Living a Healthy Lifestyle with Nephrotic Syndrome
If you are diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, then you need to follow treatment and make necessary lifestyle changes to prevent complications and keep your kidneys healthy. This condition occurs when the kidney is damaged and releases too much protein in the urine. Your diet plays a crucial role in keeping your kidney healthy and doesn’t make your condition worse. Learn what lifestyle changes you should make when living with nephrotic syndrome in this article. If you want to know more about urological health, visit us at Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center and consult with the best nephrologists and urologists in East New York.
Tips for living with nephrotic syndrome
When it comes to managing nephrotic syndrome, the main changes need to be made in the diet. You need to work with a dietitian to create a meal plan that includes foods that you can enjoy while maintaining your kidney health. It includes:
- Choose foods that contain less salt and sodium:
This is important to manage your blood pressure and reduce swelling in your hands and legs. You should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. To reduce sodium from your diet, you can follow these steps:
- Often use fresh food instead of packaged foods. Be aware that sodium is a part of many prepared or packaged foods that you buy from supermarkets or restaurants.
- Cook your meal at home, rather than buying it from the market, restaurants, or street vendors. This is because prepared foods like fast foods, frozen foods, or canned foods are higher in sodium. That’s why you need to prepare your food on your own to manage how much salt you should add.
- Instead of using salt, use spices, herbs, and sodium-free seasonings.
- If you buy packaged food, make sure you check its sodium level at the back of the packet. If the value is higher than 20% or more, it means the food is high in sodium. If you want to eat frozen foods just try lower-sodium versions or other convenience foods.
- If you buy canned vegetables, beans, meats, and fish, make sure you rinse them with water before eating.
- Eat the right amount and right types of protein:
Protein is required to protect your kidneys. When the body uses protein it produces waste, which is filtered by the kidneys, this ensures the kidneys work harder and properly. Additionally, protein is required to maintain overall health, muscle maintenance, and the immune system. Make sure you consume protein in small portions. You can either consume protein from plant-based or animal-based foods or both. You can ask your dietitian how much protein you should consume in a day to keep your kidneys healthy.
- Add heart-healthy foods to your diet:
Heart-healthy foods are low in calories, high in protein, and help to decrease sodium and phosphorus which helps to maintain kidney health and avoid fat build-up in your blood vessels, heart, and kidneys.
- Instead of eating fatty foods such as deep-fried foods, eat grilled, baked, roasted, or stir-fried versions.
- Use a small amount of olive oil, instead of butter or use nonstick cooking spray to cook food.
- Trim fat from meat and remove skin from poultry before eating.
- Try to limit saturated and trans fats.
You can include these heart-healthy foods in your diet:
- Poultry without the skin
- Fish
- Beans
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Add foods and drinks that contain less phosphorus:
When you are living with nephrotic syndrome, consuming too much phosphorus can take calcium from your bones and make your bones thin, weak, and more likely to break. Besides that, it can also cause itchy skin, bone, and joint pain. That’s why you should consume foods that contain less phosphorus. Foods that contain less phosphorus are:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Breads, pasta, rice
- Rice milk
- Corn and rice cereals.
- Light-colored sodas/pop, such as lemon-lime or homemade iced tea.
However, avoid packed foods that contain phosphorus. And sometimes deli meats or fresh meats and poultry have added phosphorus. So, always buy fresh-cut meats without added phosphorus.
Prognosis
The prognosis depends on the underlying cause, the person’s age, the type of kidney damage, and the level of damage. If nephrotic syndrome is caused by a treatable disorder, such as infection, cancer, or medications to treat other conditions, then your symptoms may disappear completely. This condition is more common in children than adults.
If the underlying condition responds to corticosteroids, then, sometimes its progression can be halted, and partially or rarely reversed. When the syndrome is caused by HIV infection, it progresses faster which results in complete kidney failure in 3 to 4 months. Children born with nephrotic syndrome rarely live beyond 1 year, only some may live with dialysis treatments or kidney transplants. When the cause is systemic lupus erythematosus or diabetes mellitus, usually medications help to manage it or decrease the amount of protein in the urine. However, some people don’t respond to medications and develop chronic kidney disease, which can turn into kidney failure in upcoming years.
Questions to ask your doctor
If you suspect nephrotic syndrome, you should ask these questions to your doctor:
- How did I develop nephrotic syndrome?
- What tests do I need to confirm my diagnosis?
- If I don’t have nephrotic syndrome, what other condition might I have?
- What condition or factor caused the nephrotic syndrome?
- Will my nephrotic syndrome go into remission with treatment?
- Will my child’s nephrotic syndrome get better or go away as they get older?
- What medications or treatments would you recommend?
- Do I need to make any changes to my diet?
Living with nephrotic syndrome can be challenging depending on the cause, age, overall health, type of kidney damage, or severity of the damage. However, with proper treatment, diet, and lifestyle changes, you can live a better life even with nephrotic syndrome.
If you need help with nephrotic syndrome, visit our urology clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!!!!
At Doral Health and Wellness Urology Center, our team of urologists will work with you in managing your disease and your quality of life. We also offer services, such as renal and bladder ultrasound. To schedule an appointment, please visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212 or call 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://www.urologistbrooklyn.com/.