Nephritis

Nephritis refers to the inflammation of kidneys. Nephritis is a kind of chronic and lingering clinical disease. Nephritis is the most common producer of glomerular injury. It is a disturbance of the glomerular structure with inflammatory cell proliferation.

Nephritis can lead to:

• Oligouria(urine output decrease)
• Uremia(retention of waste product in the body)
• Hematouria(present of blood in the urine)
• Proteinuria(present of protein in the urine)

Nephritis is one of the highest cause of human death. Proteinuria is the most severe because it leads to losing of protein in the body.This may cause blood clotting in the body and sudden stroke occur.

For better curing the patient with chronic disease,we need to prescribe a  well and suitable diet for the patient.

What causes nephritis?

Glomerulonephritis may be caused by problems with the body’s immune system. Often, the exact cause of glomerulonephritis is unknown. Damage to the glomeruli causes blood and protein to be lost in the urine. The condition may develop quickly and kidney function is lost within weeks or months ( rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis). A quarter of people with chronic glomerulonephritis have no history of kidney disease.

The following may increase your risk of this condition:

• Blood or lymphatic system disorders
• Exposure to hydrocarbon solvents
• History of cancer
• Infections such as strep infections, viruses, heart infections, or abscesses

Many conditions cause or increase the risk for glomerulonephritis, including:

• Amyloidosis
• Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody disease
• Blood vessel diseases such as vasculitis or polyarteritis
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
• Goodpasture syndrome
• Heavy use of pain relievers, especially NSAIDs
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura
• IgA nephropathy
• Lupus nephritis
• Membranoproliferative GN

Common symptoms of glomerulonephritis are:

• Blood in the urine (dark, rust-colored, or brown urine)
• Foamy urine (due to excess protein in the urine)
• Swelling (edema) of the face, eyes, ankles, feet, legs, or abdomen

Symptoms may also include the following:

• Abdominal pain
• Blood in the vomit or stools
• Cough and shortness of breath
• Diarrhea
• Excessive urination
• Fever
• General ill feeling, fatigue, and loss of appetite
• Joint or muscle aches
• Nosebleed

The symptoms of chronic kidney disease may develop over time. Chronic renal failure symptoms may gradually develop.

Patients with Nephritis should avoid smoking, intake of alcohol, white bread, tea, coffee, fried foods, meat products, sugar cakes, pastries, condiments and syrups to get better result and to cure this disease.

Food to take:

• Grapes

They have been a superb pill for strident as well as ongoing nephritis. They retain a superb diuretic value upon reason of their tall essence of H2O as well as potassium salt. Their cost in kidney troubles similar to nephritis is softened by their low albumin as well as sodium chloride happy.

• Bananas

They are also effective for nephritis.Due to low protein, salt, and high carbohydrate content bananas are considered as suitable for nephritis patients.

• Avocados

They have been changed as a shave food in nephritis. The value of this ripened offspring arises from a vast unfeeling as well as small protein contents.

Food to limit/avoid:

• Decrease Salt Intake

A diet low in salt content should be followed if swelling of the hands or feet is present. Consuming no more than 1500mg of sodium a day. You can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet by avoiding processed foods, which tend to be high in sodium, and choosing fresh foods instead. In particular, canned foods, broths, soups, pretzels, chips and condiments typically contain the most sodium. Look for foods labeled “low sodium,” meaning it contains less than 140mg of sodium. Also avoid adding salt to foods. Just ¼ teaspoon of salt adds 600mg of sodium, which is almost half your daily allowance for salt.

• Limit Consumption of Protein

Protein consumption should be limited in those with proteinuria, a condition in which protein is present in the urine. Proteinuria is dangerous because it can damage the kidney and even lead to kidney failure. It also contributes to swelling of the body due to loss of proteins. Moderate protein intake of about one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight a day is recommended.

• Vitamin D Supplementation

Vitamin D supplementation may be required for patients with chronic membranous nephritis that is not responsive to treatment. Vitamin D is converted to its active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, in the kidney. In chronic kidney disease, the ability of the kidney to synthesize this vitamin is reduced, therefore supplementation is sometimes warranted. The recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D is 15mcg a day for adults ages 19 to 70 years and 20mcg a day for adults age 71 years and older.

• Reduce Fat and Cholesterol

A low fat, low cholesterol diet should be followed to avoid further elevation of cholesterol levels associated with membranous nephritis and to lower the risk of cardiovascular events. Dietary modification alone, however, will not lower your cholesterol as it is primarily caused by an increase in cholesterol synthesis by the liver and not because of diet. Saturated fats should be avoided as well as foods high in cholesterol. This includes foods such as eggs, whole milk, butter, fatty cuts of meats and fried foods. Your doctor may recommend a cholesterol lowering medication such as a statin to keep your cholesterol levels under control.

