What Happens If You Have Excess Proteins in the Kidneys?
By NaDica | Articles
You are here: HomeArticlesWhat Happens If You Have Excess Proteins in the Kidneys?
Apr
10
The protein you consume has amino acids. Your body needs these acids in order to build tissues; this includes hair, bones, nails, and muscles. In addition, the protein helps protect the body from infections, regulates fluid present in the body, and makes hormones.
You should know that your kidneys have many functions, one of them is to get rid of waste products from the blood and leave protein for the body to use. Therefore the excess amount of protein is seen as a danger sign.
This is known as proteinuria. Read on to find out more about excess proteins in the kidneys.
Excess Proteins in the Kidneys- What You Should Know
People who have proteinuria actually have urine which contains an abnormal amount of protein. This is a condition which is seen as a symptom of kidney disease.
The healthy kidneys don’t permit a notable amount of protein to pass through the filters. However, filters which are damaged by kidney disease might allow proteins like albumin leak from the blood in the urine.
Also, proteinuria might occur due to overproduction of proteins. Often, kidney disease has no early signs. As a matter of fact, one of its early symptoms might be proteinuria which is usually discovered thanks to a urine test during a routine physical exam.
Next, a blood test is done to check the working on the kidneys.
Signs of Proteinuria
You should know that most people don’t suspect of having kidney disease until they test their urine. Potential indicators are swelling of the face, hands, feet, and abdomen and also foamy urine.
The presence of protein in the urine impacts the ability of the body to balance fluids, and it leads to a build-up of fluids, known by the name edema.
Risk Factors for Proteinuria
You should know that the most common risk factors are hypertension – high blood pressure and diabetes. Both conditions can lead to kidney damage which can cause proteinuria.
Other kinds of kidney disease which are unrelated to high blood pressure and diabetes can also make protein leak in the urine.
Such examples are:
Immune system disorders
Drugs
Infections
Trauma
Toxins
Moreover, increased production of proteins can cause proteinuria. Such cases are amyloidosis and multiple myeloma.
Other risk factors are:
Ethnicity and race: Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, African-Americans and Native Americans are more likely to have proteinuria, kidney disease, and blood pressure.
Also, some individuals get more protein in their urine while standing. This is in comparison to while they are lying down. This is known by the name orthostatic proteinuria.
Diagnosis of This Condition
In order to diagnose kidney disease, you should do urine and blood tests. A physician is able to determine a glomerular filtration rate according to age, blood creatinine, gender, and race to evaluate the degree of the progression of the disease.
You should know that creatinine is actually a waste product of the activity of the muscle which can build up in your bloodstream in case your kidneys aren’t working correctly.
Moreover, blood urea nitrogen is a waste material which occurs from the failure of protein by metabolism or in foods. This might be impacted by diet. However, usually, it increases due to the lowered function of the kidney.
Many drugs, this includes antibiotics might interfere with the test results. Also, urinary tract infection and dehydration might interfere with test results.
Treatment of This Condition
Bear in mind that when it comes to proteinuria, the severity of the damage dictates the treatment plan. Drug therapies would be started right away.
Also, diet might be changed to have less protein. There may be additional restrictions on minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, and sodium in order to put less damage on the filtering process of the kidneys.
And, when it comes to the end stage of kidney disease, dialysis on a regular basis or organ transplant might be needed in order for the kidney to function normally.
Why You Need to Eat an Alkaline Diet (And How to Do It)
BY: YURI ELKAIM
With all of the diet hoopla in your newsfeed and on magazine covers every week, it’s easy to dismiss the alkaline diet as just another bunch of weight loss hype. This would be a mistake. Blood pH and alkalinity versus acidity are about survival, not weight loss.
Our bodies were designed to function at optimal health at a blood pH just above 7.0 (neutral) or just at an alkaline level (a bit higher than 7.0). Anything more acidic (lower than 7.0), by even a few points, can mean serious health consequences.
Why Should You Eat Alkaline?
What are acid and alkaline?
