Diet and Kidney Cysts

Although there's no cure for polycystic kidney disease yet, what you eat can have a real effect on how fast the condition progresses.This is why a kidney support diet or "renal diet" is generally considered the best natural treatment for polycystic kidney disease.In fact, you may be able to delay kidney dialysis until your late fifties or even avoid it completely.Eating right before you show symptoms is the most effective way to use diet to slow the progression of PKD.

Protein

If you develop symptoms of kidney failure due to polycystic kidney disease, your doctor may advise you to eat less protein.Too much protein can make your kidneys work too hard, according to Drugs.com.Eating less protein slows down progressive loss of kidney function and also prevents accumulation of toxic substances in the body.When your kidneys are impaired by enlarged cysts, they are unable to remove protein by-products from the body, which leads to accumulation of toxic substances.Examples of protein-rich foods include meat, fish, eggs, chicken, turkey, milk, yogurt, cheese and cream..

Give Soy a Try

In general, eating less protein can help your kidneys, but there's one protein you may want to get a little more of.The results of a study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology in 1999 showed that dietary soy protein can slow the progression of PKD in rats.Rats fed soy as their main protein source had lower kidney weights and fewer cysts compared to those fed casein.Keep in mind, though, that you'll be better off with traditional fermented soy products like tofu, miso, and tempeh.Non-fermented soy products like soy milk and soy-based protein bars have been shown to cause health problems of their own.

Low-Sodium Diet

Your kidneys help remove excess fluid from the body.When kidney cysts disrupt this function, fluid builds up in the body, leading to high blood pressure and swelling.Sodium is an essential mineral that helps maintain fluid balance by retaining fluid.A low-sodium diet is necessary when kidney cysts cause symptoms of kidney failure.If you eat high-sodium foods when your kidneys are not working properly, your body retains more fluid, which worsens your high blood pressure.You should avoid high sodium foods such as canned foods, table salt, seafood and cured meat.

Steer Clear of Foods High in Oxalic Acid

If you have PKD, oxalic acid is something you'll want to avoid.( Kidney, Urologic, and Blood Diseases , National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases).Oxalic acid is a chemical compound found in certain vegetables.When you're trying to avoid putting extra strain on your kidneys, though, it's best to stay away from foods that contain higher amounts of oxalic acid.Some major sources are spinach, rhubarb, beets, eggplants, and cocoa.So, you have a good excuse to avoid eating your spinach, but you really should cut back on chocolate, too.

Low-Fat and High-Fiber Diet


Keeping your body healthy helps prevent complications of polycystic kidney disease.MayoClinic.com recommends that you eat a low-fat and high-fiber diet to help lower high blood pressure, which can damage your kidneys.Your diet should contain plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.If you are overweight, you should lose weight because excess weight can cause high blood pressure.
http://www.pkdclinic.org/kidney-cyst