Chronic kidney disease means your kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood the way they should. It causes damage to your kidneys and happens slowly over a long period. The function of the kidney is to filter waste and extra water out of your blood to produce urine. To maintain your body’s function, the kidneys balance the salts and minerals that circulate in the blood.
Your kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones strong. Obesity is a potent risk factor for developing kidney disease. Aside from hypertension and high blood sugar, obesity has a great impact on the development of chronic kidney disease until the end-stage.
Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Disease
In the early stages of chronic kidney disease, you might have few signs or symptoms. You might not realize that you have kidney disease until the condition is advanced. Symptoms include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite and sleep problems
- Weakness and fatigue
- Reduced mental alertness
- Urinating more or less
- Swelling of the ankles and feet
- Dry and itchy skin
- Hypertension
- Fluid build-ups in the lungs that cause shortness of breath
- Chest pain due to fluid building up around the lining of the heart
Can You Treat Chronic Kidney Disease?
Depending on the cause, some types of kidney disease can be treated. Obesity is a risk factor for chronic kidney disease. Healthy weight and dietary changes can manage the condition. If you have diseases or conditions that increase your risk of kidney disease, work with your doctor to control them. Ask your doctor about tests to look for signs of kidney damage.
Dialysis and Kidney Transplant
Dialysis is a typical treatment method for end-stage kidney disease. It removes waste products and extra fluid from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do this. In hemodialysis, a machine filters waste and excess fluids from your blood. Another option is a kidney transplant. It involves a surgical method of placing a healthy kidney from a donor into your body. Transplanted kidneys can come from deceased or living donors.
Managing Chronic Kidney Disease
In treating chronic kidney disease, your doctor may recommend treating the causes and risk factors including hypertension and diabetes. For obesity-related conditions, take the first step of lifestyle change before it’s too late. If you need to lose weight, talk with your doctor about strategies for healthy weight loss to avoid compromising your overall wellness. You can also manage your condition through the HCG diet.
Habits that Helps You Lose Weight on the HCG Diet
- Avoid skipping your breakfast coffee. You cannot eat solid foods for breakfast on the HCG diet but, this does not mean that you can skip the process.
- Track the foods you eat. Write down your food intake in a journal to help you avoid the food triggers on the HCG diet.
- Add an exercise routine. Opt for light physical workouts to boost your cardiovascular health and metabolism.
- Get into the habit of monitoring your weight. Weigh yourself every day to determine when you reach a stall.
- Get into a habit of eating at home. Avoid processed foods during the HCG diet because they interfere with the HCG.