Kidneys are a vital organ in the human body. Fluid and waste are removed from the body by the two kidneys. They also have several other important functions. They rid the body of pollutants and drugs, regulate chemicals and water in the body and release hormones into the body. These hormones help the body make red blood cells and regulate blood pressure.

Chronic kidney disease is a condition wherein the kidneys stop working properly because of some sort of damage. They stop filtering the blood and other sicknesses can develop. Eventually, they may shut down totally leaving only the options of dialysis or transplants. Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed only if the kidney disorder has continued for three months or more.

Most of the time chronic kidney disease is caused by one of two things: high blood pressure or diabetes. When sugar levels are too high, as in diabetes, organs including the kidneys can be damaged. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is caused by too much pressure on the blood vessels. This causes difficulty with the kidneys. On the other hand, chronic kidney disease can also cause hypertension.

A few of the common symptoms of chronic kidney disease are swollen feet and ankles, fatigue, the need to urinate more frequently and trouble sleeping at night. Usually at the onset, there are very little warning signs but symptoms increase in severity and frequency as the malady worsens.

Early detection is key to managing chronic kidney disease. Physicians use three tests to diagnosis this disease, blood pressure, serum creatinine and urine albumin. If it is diagnosed early on it may be controlled by diet and other small changes in health habits. If managed correctly treatments such as dialysis can be avoided or at least delayed.

There are two kinds of dialysis available to treat chronic kidney disease and there is also a kidney transplant that is an option. Dialysis basically does the work of the kidneys, allowing the blood to be filtered through and cleansed. One kind of dialysis uses a machine which runs the blood through a filter to strip out impurities and excess fluids. Another kind uses a membrane found in the abdomen as a filter to cleanse the blood.

If dialysis is not an option and there is a matching kidney donor, a transplant may be an option. Usually the original kidneys are left in place and a working kidney is implanted. The kidney donation may be from a living donor or a cadaver with matching blood and tissue types.

Talk to your doctor if you suspect you have or are likely to get chronic kidney disease. The earlier it is diagnosed the easier it is to manage.

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There are certain foods that should be limited if you have chronic kidney disease. There are also some foods you want to include in your diet that may help curve symptoms and possibly avoid dialysis. If you are already on dialysis, follow the eating plan provided by your physician. Before beginning any kind of kidney disease diet always check with your health care professional.

It can be a tricky process deciding what and how to eat properly with kidney disease. There are several types of foods that need to be eliminated or limited. However, you will also need to consume enough calories to keep up a decent energy level and stay healthy. A good healthy weight needs to be maintained as well. You do not want to lose too much weight as this will put you at a risk for other diseases or health issues.

Please remember to discuss your diet plans thoroughly with your health care professional. Also it would be advantageous to sit and talk with a nutritionist or dietitian to help plan healthy options while observing the kidney disease diet.

As a general rule, those suffering with chronic kidney disease need to limit their intake of the minerals potassium and phosphorus. Sodium and as well as protein will need to be consumed at lower levels and you’ll want to monitor how much liquids you ingest.

About 5 to 7 ounces a day of high protein foods can be eaten. Protein is a tricky one as you will need enough to have energy and fight off disease; but too much can stress the kidneys. Being knowledgeable about how much protein different foods contain will help monitor it more closely.

Sodium retention can cause problems for a lot of people. If the kidneys are already in distress it will be difficult for them to keep up with too much salt in the body. They will have to work harder to get rid of excess sodium. Limiting sodium has other benefits as well, such as helping fight against fluid retention which is a common problem with kidney disease.

Another item to monitor closely when observing a kidney disease diet is fluid intake. Talk with your physician or dietician to determine what amount of liquids is needed in a day. Careful monitoring will help you keep at the recommended amounts of fluids.

Always check with your doctor before making any major changes to dieting habits or plans. Read labels closely to be familiar with included ingredients. Eating a healthy kidney disease diet can help avoid dialysis or further kidney damage.

Learn more about kidney disease symptoms. Stop by www.chronickidneydiseasesymptoms.com where you can find out all about kidney disease treatment and what it can do for you.