helps keep the body healthy but it also fights the depression and stress kidney disease patients experience. Daily attention paid to these things will regulate both blood sugars and blood pressure in the body. As previously mentioned, this result will in turn provide good management of chronic kidney disease.


4. Avoid excessive consumption of foods rich in potassium. Damaged kidneys process potassium with difficulty. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, figs, potatoes, raisins and soybeans to name a few.


5. Avoid smoking altogether, and know the adverse effect of smoking on kidney disease. The toxins released in tobacco smoke progressively damage the kidney’s small blood vessels and that accelerates the chromic condition of the kidneys.


6. Avoid consumption of anti-inflammatory substances such as naproxen and ibuprofen. These adversely affect the function and the blood flow of the kidneys.


7. Monitor your blood levels of lipids in the body by avoiding foods that contain high levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol. High lipid levels aggravate the progression of chronic kidney disease.


8. Watch your intake of high levels of proteins. While consuming protein provides important cell growth and development, excessive consumption of protein puts an added strain on damaged kidneys.


9. Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations, and live your life to the fullest while managing chronic kidney disease.