As you age, your vulnerability to kidney disease increases. Kidney-related problems diminish your quality of life and can turn fatal without medical intervention. The good news is a healthy diet can lower the likelihood of getting kidney disease. We provide and recommend diets for the elderly getting assisted living services at Inspired Living. Kenner, LA, senior residents under our care get comprehensive care, including nutrition guidelines, to minimize the risk of kidney disease. Our specialty, as assisted living caregivers, is in memory care. Kenner senior residents get quality and compassionate care around the clock. We value health. Therefore, we endeavor to enrich our seniors’ diets with nutritious meals to sustain their well-being. Our recommended nutrition guide for preventing kidney disease includes:
Reduce Salt Intake
Aging diminishes kidney function. Kidney filters, called nephrons, may not be effective in filtering salts. Several nephrons also stop working because of age. The first characteristic of the renal diet is low salts because of the condition of the kidney. Taking in more salts overworks the kidney and leaves the elderly adult vulnerable to developing kidney stones and water retention in the lower extremities, heart, and lungs. A low-salt diet has minimal sodium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Keep salt levels low in your meals by:
- Resisting the urge to add salt to your meal
- Avoiding frozen meals
- Avoiding meals preserved in solutions
- Removing cruciferous vegetables rich in potassium like collards, spinach, and swiss chard
- Keeping the salt serving under 300mg
- Avoiding dried beans, soft drinks, or beer because they are rich in potassium
- Eliminating high potassium sources like bananas and watermelon
Reduce Your Protein Intake
A high-protein diet is unhealthy for seniors because their kidneys’ performance is below optimum. Increased protein intake worsens the kidneys’ condition. Protein dilates the afferent arteriole, interfering with the first step of urine production. The afferent arteriole controls blood pressure that enables the nephrons to push the filtrate out of the capillaries and into slits of the nephrons. The filtrate contains water, urea, vitamins, fatty acids, salts, and glucose. The dilation causes the afferent arteriole to lose its pressure-making ability, interfering with urine production.
Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Diet
Omega-3 fatty acids slow down the rate of kidney decline in the elderly. It also slows down the progression of kidney disease.
The fatty acids:
- Reduce proteins in urine, a condition prevalent in kidney disease.
- Enhance creatine clearance rate – creatine, a muscle waste product that gets cleared out of the body in urine, increases when urine production is low.
- Lowers the risk of end-stage kidney disease
Eat Kidney Friendly Vegetables
Red bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, radishes, apples, and turnips are excellent for seniors at risk or with kidney disease. Add low-potassium fruits like pineapples, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, and red grapes to the diet. Light grains like barley, bulgur, and buckwheat are also good for the kidney because they are low in potassium and phosphorus.
Chose Inspired Living for All-Rounded Memory Care in Kenner, LA
At Inspired Living, we value seniors in our community. Our assisted living service in Kenner goes beyond reducing the burdens of everyday living. We want the elderly to thrive and be healthy. Call us today at (504) 313-6600 or fill out this form for more information about our services.
