What food should be avoided during nephrotic syndrome?

What is nephrotic syndrome? 

Nephrotic syndrome can be explained as a  group of symptoms that collectively indicate that the kidneys are not functioning properly. 

Human kidneys are made up of about a million of filtering units known as nephrons. Each nephron comprises a filter, called the glomerulus and a tubule. The glomerulus filters human blood, and the tubule is responsible for retaining needed substances in the blood and removing wastes and extra water, which forms urine. 

 

What are the symptoms of nephrotic syndrome?

 

A person may not know that they are suffering from nephrotic syndrome until they get their routine blood and urine tests checked. Signs of nephrotic syndrome that one may notice are-

 

●     Fatigue

●     Weight gain

●     Foamy urine

●     Not feeling hungry

●     Swelling in face, hands and feet

 

What are the causes of nephrotic syndrome?

 

Nephrotic syndrome is a condition that generally occurs when the glomeruli get damaged and fail to filter a person’s blood properly. The damaged blood vessels allow protein to leak into the urine. Human body holds on to the extra fluid without albumin. This causes severe swelling in hands, feet, ankles and face.

 

Primary causes

 

If only the kidneys get affected then they are the primary causes of nephrotic syndrome. These include:

 

●   Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: In this condition the glomeruli gets scarred from a disease, a genetic effect or an unknown cause.

 

●   Membranous nephropathy:  This disease causes thickening of the membranes of the glomeruli. It is nor clear what causes this thickening, but it may occur along with Hepatitis B, lupus, malaria or cancer.

 

●   Minimal change disease: In this disease a person’s kidney tissue looks normal, when looked under a microscope. But it doesn’t filter waste properly, for some unknown reasons.

 

●   Renal vein thrombosis: This disorder causes blood to drain out of the kidney. This is mainly because a vein gets blocked by a blood clot. 

 

Secondary causes

 

The secondary causes can cause nephrotic syndrome to affect the whole body. Such diseases may include-

 

●   Diabetes: In this disease uncontrolled blood sugar can damage blood vessels all over the body, including the kidneys.

 

●   Lupus: It is an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation to joints, kidneys and other organs.

 

●   Amyloidosis: This condition is caused by a buildup of the protein amyloid in our organs. It is a rare condition. It can build up in our kidneys and can possibly lead to kidney damage.

 

 

How is nephrotic syndrome diagnosed?

 

In order to diagnose nephrotic syndrome, the doctor will first see the medical history of the patient. The patient may also be asked about their symptoms, previous medications, or any underlying health conditions.

 

Several different tests may be used to help diagnose nephrotic syndrome. These include-

 

●   Urine tests: A sample of urine is to be provided by the patient. This may be used to determine the levels of protein in their urine.

 

●   Blood tests: In these tests, a sample of  the patient’s blood is taken for study. This sample of blood may help to understand the overall kidney function, cholesterol levels of the patient and blood levels of albumin.

 

●   Ultrasound: An ultrasound helps to create a clear image of the kidneys by use of sound waves. The doctor can use these images to evaluate the structure of the kidneys.

 

●   Biopsy:   A small sample of kidney tissue is collected in this procedure. This sample is sent to a lab for further testing to get into the root of the problem.

 

 

Are there any complications of nephrotic syndrome?

 

The loss of proteins from a person’s blood and further damage to their kidneys can lead to a variety of complications. They include-

 

●     Blood clots

●     High cholesterol

●     Malnutrition

●     Anemia

●     High blood pressure

●     Chronic key disease

●     Chronic kidney disease

●     Acute kidney disease

 

 

Treatment for nephrotic syndrome

 

The treatment for nephrotic syndrome is a process that basically  includes addressing the underlying cause. It is then necessary to take steps to reduce high blood pressure, high cholesterol, edema and the risks of infection.

 

The medications that help lower blood pressure can also help slow down the pace of nephrotic syndrome. 

 

What food should be avoided during nephrotic syndrome? 

 

People suffering from nephrotic syndrome should avoid certain food items. It is because this condition causes the kidneys to be sensitive. They should ensure that they are not consuming food items  that may further increase the damage.

 

 Food that should be avoided during nephrotic syndrome are-

 

●     Processed cheese

●     Canned meats

●     Pickled vegetables

●     Salted bread

●     Salted potato chips

●     Popcorn and nuts

●     Frozen food items

●     High-sodium meats like ham, bacon and sausages 

 

Ayurveda treatment for nephrotic syndrome

 

Nephrotic syndrome can be cured through Ayurveda. Ayurveda originated in India, and is a globally popular concept today for its proven results. Ayurveda not just helps overcome symptoms of a disease but also caters to other factors such as conditions of mind, body and soul.

 

Ayurveda treatment involves a healthy diet plan, a fitness plan that includes moderate exercising. The simple techniques used by ayurveda helps in quick recovery and maintain cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

 

Ayurvedic treatment for nephrotic syndrome also makes it the ideal treatment alternative as it has no side effects on the body.  It is affordable and result-oriented.