Chronic Kidney Disease

Every year in the UK, 13,000 people die from problems related to kidney disease. Around 3 million people suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD and people with a family history, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes and certain ethnic groups have a higher risk.

In fact, Black African Caribbeans and South Asian groups are up to 5 times more likely to be at risk of CKD. Additionally, given that people with CKD have an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, it is very important that anyone in a high risk group identifies whether they have CKD.

Causes of CKD

CKD is how any loss of kidney function is described. The causes are many and varied and include:
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Genetic conditions and a family history of kidney disease
• Smoking
• Obesity

As has been seen in this series, there are many things that people with CKD can do to improve their health and help to slow down the progression of the disease. In this issue of ‘Your Health’ we look at some of the common changes people with CKD may need to make to their diet. However, the specific diet required will depend upon each individual, their body size and their kidney function and it is therefore important that advice is sought from a registered dietician. These dieticians can be contacted through the healthcare team.

What Happens to My Body?

If you have kidney disease, your kidneys are not as effective at filtering the unwanted waste products and toxins from you body. It is possible however to help you body to control a build up of waste products by avoiding certain foods.

What Foods Should I Ask my Dietician About?

Healthy eating is a vital part of staying well. Eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones can help to control blood pressure, blood glucose and weight. It is important to remember that your doctor may prescribe supplements or medicines to support your body.

Foods that can cause problems in people with CKD are those that are high in salt (sodium), potassium, phosphorus and calcium. You may also need to keep your levels of protein low.

It is important to keep your salt (or sodium) levels under control to keep your blood pressure under control and to avoid fluid build up. To do this, you can take a few simple actions. Firstly read food labels and avoid anything with salt, sodium or monosodium glutamate (MSG) which is listed early on. Avoid processed food as this often contains a lot of salt and don’t add salt to your food - you can enhance the flavour of food by adding herbs and spices. It is important to know that most salt substitutes contain potassium so ask you doctor or dietician what is best for you. Potassium rich foods include bananas, oranges, avocado, kiwi and tomatoes.

Foods that are high in phosphorus include dairy products (milk, yoghurt, ice cream), nuts, seeds, lentils and beans. Beer, cocoa and cola should be avoided. Phosphorus causes changes in the body that pulls calcium from the bones, leaving the bones vulnerable and calcium deposits in areas of the body such as blood vessels, and lungs.

Anyone with CKD has access through their doctor to a dietician who can provide them with information about the best diet for their particular situation.

The Future

We have seen over the past few weeks that there are many things people with CKD can do to manage the condition. Working with doctors and healthcare professionals and by living a healthy lifestyle, blood pressure, blood glucose and weight can be kept under control, which can in turn help to slow down the progress of the disease.