Kidney Damage Is Irreversible! Unhealthy Eating Habits Are Destroying Your Kidneys

Many people know that "uremia" is a very serious and difficult-to-treat disease, but they don't quite understand what "chronic kidney disease" (CKD) is. Uremia is not so "out of reach", it is the outcome of CKD worsening to an advanced stage. And behind CKD, there are some "invisible killers" that we didn't realize are fueling the flames and are slowly destroying our kidneys...

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The news that "the boy drank 3 bottles of Coke a day and suffered from uremia" attracted people's attention. It is said that this young contractor, known as "Brother Coke", usually likes to drink Coke as water, at least two to three bottles a day, and was diagnosed with advanced uremia at the age of 24. Maybe drinking cola is not so terrible, but there is no doubt that drinking a lot of cola for a long time is not good for your health and may cause chronic damage to your kidneys.

alert! Unhealthy eating habits may be destroying your kidneys

CKD is a disease caused by damage to glomeruli and renal tubules caused by different reasons, and its clinical manifestations are proteinuria, hematuria, edema, hypertension, and renal function damage. Among them, proteinuria is one of the most important clinical indicators of kidney diseases such as chronic nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and diabetic nephropathy, and is also a key prognostic factor for CKD. Unhealthy eating habits may be closely related to the key prognostic factors leading to CKD, and it can be said to be the ultimate behind-the-scenes factor in inducing CKD!

Researchers from Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan conducted a retrospective cohort study to explore the relationship between poor dietary habits and the onset of proteinuria, a key prognostic factor in CKD. Relevant research results were published on Nutrients [1].

In this study, the research team surveyed patients over the age of 40 (more than 26,000 people) who underwent annual medical examinations in Kanazawa City between 1998 and 2014. Participants were followed up for an average of 3.4 years, and unhealthy The impact of eating habits on CKD, and unhealthy eating habits are defined as follows:

● Late dinner (going to bed within 2 hours of eating 3 or more times per week);

● skip breakfast 3 or more times a week;

● rapid eating (eating faster than other people of the same age);

● Supper (after dinner 3 or more times a week).

The findings showed that participants who ate a late dinner and skipped breakfast had a significantly higher risk of proteinuria episodes (p=0.016 and p=0.016, respectively). Fast eating and late-night snacking were not associated with an increased risk of proteinuria episodes (p=0.994 and p=0.222, respectively).

It can be seen that unhealthy eating habits can increase the risk of proteinuria. If you continue to eat unhealthily for a long time, the problem of kidney damage caused by it is not as simple as proteinuria!

Kidney damage is irreversible! Causing factors look here

It is worth noting that kidney damage is irreversible! Therefore, understanding the factors that induce kidney damage and taking preventive measures in time is key. Previous studies have pointed out that the main factors that may induce kidney damage are as follows:

1. Obesity: Many epidemiological surveys have found that compared with non-obese people, obese people have a higher proportion of new-onset nephropathy and uremia. Complications caused by obesity will lead to kidney damage, fibrosis, and eventually CKD;

2. High blood pressure: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease among people with high blood pressure is 27.1%. Ischemic damage to glomerulosclerosis, which eventually leads to impaired renal function [2];

3. Hyperlipidemia: Hyperlipidemia is a common complication of CKD patients. Hyperlipidemia can cause renal capillary endothelial damage in patients with a medical history, resulting in increased permeability of blood vessel walls. Persistent hyperlipidemia can promote and aggravate renal failure. Fibrosis process [3].

4. Diabetes: According to statistics, the probability of new-onset proteinuria in patients with type 2 diabetes is 3.1% every year, and the proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with chronic kidney disease in my country can be as high as 64%. In the early stage of diabetic nephropathy, microalbumin appears in the urine, but once it enters the period of massive proteinuria, the speed of progression to end-stage renal disease is about 14 times that of other renal diseases.

In addition to the above factors, high uric acid, smoking, and indiscriminate use of drugs and health products can also induce CKD.

Don't ignore CKD, early detection is the key!

Although the development of CKD is not particularly rapid, an early understanding of disease-related knowledge can prevent and detect CKD early, thereby effectively controlling disease progression and improving clinical symptoms. Clinically, CKD can be divided into early, middle, and late stages, and the manifestations of CKD in different stages are different.

It can be seen that when suffering from CKD, if they are not treated in time, their kidney function will gradually deteriorate, and this damage is irreversible. As time goes by, CKD patients will experience calf edema, elevated blood pressure, fatigue, proteinuria, hematuria, elevated blood urea nitrogen indicators, etc., and their condition will gradually deteriorate, and the ultimate result of deterioration is "uremia".

In addition, in recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the relationship between the etiology of CKD and adverse outcomes. The 2012 Kidney Disease Outcomes Improvement Global Organization (KDIGO) guidelines pointed out that as the stage of albuminuria increases, the risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and acute kidney injury in CKD patients increase accordingly. Therefore, the KDIGO guidelines based on the 2002 National Kidney Foundation's "Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative" guidelines, and two new staging indicators were added: etiology and albuminuria [4].

It can be seen that some diseases related to the kidneys are not "without symptoms". The body may reveal some information, such as abnormal changes in urine volume, unexplained sleepiness, edema in the body, elevated blood pressure, etc. These are some of the symptoms of CKD. Typical symptoms. If this information can be captured in time, it will delay the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life.

To sum up, in daily life, eat healthily, exercise reasonably, have normal work and rest, and maintain a good mood. This can not only avoid the risks of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes but also protect our kidneys. After all, kidney damage is irreversible!

Cistanche is the best herb for kidney disease 

Cistanche is an herbal supplement that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat kidney-related issues for centuries. It is believed to improve kidney function by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation in the kidneys.  Cistanche is also rich in antioxidants which can help protect the kidneys from damage caused by free radicals - unstable molecules that can lead to cell damage and chronic diseases, including kidney disease. Furthermore, cistanche contains glycosides which have been shown to have a protective effect on the kidneys by regulating the immune system and reducing the incidence of kidney damage caused by autoimmunity. Overall, eating cistanche can be beneficial for kidney disease because it has a positive effect on kidney function, reduces inflammation, and protects the kidneys from damage caused by oxidative stress and autoimmunity. However, it's important to note that cistanche should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment prescribed by a healthcare professional.

References:

[1]Tokumaru T , Toyama T , Hara A , et al. Association between Unhealthy Dietary Habits and Proteinuria Onset in a Japanese General Population: A Retrospective Cohort Study[J]. Nutrients, 2020, 12(9):2511.

[2] Zhang Xiaoguang, Wang Niansong. Research progress on risk factors of chronic kidney disease [J]. Journal of Practical Medicine, 2007,23(23):3641-3643;

[3] Wen Jilan, Wang Fengxian, etc. Epidemiological study on chronic kidney disease in urban adults in Youyu County, Shanxi Province [J]. Chinese Journal of Nephrology, 2010, 26(2): 99-104.

[4]Levey AS, de Jong PE, Coresh J, et al. The definition, classification, and prognosis of chronic kidney disease: a KDICO Controversies Conference report[J].Kidney Int.2011.80:17-28.