There was a time when doctors predicted that cricketer Cameron Green, who plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, would not live past the age of 12. That's because he was born with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and suffered from it during the first few years of his life. During his lifetime, he had already progressed to stage II and suffered from severe convulsions and became ill. But then, with a consistent regimen of strict diet and exercise, he became more than just a cricketer, he became an example of how lifestyle changes can stave off a progressive disease over many years. And please let one person live.
Green's mother prepared kidney-friendly meals for him, and although he wasn't a big fan of it, he was grateful for her efforts at the time. If Vani Krishna, a sports nutritionist at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore, is to be believed, a consistent diet plan that doesn't put stress on the kidneys can stave off the damage associated with the disease. “Green says he continues to play professional sports even though his kidneys are only functioning at 60 percent. He can live a normal life for decades, and aside from the initial damage, CKD doesn't necessarily get worse. If left unchecked and without such compliance, you could end up needing dialysis within a few years,” she says.
What is chronic kidney disease?
The kidneys gradually lose their ability to filter waste and excess water from the blood and eliminate it in the urine. “While CKD is irreversible, it can be managed, treated, controlled, and delayed through medication, diet, exercise, and follow-up with a nephrologist. Unless, as in Ms. Green's case, it is a congenital or developmental problem, It is caused by high blood pressure and diabetes,” says Dr Deepak Kumar Chitrali, senior consultant nephrologist and transplant physician at Manipal Hospitals.
What is a kidney-friendly diet?
The aim is to avoid overloading the kidneys, which are left with waste products that cannot be excreted anyway. “You need to be careful about your intake of protein, fat, sodium, potassium, and even water so that the end products do not accumulate in your body. In the initial stages, you should reduce salt and potassium-rich foods. There is not much need for intervention, except at a later stage when the intake needs to be further reduced,” added Dr. Chitrali. Changing your diet can reduce spikes in creatinine levels that indicate kidney disease.
What are dietary standards?
If your condition is between stages 1 to 3 and your creatinine levels have not spiked above 1.4 mg/dL, your protein intake should be 0.8 g/kg of ideal body weight. “The height-to-weight ratio is key here. For example, if you are 160 cm tall and weigh 80 kg instead of 60 kg, your protein allowance is 0.8 g to 60 kg. or multiplied by your ideal body weight.In addition, you should spread your intake over multiple meals rather than cramming it all at once.Aim for 25 to 30 kcal of sodium per 1 kg of your ideal body weight. should be less than 3g per day, phosphorus less than 1000mg per day and potassium less than 3000mg per day,” says Krishna.
In layman's terms, she recommends limiting organ meats, processed meats, and sausages and increasing plant-based protein instead. “We need to limit our intake of sodium, potassium and phosphorus, so we need to limit the use of potatoes, bananas, clustered kidney beans, kidney beans, avocados, drumsticks, spinach, leafy greens, ragi, jowar and bajra. Safe vegetables include gourds, zucchini, cucumbers, and pumpkins, which are rich in fiber. Eat non-citrus fruits,” says Krishna. Carbohydrates should be complex, like whole grains.
To make a low-sodium diet palatable, use spices and seasonings such as garlic, onions, lemon juice, bay leaves, tamarind pulp, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and cumin. However, avoid salt substitutes as they contain high amounts of potassium.
However, if a patient has to undergo dialysis at an advanced stage, the protein requirement is even higher at 1.2 per kg of ideal body weight, which is also spread through the diet, Mishra added.
Can I increase muscle mass?
Green increased muscle mass while minimizing salt and protein, and slightly increased his salt intake during on-field performance. You want lean proteins like whole eggs and skinless chicken or turkey.
“You can increase muscle mass by consuming egg whites, cottage cheese, 100-150 ml of milk, tofu, legumes after infusion (soak the legumes in water and then discard the slurry. Sodium and potassium from 50 to (60% loss). If all else fails, there are oral nutritional supplements that you should take in consultation with your doctor or nutritionist,” says Dr. Chitrali. Stages 4 and 5 of CKD mean reducing water intake to just 1.5 liters per day, plus further reductions to the above acceptable limits.
This diet also has other benefits, such as controlling blood sugar levels and blood pressure.
