Kidney function 8%, Creatinine 4.16, Almonds

A:

Almonds has many healthy benefits to kidney disease patients. Almonds and other nuts such as walnuts, peanuts contain monounsaturated fats which can help reduce the low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol level in the blood so as to much reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular complications which are very common among kidney disease patients.

Besides, almonds contain magnesium and vitamin B6 which can help decrease oxalic acid in the urine so as to lower the risk of stone formation in the kidneys.

Almonds can also help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Hypertension and diabetes are the leading causes of chronic kidney disease. Even if kidney disease is not caused by blood pressure or blood sugar problems, end stage kidney disease patients often suffer from high blood pressure, metabolic disorders of proteins, fats and sugars.

Elderly patients of kidney disease often suffer from digestive and gastrointestinal disorders such as constipation, diarrhea, etc. Almonds can help ease constipations.

Almonds is high-protein foods and it is a high-quality protein source because of its high amino acid contents. Though kidney disease patients need protein to help build and repair their tissues, too much protein intake can add much burdens to the already impaired kidneys and speed up the illness progression and deterioration of kidney functions. Besides, almonds contain high phosphorus, therefore the amount of almonds should be limited. For your mother’s current illness conditions, her creatinine is quite high and she has now only 8% kidney functions, she is easy to develop electrolyte imbalances, therefore it is very necessary to monitor her electrolyte levels in blood and do proper adjustment of her diets and treatments.

But you need to know that almonds, diets and lifestyle adjustments are not enough for your mother. At present her kidney function is 8% and it means that she is now in the end stage of kidney disease and more effective treatments are needed or her illness conditions will continue to deteriorate and more kidney functions will be lost. Though diets can help a lot, it can only help ease symptoms and slow down illness progression and can not help reverser renal damages or improve renal functions for your mother.