Our kidneys are organs consisting of nephrons located in the lower part of the abdominal cavity and on both sides of the spinal cord, responsible for excreting the metabolic wastes generated in our body. Blood coming to the kidney passes through nephrons. The final filtration site in our body is our kidneys. Nephrons reabsorb nutrients that remain in the blood after absorption but are important to us.
In addition to excreting metabolic wastes, the kidneys also have other functions:
They are responsible for maintaining fluid-electrolyte balance. .
It is an important organ in affecting some hormones.
It strengthens bones by ensuring the use of vitamin D and maintaining calcium-phosphorus balance. It is in charge.
Bone marrow is stimulated and blood production is carried out thanks to the erythropoietin hormone secreted by the kidneys.
It maintains blood pressure balance with the hormones it secretes.
It cleans the blood by removing harmful substances from the blood.
If the kidney cannot perform its filtering function in a healthy way, the urea level in the blood increases and kidney diseases begin to occur. If it is thought that there is a problem in the kidneys, the size of the kidneys is checked, blood tests and urine tests are performed, and treatment is started as a result of these.
NUTRITION IN SOME KIDNEY DISEASES:
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NEPHROTIC SYNDROME: Kidney failure is a disorder caused by the loss of function of nephrons. Diffuse edema, very high proteinuria, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia are some of the symptoms.
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ACUTE GLOMERULO NEPHRITIS: Inflammation in the kidneys. is the formation. The causes of inflammation are bacteria. Decreased urination (Oliguria), blood in the urine (hematuria), edema, inability to urinate (anuria), protein in the urine (proteinuria) are some symptoms of hypertension.
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CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE: It is a completely deteriorated and irreversible kidney disease. If individuals with this disease do not show any improvement despite the diet therapy and other treatment methods, they are connected to a dialysis machine. With this machine it's in their blood Toxic substances are removed from their blood. Necessary adjustments should be made in their nutrition under the supervision of a dietitian while dialysis treatment is being applied.
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ACUTE RENAL FAILURE: As in chronic renal failure, kidney It does not lose all its functions, only a 15-20% loss of function is observed. Some symptoms include bleeding from the mouth (hematemesis), decreased urine flow (oliguria), inability to urinate (anuria), edema, hypertension, heart failure, metabolic acidosis, and absent-mindedness.
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KIDNEY STONE: It can be considered among the causes of kidney failure. It is a common urinary system disorder and is first seen in the 30s. There are medical treatment methods depending on the structure of the stone.
HOW SHOULD NUTRITION BE LIKE IN KIDNEY PATIENTS?
After the consumed foods are processed in metabolism, waste materials are excreted by our kidneys. A person with kidney problems should therefore not be fed in a way that will burden their kidneys. In addition, their nutrition is limited and maximum benefit should be obtained from the foods eaten. Therefore, even the cooking methods of the foods are important. While boiling method is preferred instead of frying, care should be taken to ensure that the foods do not lose their nutritional values during cooking. We always say that nutrition and diet are personal to the individual, and this is also the case for an individual with kidney disease. Nutrition may vary depending on the nutrients a person needs, the condition of the kidney, age, height and weight. Therefore, the information I will give is general information. Determine your diet with your own nutritionists.
<The end product of proteins is urea, creatinine and uric acid. When there is a problem in your kidney, these end products accumulate because they have difficulty in excreting metabolic products. With the accumulation of waste materials, the person may experience weakness, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath. For this reason, protein restriction is applied depending on the type of kidney disease.
Fluid enters our body through water, foods containing water or various beverages. In a healthy person, water is excreted through feces, sweat or urine. In a person with kidney problems, water cannot be urinated and cannot be eliminated from the body. It constantly accumulates in the body. continues to. In such cases, consumption reduction is applied. If there is no decrease in urination, there is no need to reduce water consumption.
Potassium is a salt found in our body that enables our muscles to contract. It is removed from our body through the kidneys. When there is a problem in the kidneys, it cannot be removed and rises in the blood. The person may feel fatigue, weakness in the muscles, and the person's heart may even stop due to excessive increase in potassium in the blood. Spinach, potatoes, carrots, avocados, dates, bananas, melons, apricots, pomegranates, kale and dried fruits are some sources of potassium. If the person is cooking a vegetable dish and is on a potassium-restricted diet, care should be taken not to consume cooking water.
Sodium is responsible for maintaining the water balance of our body. People with kidney disease also have difficulty excreting sodium, and as sodium accumulates, water accumulates in the body. As a result, even heart failure may occur, so salt consumption should be very low or even nonexistent.
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Excess phosphorus is excreted by the kidneys. In other words, phosphorus accumulates in the body of a person with kidney problems, and as a result, complaints such as bone weakness and joint pain may occur. Red meat, chicken meat, milk, yoghurt, cheese, eggs, beans, broad beans, chickpeas and lentils are some sources of phosphorus.
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