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"Shiitake mushrooms are the 'bane' of uremia? Doctor's advice: If you don't want kidney failure, stay away from 4 kinds of vegetarian food. - the doctor said on the radio.
On a quiet morning, Lao Wang was cleaning up at home, waving a broom while listening to a doctor's health program on the radio.
Lao Wang, a retired middle school math teacher, loves to study all kinds of health knowledge, especially about how to keep his kidneys healthy, because his family has a genetic history of kidney disease.
"Today we're going to talk about the harm that some vegetarian diets can cause to the kidneys in certain circumstances," the doctor continued.
Lao Wang stopped the broom in his hand and listened carefully to every word in the program. As a health enthusiast, he knows that this type of information can have a significant impact on his health and that of his family.
The doctor first mentioned shiitake mushrooms. Lao Wang frowned, he has a lot of shiitake mushrooms at home, which are often used to make soup.
"Shiitake mushrooms are good, but they can be a big problem for people with kidney insufficiency," the doctor said.
Shiitake mushrooms are rich in potassium, and people with kidney disease are often unable to effectively eliminate potassium ions from the body, resulting in an increase in blood potassium, which can lead to a range of health problems, including arrhythmias and muscle weakness. ”
Hearing this, Lao Wang couldn't help but worry. His friend Lao Li was hospitalized with kidney disease.
Lao Li used to be a vegetarian and especially liked to eat shiitake mushrooms and other mushroom vegetables. They all think that eating a vegetarian diet is healthier than eating meat, but they didn't expect that there is such a huge risk hidden behind this.
The doctor continued: "The second vegetarian diet to watch out for is spinach. Spinach contains a large amount of oxalic acid, which combines with calcium in the body to form calcium oxalate crystals, increasing the risk of kidney stones.
Especially those who already have a history of kidney stones should avoid high intake of spinach. ”
Lao Wang thought of the spinach egg soup he often made at home, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. He has always believed that spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals and is good for the body, but he didn't expect that there would be such hidden dangers.
"The third type of food to watch out for is legumes." The doctor's words once again caught Wang's attention.
"Legumes are rich in plant protein and are a good choice for people with normal kidney function, but for people with kidney disease, a high-protein diet can increase the burden on the kidneys and accelerate the deterioration of kidney function." Lao Wang was completely surprised this time.
Tofu, soy milk and other soy products are often placed on the dining table at home. Lao Wang used to think that these foods were not only healthy but also economical, but he did not expect that they could cause such a big burden on his kidneys. ”
Finally, the doctor mentioned a less common vegetarian diet - konjac. "Konjac is rich in soluble dietary fiber, and although it is good for gastrointestinal health, for patients with renal insufficiency, excessive dietary fiber can cause indigestion and increase the burden on the kidneys," the doctor said. ”
After hearing this, Lao Wang took a deep breath and felt that his concept of health had been greatly impacted.
He quickly picked up his mobile phone and called his wife, telling her to stop buying shiitake mushrooms and spinach, and telling her to pay attention to the intake of beans and konjac.
Just as Lao Wang was pondering, the doctor mentioned a case on the show: "There was once a patient, Lao Zhang, in his fifties, who had high blood potassium levels due to long-term consumption of a large amount of shiitake mushrooms and legumes, which eventually led to acute kidney failure.
After a series of treatments and dietary adjustments, Lao Zhang's condition has improved, but his kidney function has deteriorated greatly from before. ”
This case made Lao Wang feel palpitations. He decided to go to the hospital for a full check-up to make sure there was nothing wrong with his kidneys.
The doctor also mentioned that some research data suggest that long-term high-potassium diets are significantly associated with the development of kidney failure, especially in older people, where the risk is higher.
Lao Wang reviewed a large number of literature and found that some research results are related to vegetarian diet and kidney health.
One of the studies noted that in a group of patients with renal insufficiency, people who consumed a high-potassium diet were more likely to develop kidney failure than those who consumed a low-potassium diet. Another study showed a positive correlation between the formation of calcium oxalate stones and high spinach intake.
In addition, although the plant protein in legumes is beneficial, excessive intake may lead to a decrease in glomerular filtration and increase the burden on the kidneys.
Although the dietary fiber in konjac is beneficial to intestinal health, for patients with renal insufficiency, it will increase the burden on the kidneys, leading to dual problems in the digestive system and kidneys.
Lao Wang decided to adjust his eating habits and reduce the intake of high-potassium, high-oxalic acid and high-protein foods. He also suggested that Lao Li also make corresponding changes to avoid the deterioration of his condition.
At this moment, Lao Wang's grandson Xiao Ming came home from school and saw his grandfather reading a health book, and couldn't help asking, "Grandpa, what are you looking at?" ”
Lao Wang smiled and said, "Grandpa is studying how to make our kidneys healthier. Do you know? Some foods that we usually think are healthy are actually bad for the kidneys. ”
Xiao Ming asked curiously, "Grandpa, then can't I eat these things in the future?" ”
Lao Wang touched his grandson's head and said, "It's not that you can't eat it at all, it's just that you have to eat it in moderation." A healthy diet needs to be balanced, and you can't eat a lot of certain foods just because they are nutritious, especially those that are not good for your kidneys. ”
In the following days, Lao Wang's family adjusted their diet and tried to avoid excessive intake of high-potassium, high-oxalic acid and high-protein foods.
They found that moderate dietary modifications not only benefited their kidney health, but also improved their overall health.
However, the question remains: Are these foods completely harmless to people with normal kidney function? Lao Wang decided to consult the doctor again for a more comprehensive understanding.
The doctor explained that for people with normal kidney function, there is no problem with the moderate intake of these foods, but if there is a history of kidney disease or other kidney function problems, special attention needs to be paid to the choice and combination of diet.
Doctors also recommend that everyone should have regular physical examinations to understand their health status and achieve early detection and early treatment.
So, what can be done to prevent it for those with normal kidney function but a family history of kidney disease?
The answer lies in maintaining a balanced diet, exercising moderately, having regular check-ups, and avoiding excessive intake of foods that are harmful to the kidneys. In addition, attention should also be paid to drinking plenty of water to promote the discharge of metabolic waste products and reduce the burden on the kidneys.
Through Lao Wang's story, people realized that even a seemingly healthy vegetarian diet can have a negative impact on the body in some cases.
For everyone who cares about health, understanding the nutritional content of food and its potential impact on the body, and scientifically arranging the diet is the key to maintaining health.
With the continuous deepening of Wang's health knowledge, his family has gradually developed good living habits.
He hopes that through his own efforts, he can not only keep himself and his family healthy, but also influence more people to pay attention to kidney health, eat scientifically, and stay away from diseases.
What are your thoughts on this? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!
Resources
[1] Xu Jinxiong. Risk factors for dialysis pericarditis in patients with uremic hemodialysis, China Medical Innovation, 2024-05-15