Water ionizes into hydrogen (H+) ions and hydroxyl (OH) ions. When those ions are present in equal numbers, the water is t a neutral pH of 7.0. When OH ions outnumber the H+ ions, the pH goes up (as high as 14.0) and is alkaline. When H+ ions outnumber OH ions, the pH goes down (as low as 0.0) and is acidic.
How our bodies naturally arrive at their blood pH
Our bodies’ systems – mainly the blood – requires an alkaline pH in order to function properly. However, our bodies also produce a great deal of acid during every day metabolic processes (digestion, breathing, tissue repair, elimination and so on). In order to keep our blood pH in a neutral or slightly alkaline state, we need three things: water, oxygen and acid-buffering minerals.
For example, when we work out or move, our bodies produce carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Both are acidic and must be neutralized and/or removed from the body. Normally, that’s not a problem thanks to our body’s alkaline buffers like bicarbonate. However, the problem starts when you combine the acidosis produced by daily metabolism with stress and acidic foods. Over time, this can force your body to turn to precious alkaline minerals like calcium (from your bones and teeth) to maintain an optimal pH.
Other factors that influence blood pH
Aside from the body’s own processes, there are a number of other, outside things that effect blood pH.
Among these other factors, stress is a biggie. When we’re under stress, it places a greater demand on the body’s cells, making them more active and therefore producing more acid. As Dr. Theodore Baroody explains in his book, Alkalize or Die:
“Any stressor that the mind or body interprets and internalizes as too much to deal with, leaves an acid residue. Even a mild stressor can cause a partial or total acid-forming reaction,” (Alkalize or Die, Dr. Theodore A. Baroody, Jr., 1993, Eclectic Press, Waynesville, NC 28786, page 157.)
Other factors that can influence blood pH are environmental toxins, toxins and metals in food, lack of sleep and illness.
All of these things can make our blood pH too acidic. When combined with a diet high in acidic foods and low in alkaline foods, these factors can lead to disaster.
How to Eat Alkaline to Heal Your pH
What are alkaline and acidic foods?
In a nutshell, you can divide foods into alkaline and acidic in this way:
Alkaline-forming foods include most fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, seeds, and herbal teas.
Acid-forming foods include most grains, beans, meats, dairy products, fish, fast foods, and processed foods.
If your blood pH is too acidic, you need to add more alkaline foods (a ratio of 80% alkaline to 20% acidic is a good rule of thumb). If your blood pH were too alkaline, you would eat more acidic foods, but this situation is very rare. The typical American eats far more processed foods, meats, dairy and grains than they do fresh produce.
So why is it so important?
Maintaining a blood pH of about 7.4 is essential to healthy function that out bodies have a mechanism designed specifically to maintain that level. If we become too acidic, that mechanism will protect the blood at all costs, even to the extent of compromising bone and tissue.
This mechanism will first pull acid-buffering minerals (that you’re not getting from your diet) from tissue, bone and cartilage. These minerals include calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chromium, iron and selenium. That calcium is needed for bone strength. (In fact, Dr. Susan Brown, a leading researcher on osteoporosis, says in her book Better Bones, Better Body, that maintaining optimal pH is the single most important factor is improving and preserving bone density.) Both the calcium and potassium are essential to proper brain function, iron for blood and organ health and so on.
Next, this pH balancing mechanism will decrease metabolic function and even immune function in order to reduce the amount of acids these functions produce. This results in a whole spectrum of issues, such as increased free radicals, inflammation, poor digestion, fatigue, anemia and on and on.
To make matters worse, the lungs, adrenal glands and kidneys are largely responsible for maintaining blood pH via this mechanism. When they don’t have enough of the acid-buffering minerals they need, they work harder to get them, forsaking a lot of their other duties, such as hormone production and secretion, toxin filtering and etcetera.
All of these things are the reasons why it is so essential to maintain the proper level of blood pH. If for no other reason, the increase in systemic inflammation caused by acidic conditions should get you eating alkaline. Inflammation is tied to virtually every serious health condition today, including heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune disorders.
