The Effect of Diet and Exercise on End Stage Renal Disease - Research Paper Example

assignment is due Nutritional restrictions are proved to be helpful in end stage renal disease. Keeping normal weight and serum proteins is essential as far renal patients are concerned. Diet restriction would also help them avoid cardiovascular problems. Protein requirements are found to be higher in patients with end stage renal disease. This is because of the losses that happen in the process of dialysis. There is a recommended level of dietary protein intake for renal patients. This intake is based on their body weight. Half of the dietary protein of their diet should be from food sources high in biological value. Renal patients should assess the nutritional value of the food they eat. Patients with end stage renal disease must follow a proper diet plan. End stage renal disease patients on dialysis may suddenly decrease calorie and protein consumption because of rise in leptin, uremic toxins and other reasons. The average energy consumption of end stage renal disease patients is always lower than the recommended level. Majority of the renal patients complain of malnutrition. In order to avoid malnutrition-associated morbidity and death, end stage renal disease patients on dialysis must perform regular nutrition screening and weight check. They should compare the initial weight with usual body weight. They should also compare their weight with ideal body weight. They must perform subjective global assessment also. Apart from this, they would be benefited from dietary interviews from diet diaries. Nutrition counseling would also help them plan their diet. Nutrient intake shortage would lead to malnutrition. This will lead to more health problems. Proper diet is quite important for people with end stage renal disease. If it is not possible to meet the protein-calorie needs, patients must be given dietary supplements. They must be offered tube feeding, if required. They can also be given parenteral nutrition to satisfy the protein and calorie needs. Sodium and potassium balance in the body is important for people with end stage renal disease. They should avoid having high-sodium diets. High blood pressure in dialysis patients is related to positive sodium balance and volume increase. People on dialysis can keep blood pressure under control by maintaining a low sodium diet and having low-sodium dialysate. These days, majority of the people who undergo dialysis need antihypertensive medications. Several patients fail to keep the recommended degree of sodium restriction; those who can restrict their diet can successfully control their blood pressure. They can also avoid left ventricular hypertrophy. A high-potassium diet is generally recommended to control blood pressure. High-potassium diet also helps reduce the risk of stroke. But, people with end stage renal disease, on hemodialysis find it difficult to tolerate this diet as they are not able to excrete potassium. End stage renal disease patients should therefore avoid consuming things like bananas, orange juice, legumes, melons, pumpkin, winter squash, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potato, spinach, bran cereal, and milk. Restricting their diet would help them escape from the dangerous hyperkalemia-induced arrhythmia. According to the studies, a good part of patients with end stage renal disease follow potassium restriction. Hyperkalemia is found to be less likely in people with peritoneal dialysis. However, hypokalemia is found to be occurring in certain patients. They may sometimes need to increase their potassium consumption. Potassium supplementation would be helpful. Diet and fluid restriction is essential for people with end stage renal disease. It is quite important that people with end stage renal disease reduce their fluid intake. They must restrict their fluid intake to escape from blood pressure related problems and heart failure. Restricting fluid intake has been found to be helping patients with end stage renal disease. Increased blood phosphorus concentrations are found to be causing death in people with end stage renal disease. High phosphorus concentration would also raise the risk of cardiovascular problems. The problem may also result in vascular calcification. Excess phosphorus level can also lead to secondary hyperparathyroidism, by activating the discharge of calcium from the bone matrix. Hyperphosphatemia and renal osteodystrophy have been found to show improvement with phosphate binders, especially sevelamer hydrochloride. Sevelamer hydrochloride is found to be preventing hypercalcemia-associated vascular calcification. Few factors have been found to be affecting phosphorus levels. High protein requirements of end stage renal disease patients, consumption of covert phosphate from processed food items, and treatment using vitamin D high dose are crucial factors to be considered. Protein consumption exceeding 50 grams a day can result in positive phosphate balance (regardless of having phosphate binder therapy). Micronutrient supplements are of great help to end stage renal disease patients. Micronutrient supplements are considered essential for them. Patients on dialysis mostly suffer from deficiencies of different vitamins like vitamin C, calcium, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin D, iron, zinc, and often selenium. This can take them to an antioxidant-deficient state. The National Kidney Foundation clinical practice gives nutritional suggestion for people with end stage renal disease. According to them, individuals attain hundred percent of the dietary reference intakes for certain vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), vitamin B12, and folic acid. People with end stage renal disease follow a restricted diet. This make them deprive of many needed vitamins. Apart from that, during dialysis they lose the water-soluble vitamins. Patients will be thus benefited by specially formulated vitamins. Patients are given intravenous versions of vitamin D analogues and iron. Oral vitamin D would supply the vitamin D needs of patients. Dietary supplements are found to be great help to people with end stage renal disease. Dietary supplementation with L-carnitine is suggested by U.S. Food and Drug Administration to compensate carnitine depletion in patients who have undergone dialysis. According to the studies, L-carnitine helps improve lipid metabolism and antioxidant status. It has also been found to be helping anemia and protein nutrition. Vitamin C and vitamin E are proven effective in treating patients with end stage renal disease. These vitamins are found to be treating muscle cramps in patients. These vitamins are a better alternative for quinine therapy. Certain studies have given the results that these treatments would better the health status of patients with end stage renal disease. Taking