• Limit plant protein

Protein intake should depend on the condition of renal function. If patients with Nephritis suffer from Oliguria, Edema, Hypertension and Nitrogen qualitative retention, the intake of protein per day should be limited less than 20-40 grams so as to unburden the kidney, and avoid the deposition of non protein nitrogen in the body. In particular, the large amount of Fat moans alkali in the plant protein will worsen the intermediary metabolism of kidney. So we shouldn’t take beans and bean product as supplemental nutrition, such as soybean, mung bean, broad bean, soybean milk, and bean curd, etc.

• Avoid spicy condiments

Spicy condiments such as pepper, mustard, hot pepper, etc is bad for renal function. In addition, excessive aginomoto will make patients thirsty and drink more.

• Limit fluid volume

If patients with Chronic Nephritis have hypertension and edema, they should limit the fluid intake. The volume should be limited in the range of 1200-1500ml per day, 400ml drink and water in the food included. If the edema is serious, we should strictly limit the water intake.

Tips

Patients with Nephritis must avoid spinach, chocolate, cocoa and rhubarb because it contains oxalic acid in large quantities. Common salt also should be eliminated from the diet. Carrot juice is an effective remedy for nephritis. One portion of carrot juice, sundry with a tablespoon of sugar as well as a teaspoon of uninformed orange Juice, should be taken any day, first thing in a morning when stomach is empty.

References:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000484.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/361280-nutrition-diet-for-chronic-membranous-nephritis/

http://www.kidneycn.com/kidney-diseases/nephritis/nephritis-diet/1200.html

http://www.kidneycn.com/kidney-diseases/nephritis/nephritis-diet/824.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephritis

Picture references:

http://www.ingenioushealth.com/2011/12/tis-season-to-be-brain-full.html

http://www.howmanycaloriesinanapple.org/calories-in-a-banana/

http://www.photovaco.com/photos/food/carrot-juice-135/

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-8317681/stock-vector-no-food-drink-sign.html

http://onlyloserscomplain.com/fast-food-revelation/

Constipation and Diarrhoea

What is constipation?

Constipation is an abnormal infrequency or irregularity of defecation, abnormal hardening of stools that makes their passage difficult and sometimes painful, a decrease in stool volume, or retention of stool in the rectum for prolonged period often with a sense of incomplete evacuation after defecation.

What causes Constipation?

• Change in regular diet or routine; traveling
• Antacid medicines containing calcium or aluminium.
• Frequent use of laxatives (stool softeners) which, over time, weaken the bowel muscles
• Certain diseases or conditions.
• Inadequate water intake.
• Inadequate fibre in the diet.
• Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, which may cause pain from hemorrhoids.
• Medicines ( especially strong pain medicines such as narcotics, antidepressants or iron pills).
• Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility.

Clinical Manifestations

Clinical manifestations of constipation include :

• Fewer than three bowel movements per week
• Abdominal distention
• Pain and pressure
• Decreased appetite
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Indigestion
• A sensation of incomplete evacuation
• Straining at stool
• The elimination of small-volume, lumpy, hard, dry stool

Dietary Recommendations

Foods to Avoid

• Processed and refined foods

Avoid processed and refined foods. These are foods containing white flour and white sugar, including white bread and breads containing bleached flour, cookies, pastries, cakes, white rice and white pasta. Prepared foods commonly have eliminated most or all of the original fiber, such as instant mashed potatoes, boxed potatoes and potato chips.

• High-fat foods

These include whole milk and whole milk dairy products such as cheese, ice cream and butter; high-fat meats including bacon and regular ground beef; poultry skin; fried foods; processed snacks such as chips; certain gravies, cream sauces and soups; and prepared foods such as pot pies, boxed dinners and frozen dinners.

• Fluids to Avoid

Avoid stimulants such as coffee, tea and sugary carbonated drinks. Caffeine drinks can have a dehydrating effect on the body which then can contribute to constipation.

Foods to Increase

• Whole Grains

Increasing whole grains such as brown rice, millet, buckwheat and quinoa are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates.

• Fibre

Include plenty of dietary fibre to encourage gut motility and peristalsis. Soluble fibre holds water and brings bulk to the faeces. Food rich in soluble fibre include barley, oats, oat bran, prunes, figs, vegetables, fruits (apples, pears, peaches, papaya, pineapples, bananas), seaweed, lentils and pulses.

• Fluids

Drink more water. This is particularly more important when adding more fiber to your diet. Increase your daily intake of purified water, especially in between meals. For variety drink diluted fruit juices, organic vegetable juices and herbal teas.

