Foods most harmful to the kidneys

Dr. Mikhail Yeliseyev, a nephrologist, points out that kidney diseases are related to a person’s lifestyle, as they are one of the body’s natural filtration systems, so they are greatly affected when consuming harmful products.

According to him, harmful foods include eating too much salty foods because too much salt forces the kidneys to work harder to remove excess sodium from the body. This can lead to fluid retention in the body and, as a result, edema and high blood pressure. Salt is found in abundance in pickles, processed foods and fast food.

“Another product that is harmful to the kidneys is alcohol ,” he says . “The urinary system removes the associated toxic substances from the body. This, of course, increases the load on the kidneys. Acetaldehyde (a breakdown product of ethanol) is particularly harmful to the renal tubular cells. Over time, the kidney structures are damaged, glomerular filtration becomes difficult, and chronic renal failure develops.”

In addition, eating too much meat can lead to kidney problems because animal proteins are more difficult to digest, which makes it difficult to remove waste. A diet high in animal proteins also increases the likelihood of kidney stones. In addition, meat contains a large amount of purines, which stimulate the production of uric acid.

He says: “As is known, dairy products are a source of calcium. However, when consumed in excess, calcium appears in high concentrations in the urine, which increases the possibility of kidney stones.”

The specialist points out the damage that excessive consumption of different types of oils , which are a source of large amounts of cholesterol and fats, can cause to the kidneys. Excessive use of these oils over time affects the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, which may lead to the development of kidney disease (hardening of the renal blood vessels resulting from high blood pressure).

According to him, we must not forget that bananas and avocados contain a high percentage of potassium. Therefore, eating too much of them makes it difficult to remove it from the body, which in turn leads to kidney problems, muscle cramps and heart problems, such as irregular heartbeat.