To help your kidneys recover, focus on managing underlying conditions like blood pressure and diabetes through a heart-healthy, low-sodium diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, staying hydrated, and taking prescribed medications, while avoiding kidney-harming NSAIDs and supplements unless approved by a doctor. Early diagnosis and management are key to preventing worsening kidney disease, though severe cases may need dialysis or transplant.
Water is the best option, followed by kidney-friendly drinks like lemon water, cranberry juice, herbal teas, and coconut water. Avoid alcohol, sugary beverages, and excessive caffeine.
Lifestyle changes
Symptoms of a kidney infection
pain in your lower back or side. diarrhoea. aching muscles and flu-like symptoms.
Many people with kidney function will recover over time. This could take days, weeks or months. For some people, acute kidney injury can cause death, or it can cause permanent damage and lead to chronic kidney disease.
Canned foods, some frozen foods, and most processed meats contain large amounts of salt. Snack foods such as chips and crackers are also high in salt. Table salt, some seasonings, ketchup, mustard, and certain sauces such as barbecue, soy, and teriyaki sauces are high in sodium.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the top culprits damaging kidneys most, as they harm the delicate filtering blood vessels, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and failure; other major factors include smoking, obesity, dehydration, poor diet (high sugar/salt/red meat), certain medications (NSAIDs), lack of sleep, and genetic conditions. These factors create a cycle where damaged kidneys worsen blood pressure, further damaging them.
Here's a breakdown of the six most common supplements people with CKD may need to support kidney health.
The three key early warning signs of kidney disease are changes in urination (more/less frequent, foamy, blood), persistent fatigue/low energy, and swelling (edema) in your hands, feet, or face, often from fluid buildup. Other signs include itchy skin, poor appetite, and high blood pressure, though symptoms can be subtle until later stages.
Beets and their juices contain Betaine which increases urine acidity, prevents build-up of struvite and calcium phosphate and reduces the chances of kidney stone formation. Other effective cleansing agents are coconut water, cucumber juice and cherries.
Phenolic compounds found in ginger can also provide protection against kidney damage caused by renal ischemia/reperfusion and sepsis. Researches also indicate positive impacts in treating diabetic nephropathy and renal ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Take action to prevent, delay, or manage CKD:
Top 15 Healthy Foods for People with Kidney Disease
You can check kidney function at home using at-home test kits for urine (detecting protein/albumin) or finger-prick blood tests (checking creatinine/eGFR), often with smartphone apps for analysis, or by monitoring symptoms like increased nighttime urination (nocturia), swelling, or changes in urine (blood, foam) and discussing results with a doctor, as home tests screen but don't replace professional diagnosis.
Kidney regeneration may occur through various steps, including cell reconstitution, matrix remodeling, and tissue reorganization. Cell reconstitution involves the proliferation and transdifferentiation of remnant healthy cells, renal progenitor cells, and/or stem cells.
Stay 5: Stay Healthy
For instance, turmeric supplements may increase your risk of kidney stones, especially if this runs in your family. Curcumin supplements contain much higher concentrations of the compound than a person would consume by eating food flavored with the spice or by drinking turmeric tea.
Soda is one of the worst drinks for kidney health. Regular soda is packed with sugar and caffeine. Dark sodas also contain phosphorus additives. These can be harmful to people with kidney problems because they can cause bone and heart issues.
Approximately 1 in 3 adults with diabetes, and 1 in 5 adults with high blood pressure, may have chronic kidney disease. While it's not possible to reverse kidney damage, you can take steps to slow it down.
Eating Processed Foods
A 2022 study found that those who eat a lot of processed foods had a 24% higher risk of kidney disease. These foods are heavily processed and packed with artificial additives, added sugar, refined carbs, unhealthy fats, and sodium, but are low in fiber, protein, and essential nutrients.
How to manage kidney disease by being active
Fruits: berries, grapes, cherries, apples, plums. Veggies: cauliflower, onions, eggplant, turnips. Proteins: lean meats (poultry, fish), eggs, unsalted seafood.
Generally, earlier stages are known as 1 to 3. And as kidney disease progresses, you may notice the following symptoms. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, urinating either too much or too little.