However, numerous studies have shown that even cancer can be directly linked to acid levels in the blood. One study showed that the blood pH of cancer patients averaged around 3.8, which is extremely acidic.
Here’s some additional insight on the most alkaline (and therefore best cancer-fighting foods) worth adding to your diet:
So how do I know my blood pH?
Fortunately, it’s very easy to determine and monitor your blood pH. You don’t even need to go to a doctor. You can easily and inexpensively purchase pH paper online and perform both urine and saliva tests at home.
The urine test:
To do the urine test, you should place a few drops of urine onto a piece of the pH paper both first thing in the morning and later on in the evening. Under ideal conditions, your first morning’s urine should be about 6.4. Throughout the day, jot down everything you eat. When you test in the evening, a higher or lower pH will give you some indication of how the foods you’ve eaten throughout the day have effected your blood pH.
The saliva test:
You should do saliva tests throughout the day; first thing upon waking, about two hours after each meal or beverage (other than water) and before you go to bed. Ideally, blood pH upon waking will be 6.8-7.2 and when testing right after a meal it should be alkaline. If not, your diet is likely an issue.
Eating an alkaline diet
Eating an alkaline diet is not difficult. As a general rule, foods that are high in either protein or refined fats, flours and sugar are acid-forming or acidic foods. This means you need to cut back on meat, cow’s milk and dairy products, wheat and most whole grains and their products. You also need to get rid of the processed foods and fast food.
Processed and fast foods are loaded with acid-forming ingredients. In fact, most of them have ALL of the most acid-forming ingredients, including refined wheat flour, refined sugar and refined fats. It’s almost impossible to avoid an acidic condition if you’re eating processed foods on a regular basis.
Once you eliminate the processed foods, try to limit acidic whole foods, such as meat and dairy, to 20% of your daily intake. Then choose alkaline or acid-buffering foods like vegetables and fruit, for the other 80% of your daily intake.
This isn’t as restrictive or boring as you might think. Just take a look at all of the delicious (and readily available) foods you can enjoy on an alkaline diet.
This isn’t one of those diets where you can’t eat anything yummy. You have a ton of fresh produce to choose from, and you can still have your steak, chicken and Greek yogurt, just in smaller proportion.
Once you start eating alkaline (and try to reduce stress, get more rest and steer clear of toxins by going organic as much as possible), you’ll very quickly be able to correct your blood pH. The difference may astonish you.
Very soon, you should see a huge increase in energy levels, better digestion, easier fat loss, less pain from inflammation-related conditions like arthritis, better mental focus, better moods and on and on. This is all in addition to restoring the blood pH that will ensure a longer, healthier and more active life.
The science-based results of alkaline eating are so life-changing, I’ve addressed some of them before.
If you haven’t read my in-depth look at the benefits of Alkaline Eating, don’t miss:
The Alkaline Diet: 5 Controversial Truths You Need to Know About
19 Highly Alkaline Foods That Will Benefit Your Body
Here Are the Top 10 Most Acidic Foods to Avoid
Is the Alkaline Diet Key to Cancer Prevention?
Alkaline Foods IMGs
The Most Delicious Way to Alkalize Your Body
Adding a daily greens drink to your diet is a quick and simple way to get more alkalizing greens into your system.
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Yuri Elkaim
Yuri Elkaim
Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s most trusted health and fitness experts. A former pro soccer player turned NYT bestselling author of The All-Day Energy Diet and The All-Day Fat Burning Diet, his clear, science-backed advice has transformed the lives of more than 500,000 men and women and he’s on a mission to help 100 million people by 2040. Read his inspiring story, “From Soccer to Bed to No Hair on My Head” that started it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwLrIP8BAQc
How Sleeping On Your Left Side Affects Your Health
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How Sleeping On Your Left Side Affects Your Health
Photo © Ana Blazic Pavlovic – fotolia.com
According to statistics, 40% of people in the USA suffer from insomnia in the course of any year and a further 30% of people experience the sleeping problem at some point in their life. This translates to about 70 million in the USA alone who have sleep disorders.