What is diarrhea?

Diarrhea is an increased frequency of bowel movements (more than three per day), an increased of stool (more than 200g/day), and altered consistency (ie. increased liquidity) of stool.

What causes diarrhea?

• Bacterial infections
• Viral infections
• Parasites
• Functional bowel disorders
•  Intestinal diseases
• Food intolerances and sensitivities
•  Reaction to medicines

 

Clinical manifestations

In addition to the increased frequency and fluid content of stools, other clinical manifestations include :

• Abdominal cramps
• Distention
• Intestinal rumbling (ie. Borborygmus)
• Anorexia
• Thirst
• Bleeding

Dietary Recommendations

Foods to Avoid

•  Fatty foods

Foods with a high fat content can speed up intestinal contractions and cause a reaction to a system that is already sensitized. Therefore, try not to eat anything that is greasy, fried, creamy, or covered in gravy. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) found in many processed foods, deep-fried foods, fast food, and junk food.

• Diary products

Diarrhea can cause a lessening of the amount of the enzyme lactase. Lactase is needed in order for the body to digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy products. If this “milk sugar” goes undigested, it can result in further symptoms of gas, bloating, nausea and diarrhea. Here are some common lactose-containing foods:

• Butter
• Soft cheese, such as ricotta or cottage cheese
• Ice cream
• Milk

• Sugar free foods

Some artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes can have a laxative effect, as well as contribute to gas and bloating. So until you are feeling better, it is best to avoid:

• Diet soda
• Sugar-free candy
• Sugar-free gum
• Sugar substitute packets for coffee and tea

• Gas-producing foods

Certain vegetables have a well-documented reputation for increasing intestinal gas which could contribute to further diarrhea:

• Beans
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Onions
• Peas

• Unsafe Foods

Whether you have diarrhea or not, you should always make sure that you only eat food that has been safely washed, prepared and stored. Foods that are not safely prepared and stored put you at risk for a serious gastrointestinal illness.

• Fluids to avoid

Alcoholic beverages in excess since they hinder the functioning of the immune and digestive systems. Carbonated drinks. Excessive caffeine intake as it can disrupt the body’s system, causing insomnia and digestive irregularity (constipation or diarrhea). Sweetened fruit juices that spike blood sugar levels too rapidly.

Food to Take

BRATTY diet – Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast, Tea and Yogurt.

• Bananas

Bananas have high potassium content, which is excellent for replacing lost potassium. They also have a healthy balance of starch and fruit sugars that can help firm bowel movements. Rice and white or wheat toast should be served without added spices or butter, since fats and spices may prolong frequent or watery bowel movements.

• Rice

Due to their low-fiber content, these starches are easily digested way up high in the GI tract. Eat your rice and potatoes plain. Rice and white or wheat toast should be served without added spices or butter, since fats and spices may prolong frequent or watery bowel movements.

• Apple sauce

Apples are a good source of pectin. However, the high fiber in raw apples makes them too rough for a dicey intestinal system. Therefore, by cooking the apples makes them easier on your system to digest, and allowing you to benefit from the pectin, sugar and other nutrients that lie within.

• Toasts or Crackers

When you are experiencing acute diarrhea, however, it is better to turn to processed wheat foods. The removal of the outer husk of the grains in these foods results in easier digestion. As an added bonus, the salt (sodium) in crackers will be beneficial in terms of restoring the electrolyte balance.

• Tea

Two teas in particular are especially good for quieting a diarrhea episode: peppermint and chamomile.

• Peppermint Tea: Peppermint has a soothing effect on the gastrointestinal system. It is thought to calm and relax the muscles along the intestinal tract, thus reducing spasms. Peppermint also seems to be effective in reducing intestinal gas.

• Chamomile Tea: Chamomile is a flowering herb. Chamomile tea appears to be effective in reducing intestinal inflammation and calming intestinal spasms.

• Yoghurt

Yogurt would be a good introduction as it is a calcium dense probiotic which can restore colon health.  These probiotics help to establish a healthier balance of bacteria in the digestive tract.

References :

1. 1.    Brunner and Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing by  Lillian Sholtis Brunner, Suzanne C. Smeltzer, Brenda G. Bare, Janice L. Hinkle, Kerry H. Cheever
2. http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation
3. http://www.slideworld.com/slideshow.aspx/CONSTIPATION-ppt-2771906
4. http://www.thefooddoctor.com/Article-Ahealth_fst_constipation/
5. http://naturopathconnect.com/articles/constipation-dietary/
6. http://ibs.about.com/od/diarrhea/tp/DiarrheaFoodsAvoid.htm
7. http://ibs.about.com/od/diarrhea/tp/Diarrhea-and-Food.–04.htm