Play Vitaflo 's Food Smash Game and learn about the foods you should avoid the foods you should aim to incorporate. I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Search by Tags. I'm busy working on my blog posts. Watch this space! © 2023 by Going Places. Proudly created with Wix.com. The National Kidney Foundation is the leading organization in the U.S. Dedicated to the awareness, prevention and treatment of kidney disease for hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals, millions of patients and their families, and tens of millions of Americans at risk.

1. Renal Nutrition Education
2. Renal Nutrition Supplement Drink
3. Renal Nutrition Therapy

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Your kidneys are natural filters, removing harmful waste material from your bloodstream and balancing your body’s fluids. In most people, a healthful, balanced diet will keep the kidneys working smoothly. Medical conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, however, may compromise your kidneys’ health and require you to make dietary changes. Identifying foods and beverages that contribute to optimal kidney health may boost their function, but be sure to ask your doctor or dietitian about the best regimen for your specific needs.

Fluids for Kidney Function

You may think drinking extra fluids is a no-brainer for increasing kidney function, but more isn’t always better. The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) advises you to drink just enough fluids to keep your urine either light yellow or colorless. A standard recommendation is 13 cups daily for men and 9 for women. Although that sounds like a lot, it includes both healthy fluids like filtered water and low-fat milk and also the water found naturally in fruits and vegetables. If you already have kidney disease, your doctor will advise you to drink much less so you don’t overwhelm your kidneys.

Cranberry juice has a decades-long association with kidney health, especially in preventing urinary tract infections, but a review of studies in 2012 found little evidence for its actual effectiveness. The NKF simply suggests drinking water to prevent the accumulation of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections.

Fruits and Vegetables in the Diet

An overall healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables is a smart choice for keeping your kidneys in topnotch shape. Fresh produce is not only high in water content, but it also contains powerful nutrients like vitamin C and flavonoids that support the health of all your organs, including the kidneys. If your doctor advises a low-potassium diet for your kidney health, focus on fruits and veggies that are significantly lower in this mineral. Your best veggie options include:

• Cabbage
  
• Cauliflower
  
• Red peppers
  
• Celery
  
• Asparagus
  
• Cucumber
  
• Eggplant
  

Avoid seasoning your vegetable dishes with salt and salt substitutes, and opt instead for dried or fresh herbs, chopped garlic or onion and a splash of olive oil.

Among fresh fruits, you have a lot of delicious low-potassium options, including:

• Berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries
  
• Peaches
  
• Grapes
  
• Apples
  
• Watermelon
  

Stick to recommended serving sizes, though, because too much of any low-potassium food can end up having a lot of potassium.

Dietary Changes for Increasing Kidney Function

A dietitian may propose other modifications to your diet to increase your kidneys’ function, like reducing your overall protein intake from meats and other animal foods. Because kidney disease is often related to high blood pressure, you may also need to monitor your sodium intake, eschewing canned or frozen foods in favor of fresh, and avoiding processed meats like bacon and sausage.

Suggested dietary changes for kidney disease may involve limiting foods high in the mineral phosphorus, like cheese, milk and yogurt; and protein foods like oysters, sardines and liver. Consult your health-care provider for a kidney-smart dietary plan that works for you.

About the Author

Paula Martinac is a nutrition educator, writer and coach. She holds a Master's of Science in Health and Nutrition Education and is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. Her areas of research interest include stress, weight management and women's health.

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The National Kidney Foundation, Inc. (NKF) is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City with over 30 local offices across the country. Its mission is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

Renal Nutrition Education

Activities[edit]

The organization's activities focus on awareness, prevention and treatment. Initiatives include public and professional education, kidney health screenings, research, and patient services.

The National Kidney Foundation publishes a number of scientific journals including the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease and the Journal of Renal Nutrition. The NKF also publishes the Kidney Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative KDOQI, a comprehensive set of clinical practice guidelines.

The NKF has been a vocal advocate for increasing all forms of kidney transplantation. It has published a position statement against allowing monetary compensation for kidney donations.^[1] Some have accused it of trying to stifle public discussion on this subject.^[2]

The National Kidney Foundation annually conducts the Spring Clinical Meetings as its premier educational conference.^[3] It has over 20 years of experience providing continuing education to the kidney healthcare community. The Spring Clinical Meetings have educated over 55,000 professionals, delivered over 2,500 interactive sessions, and offered over 3,200 hours of continuing education credits.

Renal Nutrition Supplement Drink

On World Kidney Day, the foundation sponsors KEEP Healthy screenings around the United States.^[4][5] NKF holds hundreds of kidney-health screenings throughout the year to identify individuals who are at risk for chronic kidney disease.^[6]

Renal Nutrition Therapy

The National Kidney Foundation does not, nor have they ever, had a program that provides access to dialysis machines in exchange for pull tabs on beverage cans.^[7] This rumor has existed since at least the 1970s, however, the Foundation themselves have denied this, noting that 80 percent of the cost of dialysis in the United States is usually covered by Medicare.^[8]

Fundraising[edit]

To raise funds for its programs, the National Kidney Foundation organizes a national car-donation program called Kidney Cars,^[9] run via Insurance Auto Auctions and their One Car One Difference auto donation program, Kidney Walks in major US cities, and the NKF Golf Classic which culminates in a tournament at Pebble Beach.^[10][11]Danny Mason, late golf coach at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and a transplant recipient, played in three tournaments.^[12]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Position Statements'. The National Kidney Foundation. Retrieved 2016-01-04.
2. ^Postrel, Virginia (June 2, 2006). 'The National Kidney Foundation vs. Open Debate and Increasing Kidney Donations'. Retrieved 2006-06-03.
3. ^Spring Clinical Meetings
4. ^KEEP Healthy
5. ^'Dear Abby'. 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
6. ^'KEEP Health Care'. 2012-03-01. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
7. ^Mikkelson, Barbara (24 March 2012). 'Keeping Tabs'. Snopes. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
8. ^'NKF Dispels Pull Tabs for Dialysis Time Rumor'. National Kidney Foundation. 1 June 1998. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 30 March 2014.Cite uses deprecated parameter deadurl= (help)
9. ^Kidney Cars
10. ^Kidney Walks
11. ^NKF Golf Classic
12. ^'The Vehicle Donation Processing Center Proudly Announces its 800,000th Car Donation'. IAAI. Retrieved 4 November 2013.

External links[edit]