There are several ways to improve the quality of your sleep. The most obvious ones include exercising daily, sticking to a sleep schedule and avoiding caffeine after 6pm. While the time quantity and quality of sleep we get each day matter, the sleeping position is also another factor to consider. Each position has its own pros and cons, but many researchers are finding the highest amount of benefits offered by sleeping on the left side compared to sleeping on the right side, back and belly.
1. Reduces Occurrence Of Heartburn
Sleeping on the left side seems to help reduce nighttime heartburn symptoms, according to Dr. David A. Johnson of Eastern Virginia School of Medicine. A study published in The Journal of Clinical Enterology supports Johnson’s hypothesis. According to the study, there is a direct correlation between reduced reflux time and sleeping on the left side. [1] The bottom line is lying on the right side seems to aggravate heartburn.
2. Improves Digestion
Sleeping on the left side allows easy movement of food waste from the large intestine into the descending colon. Since our stomach lies on the left side of the body, lying in that position allows the stomach and pancreas to hang naturally. [2]
3. Reduces Sleep Apnea
A study published in the German journal Sleep & Breathing confirmed the effect of body position on patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea. However, the study found out that sleeping in the right position was more effective in decreasing the frequency of obstructive respiratory events in patients with the moderate and severe disease. [3]
4. Eases Neck And Back Pain
Resting on either side could also fix neck and back pain since your spine stays aligned. According to Mayo Clinic, sleeping on your side can take the strain off your back. The website advises people to draw their legs up slightly toward their chest and to insert a pillow between their legs. [4]
5. Helps Ward Off Conditions Like Alzheimer’s Or Parkinson’s Disease
According to research, sleeping on your side could help your brain in clearing waste that can lead to neurological diseases. Published in The Journal of Science, the study showed the importance of the lateral position to neurological health. [5]
6. Beneficial For Pregnant Women
For the last trimester of pregnancy, women are advised to sleep on the right or left side. The lateral position could help them boost blood circulation to their growing baby and prevents the uterus from pressing against their liver. A study first reported in the medical journal Anaesthesia posited the role of sleeping in the left position in reducing the likelihood of supine hypotensive syndrome which causes nausea, hypotension, and dizziness in pregnant women. [6]
Further Reading:
10 Super Tips For A Great Night’s Sleep
12 Plants For Your Bedroom To Help You Sleep
Top 10 Essential Oils for Sleep And Insomnia
20 Foods To Help You Sleep Better
References:
[1] Kats LC et al. 1994. Body position affects recumbent postprandial reflux. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8071510?dopt=Abstract
[2] Melinda Ratini. February 7, 2017. WebMD Medical Reference. What’s the Best Position to Sleep in? http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/best-sleep-positions#1
[3] Ozeke O et al. September 2012. Influence of the right- versus left-sided sleeping position on the apnea-hypopnea index in patients with sleep apnea. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21678115
[4] May 21, 2014. Slide show: Sleeping positions that reduce back pain. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/multimedia/sleeping-positions/sls-20076452
[5] Lee H et al. August 5, 2015. The Effect of Body Posture on Brain Glymphatic Transport. http://www.jneurosci.org/content/35/31/11034.short
[6] Mills GH and Chaffe AG. March 1994. Sleeping positions adopted by pregnant women of more than 30 weeks gestation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8147522
Do Not Ignore These Signs of High Blood Sugar, Even If You Don’t Have Diabetes
By MaYa | Articles
You are here: HomeArticlesDo Not Ignore These Signs of High Blood Sugar, Even If You Don’t Have Diabetes
Mar
02
Everyone wants to eat something sweet from time to time. But, our bodies may react differently to the amount of sugar we eat. In other words, we may have to be more careful if we want to eat more sugar.
The only reason why we need to be careful is not only about gaining weight or inflammation, but it is about our blood sugar levels. Moreover, your body needs a certain amount of sugar to produce energy, but it can also cause health problems like hyperglycemia.
The symptoms of very high blood sugar levels can be quite unpleasant. All you have to do is pay attention to the signs your body is giving you. Learn to recognize the signs so that you will avoid any serious health complications.
