Patient's question:
What age group is most prone to kidney disease?Doctor's answer:
The causes of kidney disease are diverse, including factors such as the six pathogenic factors (wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and summer heat), the seven emotions, diet, overexertion, sexual overindulgence, drug toxicity, and accidental injuries, among various internal and external factors. Moreover, during the onset and progression of the disease, the etiological factors and their pathological products often interact and mutually influence each other. For instance, the pathological products at one stage may become the causative factors for the next stage, leading to the development of the disease. Various pathogenic factors that disrupt the function of the viscera, resulting in the generation of internal qi (such as internal wind, internal cold, internal dampness, internal dryness, and internal heat), as well as blood stasis and blockage, often serve as contributing factors for the exacerbation and progression of kidney disease.Guidance for Diet in Patients with Kidney Disease:
1. Eat a light diet, avoiding alcohol and spicy foods. Consume less greasy and animal protein-rich foods (such as fatty meat, shrimp, and crabs).
2. Avoid beans and their products (such as tofu, bean sprouts, and bean flour).
3. For patients with edema, hypertension, or heart failure, a low-salt or salt-free diet should be followed.
4. Patients with impaired renal function or uremia need to pay special attention:
① Avoid beans and their products, and consume nuts (such as walnuts, chestnuts, and almonds) and preserved foods (such as pickled vegetables) in moderation.
② The intake of high-protein foods (such as lean meat, milk, and eggs) should be controlled. Based on the individual condition of the patient, an adult typically consumes about 2-3 ounces daily, divided into 3-5 meals.
③ Due to limited renal water excretion capacity in the end stage of renal failure, water intake must be controlled. It is recommended to calculate the daily fluid intake using the formula: fluid intake = total urine output the previous day + 500-800 milliliters.
④ To enhance the excretion of creatinine and urea nitrogen, it is essential to maintain smooth urination and defecation. Bowel movements should be more frequent (e.g., twice or three times a day) rather than infrequent (e.g., once every two or three days). Watermelon, winter melon, and cucumber are diuretic. Red bean soup, black bean soup, and mung bean soup, when sweetened, are cooling and diuretic. Honey, bananas, pears, radishes, walnut meat, and black sesame seeds can promote bowel movement. These foods can be used in conjunction with medication and used regularly.