4. Choose Complex Carbs Over Simple Carbs
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy, and those that occur naturally in fresh foods are filled with fiber to support heart and gut health and keep your blood sugar levels steady. However, simple carbs — such as added sugars in desserts, sweetened beverages, and many packaged foods — can spike blood sugar and increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
As part of an overall healthy diet, you should limit sweets and foods with added sugars. Check food labels closely — added sugars are found in many surprising places, like fruit yogurt, says Maruschak. Healthier carbohydrate choices include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils.
If you have diabetes and are on insulin, you may need to be even more careful about your carbohydrate intake. “It is likely that people will need to count carbohydrates at meal times so they can dose their insulin correctly,” says Maruschak.
5. Limit Saturated Fats and Avoid Trans Fat
Diets that are high in saturated and trans fats increase the risk of heart disease — and what’s bad for your heart is bad for your kidneys. “Heart health and kidney health are interconnected, as the heart constantly pumps blood throughout the body and the kidneys continuously filter the blood in order to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body,” Maruschak says.
The USDA’s dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fats to less than 10 percent of your total daily calories. Main sources include meats, full-fat dairy products, butter, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil, says Maruschak. And try to avoid trans fats, found in baked goods and fried foods. Instead, fill up on heart-healthy unsaturated fats, found in fatty fish, avocados, olives, walnuts, and many types of vegetable oils.
6. Watch Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol harms your kidneys in several ways, explains Maruschak. It’s a waste product that your kidneys have to filter out of your blood — and it makes your kidneys less efficient. It’s dehydrating, which can affect the kidneys’ ability to regulate your body’s water levels. It can affect your liver function, which in turn can impact blood flow to the kidneys and lead to CKD over time. And a high alcohol intake has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to kidney disease.
Maruschak says both men and women should drink no more than one alcoholic beverage per day. That’s 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces (one shot glass) of distilled spirits, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. “It’s always best to speak with your physician about your alcohol intake, as some people should not be consuming any alcohol at all,” she says.
7. Talk to Your Doctor About Whether You Need to Limit Phosphorus and Potassium
Phosphorus and potassium are minerals that your body needs for certain processes. Phosphorus helps build strong bones, while potassium helps regulate your heartbeat and keeps your muscles working properly.
If you have CKD, however, these minerals can build up in your blood, causing problems throughout your body. High levels of phosphorus can pull calcium from your bones, making bones weak and more likely to break, and may cause itchy skin and bone and joint pain. You may need to limit foods high in phosphorus, such as animal protein, dairy, and dark-colored sodas. High levels of potassium (found in certain fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy) can cause heart problems. Your doctor will run blood tests to check your potassium and phosphorus levels. Be sure to ask if you’re not sure whether you need to keep tabs on your intake of these minerals.
8. Work With a Dietitian
Making changes to your diet can be hard. If you’re struggling to stick to a healthy diet, a registered dietitian (RD) can help you to develop a meal plan that’s tailored to your individual needs.
“It can seem overwhelming to manage your diet,” says Maruschak. “An RD can help you to find foods that fit into your specific dietary requirements.”