Why Is High Blood Sugar Dangerous?
High blood sugar can cause significant problems for your body. It can cause some nerve, organ, and blood vessel damage. Furthermore, it can cause type 2 diabetes which can affect the body’s ability to process sugar.
However, you don’t have to have type 1 or type 2 diabetes to feel the sings of high blood sugar.
Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
The most common cause for elevated blood sugar is a meal filled with heavy carbs. Here is how you can recognize the symptoms.
1. Constant Urination
If you constantly have the need to urinate, it could mean that you have high blood sugar. However, it could also mean that you are overhydrated. People who drink too much water may also be forced to urinate constantly.
2. Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath could be a symptom that your blood sugar/glucose is extremely elevated, and it has been that way for a long time. Moreover, it could also be a symptom of ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis occurs when the body stops breaking down the sugar.
Instead, it breaks down the fat to obtain more energy. As a result, it can cause a buildup of ketones also known as waste material.
3. Blurred Vision
Blurry vision may be a sign that your blood sugar levels are extremely high. Since elevated blood sugar can affect the nerves of the body, there is a chance that it could increase the risk of glaucoma.
Therefore, if you have blurry, double, or loss of peripheral vision, along with eye pain, seek medical help.
4. Increased Thirst
If you feel thirsty all the time despite drinking a lot of fluids, it could mean that your blood sugar is too high. This problem often occurs right after eating a huge meal. It may disappear on its own, or it could persist.
If the problem doesn’t go away, it could be a sign of a more serious issue.
5. Stomach Pain
An upset stomach could be a sign of high blood sugar.
However, it could also mean that your body has a difficult time digesting the food you recently ate. In addition, it can cause mild inflammation, which can occur right after eating a lot of processed sugars or refined carbohydrates.
However, people with diabetes often have to deal with recurring stomach pain. This condition is also known as gastroparesis. It is a condition that occurs when the blood sugar levels are unstable, and they affect the digestive system
As a result, they can cause an upset stomach.
6. Dry Mouth
High blood sugar can cause a dry feeling in the mouth which may seem as if you don’t have enough saliva. In addition, it makes the tongue and lips feel uncomfortable. Therefore, it is crucial that you stay hydrated and avoid dangerous levels of dehydration.
7. Fruity Breath
If your breath smells fruity, it could be a sign of elevated blood sugar. It can occur from the buildup of ketones in the system. Even though having ketones in the body is alright, it is not good if it starts affecting your breath.
Therefore, if you have a fruity breath and you have diabetes, it is best to consult with a doctor.
8. Vomiting and Nausea
When the blood sugar levels are extremely too high, they can cause some nausea and vomiting. Moreover, it could mean that some of the nerves in the digestive tract and stomach have been damaged.
9. Extreme Fatigue
If you feel tired no matter how long you slept, or you have trouble staying focused, it could mean that your blood sugar is too high. For people with diabetes, fatigue is frequent, which is why it can affect their everyday life.
Therefore, it is important to consult with a doctor to pick the right treatment for balancing your blood sugar levels.
What Should I Do If My Blood Sugar Is Too High?
Consult with a doctor. Tell them about your habits, way of life, and diet. In addition, you will be able to get the proper medication that is suitable for your body. Moreover, you will be able to plan a well-balanced and healthy diet to keep everything in check.
Beetroot benefits
Beetroot is a dark red vegetable with an acquired taste that has been linked with better stamina, improved blood flow and lower blood pressure.
But what's the truth about beetroot benefits?
medref_beetroot.jpg
Image credit: Thinkstock/Anna Kucherova
Beetroot facts
The website lovebeetroot.co.uk says the vegetable became popular in Roman times and it was used to treat fever, constipation, wounds, skin problems - and was used as an aphrodisiac.
Most beetroot on sale is round and red, but yellow, white and stripey versions are available.
The beetroot taste is described as sweet, earthy and tender to eat once cooked or pickled. It’s a root vegetable related to turnips, swedes and sugar beet. Whilst beetroot has a sweet taste, its leaves (which are also edible) taste bitter.
