Chronic Kidney Disease

Description

Chronic kidney disease, also called chronic kidney failure, involves a gradual loss of kidney function. Your kidneys filter wastes and excess fluids from your blood, which are then removed in your urine. Advanced chronic kidney disease can cause dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes and wastes to build up in your body.

In the early stage of this condition, you might have few signs or symptoms but can only realise it in the advanced stage.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop over time if kidney damage progresses slowly. Loss of kidney function can cause a buildup of fluid or body waste or electrolyte imbalances. Depending on how severe it is, loss of kidney function can result onto the following symptoms:

• nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue and weakness
• Sleep problems
• Urinating increase or decrease
• Decreased mental sharpness
• Muscle cramps
• Swelling of feet and ankles
• Dry, itchy skin
• High blood pressure (hypertension) that’s difficult to control
• Shortness of breath, if fluid builds up in the lungs
• Chest pain, if fluid builds up around the lining of the heart

Signs and symptoms of kidney disease are normally nonspecific and can be due to other illnesses.

Treatments

Chronic kidney disease is incurable, but the treatment can help control the signs and symptoms, reduce complications and slows the progression of the disease. Treatment options differ depending on the cause of the disease, such underlying illnesses.

Lifestyle and Home Treatments:

1. Avoid food with added salt (salty snack, canned vegetables, processed meat and cheese)
2. Low potassium food (apples, cabbage, carrots, green beans, grapes and strawberries)
3. Limit the intake of protein (increase vegetables, fruits and cereal. Decrease lean meat, eggs, milk, cheese and beans)
4. Reduce weight if necessary
5. Limit alcohol consumption
6. Quit smoking
7. Exercise more

Nutrients and supplements:

1. Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12
2. Niacin
3. Vitamin C
4. NAC
5. Kidney tea

Causes

Causes of Chronic Kidney disease include:

Glomerular diseases: glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and HIV nephropathy

Inherited conditions: polycystic kidney disease

Autoimmune conditions: lupus (lupus nephritis)

Severe infections: sepsis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

Other causes: kidney cancer, kidney stones, frequent untreated and/or long-lasting urinary tract infections (UTIs), hydronephrosis, and kidney and urinary tract abnormalities before birth

Chronic kidney disease may be caused by physical, environmental and social factors. Some of the common risk factors include:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Heart disease and/or heart failure
• Obesity
• Over the age of 60
• Family history of CKD or kidney failure
• Personal history of acute kidney injury (AKI)
• Smoking and/or use of tobacco products

Underlying Emotions

Some common emotions that may be associated with chronic kidney disease include:

Kidney stores a great deal of anger and resentment. You often feel very upset due to old abandonment and rejection trauma which impacts on how you process and handle new situations. A person will use resentment to fight challenges. This makes you feel helpless and powerless to bring about new change in your life. You may develop bad traits such as substance abuse, attracting people who are not good for you. You have had enough of toxic environment and people’

The more the person overlooks and ignore the resentment and anger, the more sluggish and toxic the kidneys become. If you struggle to let go of the negative emotions, your kidney also feels challenged to let go of the toxins. If kidney were to have personality, they would be calm and quiet.

Diet

The purpose of this diet is to keep the levels of electrolytes, minerals, and fluid in your body balanced when you have CKD or are on dialysis.

People on dialysis need this special diet to limit the buildup of waste products in the body. Limiting fluid intake between dialysis treatments is very important because most people on dialysis urinate very little. Without urination, fluid will build up in the body and cause too much fluid in the heart and lungs.

1. Food with less salt and sodium to control blood pressure
2. Limit protein intake by eating small portions to protect kidneys from working hard to remove waste
3. Eating healthy food such as vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, lean meat to prevent fat build up in blood vessels, heart and kidneys
4. Consume food that are low in phosphorus and potassium to protect bones and blood vessels (apples, peaches, green beans, rice milk, grape or cranberry juice)

Remedies