According to the National Kidney Foundation, today millions of people in the nation are suffering from different types of kidney diseases. Our kidneys happen to be one of the most important organs in the body, as they filter out the toxins from the blood, control our blood pressure, and carry out many other vital functions.
Your diet plays a great role when it comes to taking care of your kidneys. That is probably why many of the doctors today are encouraging kidney patients to start the DASH diet for healthy kidneys. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and it is considered as one of the best healthy kidney diets.
Read further to know more about how the DASH diet aids in maintaining the good health of your kidneys.

Benefits of the DASH diet
The DASH diet is an ideal diet plan that you must consider if you are suffering from kidney diseases, heart diseases, or hypertension. One of the major benefits of the DASH diet is that it helps in preventing the formation of kidney stones. It is also observed that people who adopt the DASH diet are less likely to develop chronic kidney diseases as compared to those who do not follow the diet.
Aside from preventing chronic kidney diseases, the DASH diet also lowers blood pressure, as it limits the intake of salt and sodium. Some other benefits of following the DASH diet are weight loss, lowering of bad cholesterol levels, and the prevention of gout.

Limitations of the DASH diet
The DASH diet is not an ideal diet plan for every individual. People who are already suffering from a chronic kidney disease should not start a DASH diet on their own before seeking advice from their doctor. This is mainly because these people have special restrictions and need to be extra cautious as to what they feed their body.
DASH diet is not recommended for patients who are undergoing dialysis, as these individuals also have a certain dietary need that the DASH diet does not provide. Hence, it is advisable that before you start any kind of healthy kidney diet, you must first consult your doctor for the same.

The DASH diet meal plans
The DASH diet is basically a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, and poultry. The diet encourages you to limit your sodium intake, salt intake, and to avoid artificial sweeteners and red meat. Instead of using salt, healthier alternatives like black pepper, cumin, and nutmeg are used. Packaged food products should be avoided, but if you still want to buy them then ensure you check their labels and buy only those which have a low sodium content.
The DASH diet also encourages people to choose low-fat dairy products over the regular dairy products as they help decrease the saturated fat in your body. Another reason why low-fat dairy products are ideal for people who are trying to follow the DASH diet is that it is low in sodium, which happens to be one of the main concerns of the diet.

If you are having trouble following a healthy kidney diet, then you can always see a dietician and plan a healthy kidney diet that will suit your medical requirements and lifestyle.