Mr. Zhang is a retired teacher in his sixties, and after retirement, he lives a leisurely life, walking in the park every day, raising flowers and vegetables.
However, just a few months ago, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure.
As a doctor, I saw Mr. Zhang.
After a detailed understanding, it was discovered that there were some misunderstandings in his diet, which were one of the reasons for the aggravation of his condition.
Mr. Zhang is particularly fond of eating water spinach and must eat it several times a week.
He believes that water spinach is light, diuretic, and good for the body.
But in fact, water spinach is not ideal for patients with kidney failure.
Water spinach is rich in oxalic acid, which is easy to form calcium oxalate crystals in the body, increasing the burden on the kidneys.
Not only water spinach, but also several other vegetables, which should be eaten with caution by patients with kidney failure:
1. Spinach
Spinach is considered by many to be a "healthy vegetable," but it's just as rich in oxalic acid.
Oxalic acid binds to calcium in the body and is prone to the formation of stones, which is even worse for patients who already have kidney problems.
Mr. Zhang also often eats spinach in his diet, which invisibly aggravates his condition.
What he didn't know was that spinach juice was very high in oxalic acid, which binds to calcium in his kidneys;
Calcium oxalate crystals were formed, which further impaired his kidney function.
2. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in potassium, and for patients with renal insufficiency, excessive potassium intake can lead to hyperkalemia, which can be even life-threatening in severe cases.
Mr. Zhang likes to drink tomato juice, but he doesn't know that this inadvertently increases the potassium level in his body.
Hyperkalemia is a major concern for patients with kidney failure, and excessive potassium ions accumulate in the body, which can lead to arrhythmias and even cardiac arrest.
Mr. Zhang drinks a glass of tomato juice every morning, thinking that it will improve his immunity, but he does not know that this habit may pose a fatal threat to his heart.
3. Legumes and vegetables
Although legumes and vegetables such as peas and green beans are high in protein, excessive protein intake in patients with kidney failure will increase the burden on the kidneys.
Mr. Cheung loves to eat legumes and vegetables, thinking that protein supplementation is good for his body, but in fact it puts extra stress on his kidneys.
At a family dinner, Mr. Zhang personally cooked a dish of fried shrimp with peas.
But in fact, excessive protein intake increases the production of metabolic waste products, which the kidneys are unable to effectively excrete, leading to further deterioration of kidney function.
4. Kale
Cabbage is high in sodium, and for patients with kidney failure, sodium intake needs to be strictly controlled.
A diet high in sodium can lead to sodium and water retention in the body, which can increase the burden on the kidneys.
Mr. Zhang's diet often includes cabbage, which invisibly increases the burden on his kidneys.
Mr. Zhang's wife used to add a lot of salt to her cooking because she felt it would enhance the flavor of the dishes.
And Mr. Zhang has a soft spot for cabbage, and often eats a large plate.
This high-sodium diet prevented his kidneys from excreting excess sodium and water effectively, leading to worsening symptoms of edema and high blood pressure.
5. Chinese cabbage
Although cabbage is rich in nutrients, it is also high in potassium and oxalic acid.
Mr. Zhang often eats cabbage in his diet and fails to realize the impact on kidney function.
In winter, Mr. Zhang's dining table is always indispensable for cabbage stew.
He thinks it's a good way to get a boost of nutrition, but he ignores the high potassium and oxalic acid components in cabbage.
Long-term consumption of these foods prevents the kidneys from excreting excess potassium ions normally, resulting in an increase in potassium levels in the body, further aggravating the condition.
Doctor's reminder: dietary precautions for patients with kidney failure
As doctors, we need to remind the majority of patients with kidney failure that dietary management plays a vital role in disease control.
Here are a few suggestions that we hope will help those in need:
1. Control potassium and sodium intake
Patients with kidney failure should choose low-potassium, low-sodium vegetables and foods, and avoid high-potassium and high-sodium diets.
High-potassium foods such as bananas, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. should be reduced in moderation.
High-sodium foods such as pickles, pickles, and processed foods should also be strictly limited.
At our suggestion, Mr. Cheung reduced his intake of tomatoes and cabbage and switched to low-potassium and low-sodium vegetables, such as winter melon and cucumber.
2. Limit foods that are high in oxalic acid
Foods high in oxalic acid, such as spinach and water spinach, are prone to stone formation and should be avoided as much as possible.
After learning this information, Mr. Zhang no longer drank spinach juice;
Instead, choose some vegetables that are lower in oxalic acid, such as carrots, green peppers, etc.
3. Consume protein in moderation
Patients with kidney failure should avoid excessive protein intake to avoid increasing the burden on the kidneys.
It is advisable to choose high-quality proteins such as fish, eggs, lean meat, etc., but the intake should be moderate.
Mr. Zhang reduced the intake of legumes and vegetables and switched to eating fish and meat in moderation every day, which not only supplemented protein but did not increase the burden on his kidneys.
4. Drink plenty of water
Maintain adequate water intake to help detoxify the kidneys;
However, it is necessary to control the amount of water you drink according to your doctor's advice to avoid excessive water and edema.
Under our guidance, Mr. Zhang divided his water intake into dividing water according to the daily water intake, which not only maintained the water balance in the body, but also avoided the risk of excessive water.
5. Check it up regularly
Patients with renal failure should have regular renal function tests to keep abreast of changes in their condition and adjust their diet and treatment plan.
Mr. Zhang comes to the hospital every three months for check-ups, and based on the results of the examination, we will adjust his diet and medication regimen in a timely manner.