Beetroot has featured in recipes from top chefs including Jamie Oliver and Heston Blumenthal.
The red colour of beetroot can be extracted and used as a natural food colourant. It has the ‘E’ number E162.
If you're considering beetroot as one of your 5-a-day, it contains potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants and soluble fibre. Beetroot leaves are source of calcium, iron, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
Beetroot for blood pressure management
Researchers have known for some time that juice may help lower blood pressure due to its naturally occurring nitrate content. Nitrates are also found in vegetables, fruits and processed meats.
In lab studies of healthy men, a nitrate-rich beetroot drink lowered blood pressure for a few hours after drinking, due to its effect relaxing artery walls. In athletes, nitrate-rich beetroot drinks are often taken to help improve blood flow to muscles during exercise, and to relieve some post-exercise muscle aches.
Beetroot for the brain and dementia
Blood flow studies have shown drinking beetroot juice increases blood flow to the brain for a short while in older people. Maintaining good blood circulation to the brain is associated with a reduced risk of vascular dementia, one of the main causes of dementia.
Nitrates in the food we eat and drink can be converted into nitrites by bacteria in the mouth. We then swallow these nitrites in saliva, which when absorbed into our body help dilate (widen) arteries, increasing blood flow and supplying the oxygen needs demanded by body cells.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) says beetroot contains flavonoids called anthocyanins which are responsible for the deep pigments. Anthocyanins, the BDA says, can help with recovery from the stress of exercise during training and competition as well as helping to counter the effects of pollution on the body.
Beetroot side effects
There are some interesting side effects of eating too much beetroot. It can turn urine pink, which can be mistaken for blood in the urine. It may also alter the colour of your poo – which can be used to give you an idea of how quickly food moves through your body.
Kidney stones are painful stones made sometimes from calcium oxalate. If you suffer from renal oxalate stones, make sure you drink plenty of fluid (not coffee) and cut down on dietary oxalates from green leafy vegetables (including beetroot leaves), rhubarb, chocolate, cashews and peanuts.
Population studies across countries show that a high intake of fruits and vegetables (at least 5-a-day) helps manage blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. This might be in part due to their nitrate content, but as the amounts of nitrate vary widely in these it’s more likely due to their vitamin, mineral and phytochemical content, too. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is best for health benefits.
Whether drinking ‘dried greens’ as part of a smoothie, or a beetroot ‘shot’ drink, it’s important to realise that substances in these processed vegetable products may be far higher than naturally occurring in the diet.
Nitrites - formed in our saliva by mouth bacteria working on nitrates - can interact with dietary protein in the stomach to potentially make substances called nitrosamines. The majority of nitrosamines are carcinogenic (cancer causing) in animals and this is likely to be similar in humans. Research has not been done to show whether taking nitrate-rich vegetable drinks long term is safe in terms of nitrosamine levels with a high nitrate diet.
The nitrosamine effect is similar to the risk from processed meats, where the nitrite content of bacon or sausages interacts with meat protein to form nitrosamines. Vitamin C rich foods may help reduce nitrosamine formation.
In summary, eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides you with nitrates and other substances that help reduce blood pressure and lowers your risk of heart disease. Taking high dose nitrate drinks has been shown in research studies to have short-acting benefits on blood pressure and improved blood flow, but the safety of concentrated-nitrate foods and drinks taken regularly over a number of years has yet to be proven.
You need your mouth bacteria to make the essential conversion of nitrates into nitrites. But remember if you use a mouthwash you kill off mouth bacteria that cause tooth decay - but also stop dietary nitrates from being converted into nitrites that have the blood-pressure lowering effect.
Dietitian reviewed by Catherine Collins RD
Further reading:
Slideshow: Seasonal superfoods to try this summer
Slideshow: Delicious, filling foods that don’t pack on pounds
Top 10 super foods for women
What are 'superfoods'?
Eat smarter for a healthier brain
10 everyday 'superfoods'
10 great foods you're not eating
See all Superfoods topics
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Medically Reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks on June 20, 2017
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