right vitamins and recommended treatments would improve the health of people with end stage renal disease. A diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat would be highly beneficial for patients with end stage renal disease. Dialysis patients should strictly avoid the consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol. Dialysis patients are at a greater risk of coronary artery disease. They have high levels of serum triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Dialysis patients are expected to consume a high-calorie diet in order to spare protein. They should however avoid foods that would increase cholesterol concentrations and triglycerides. Dialysis patients must consumer foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fat. End-stage renal disease is preventable to a great extent. A proper control of blood glucose, blood pressure and blood lipids can help people avoid end stage renal disease. Appropriate medications would also help avoid extreme phase of renal disease. For patients who are on dialysis, morbidity and death can be avoided by following appropriate dietary patterns (Durose et al 2). People with renal disease can enhance the quality of their lives if they strictly follow the diet restrictions. They should adhere to the correct medical and dietary suggestions. Studies show that apart from restricted diet, regular physical activity and exercise would help patients with end stage renal disease. People with chronic kidney disease are mostly inactive physically. Many of them have reported of their decreased physical functioning. Even the healthy population needs good physical functioning to keep themselves healthy. Inactivity and lack of exercise would contribute to mortality and poor quality of life. Physical activities and exercises positively influence people with renal disease also. For people with chronic kidney disease, lack of physical activity and exercise can lead to high mortality levels. People with chronic kidney disease may be suffering from other diseases also. Exercise would thus be helpful for them. Majority of the dialysis patients complain of hypertension and diabetes. Many of them also have cardiovascular problems. Cardiovascular problems cause death in several patients with end-stage renal disease. Recent studies say that peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) increases the survival rate in people with end stage renal disease. If the predictive value of VO2peak is provided, the value of this factor can be increased using cardiovascular exercise. This would improve the survival rate of patients. Apart from that, it is found that people with chronic kidney disease experience severe muscle wasting. This can lead to the loss of physical activity and daily function. Resistance exercise is found to be building muscles and improving strength in patients, even if they follow a low-protein diet. Cardiovascular exercises are found decreasing morbidity and mortality in people with chronic kidney disease. Exercise would also improve their quality of life. Resistance exercise training and aerobic training are found to be benefiting people with end stage renal disease. People with chronic kidney disease who attend combined training programs have been getting great benefits. Patients have reported the benefits of exercise. Interventions during hemodialysis have gained popularity these days. This has also been found safe. The risk involved in these types of exercise in people with chronic kidney diseases has been studied. No serious injury has been reported from patients participating in these training programs. Exercise should be included in the routine activities of people who are on dialysis. An optimal training regimen should be established for assisting patients. This can be done according to their requirements or characteristics. Such a regimen is expected to help the implementation of training programs. Exercise has been found to be highly benefiting patients with end stage renal disease (Kouidi 1). People with kidney disease can remain as physical active. Being physically active helps them a lot. Physical activity would improve them physically and emotionally. Kidney disease strains body and make people emotionally weak. Lack of physical activity will lead to further problems. Lack of activity weakens muscles. It also leads to poor activity tolerance. The body of the patient becomes more vulnerable to sicknesses. People with kidney disease should perform exercises even if they haven’t exercised in the past. They will be benefited from an exercise program. According to the studies, fitness program enhance exercise capacity by 25% for renal patients. Physical activity would help reduce blood pressure and keeps heart healthy. Increasing physical activity would lessen the possibility of heart problems. People with kidney disease are highly vulnerable to bone diseases. Bone diseases would take them to falls and fractures. Staying fit and healthy would lessen the chance of falls. Exercise improves the quality of life. Lack of exercise would lead to physical disability. Loss of physical function makes people rely on healthcare assistance. Physical disability destroys their ability to live independently. Physical activity eliminates the chance of a sedentary lifestyle. Living with kidney problems means dealing with several issues. Patients will have difficulty managing their depression, irritability, anger and other emotions. Physically active people will generally feel better. Exercise improves general fitness and builds lean muscles. Exercise also strengthens the heart. Exercise burns calories and reduces weight. Exercise reduces body fat also. Exercise take off bad cholesterol and increases physical endurance. Exercise helps body to use insulin better. It also helps to keep blood sugar levels in balance. Muscle strengthening eliminates the chance of falls. Physical activity and exercise improves the well-being of an individual. It helps fight depression and negative effects of stress. Exercise would be of great help to people with kidney problems. Exercise and proper diet are essential for people with chronic kidney problems. If renal patients can adhere to a strict diet program they can reduce the chances of other health problems. Exercise and physical activities would also improve their health status. Exercise improves their overall health status. Exercise would also enhance their emotional health. People with kidney problems are therefore recommended to follow a diet and exercise program. Nutritional food, strict diet, physical activity and planned activity are essential for them. Works Cited Durose CL, Holdsworth M, Watson V, et al. “Knowledge of dietary restrictions and the medical consequences of noncompliance by patients on hemodialysis are not predictive of dietary compliance.” J Am Diet Assoc. 2004;104:35-41. Kouidi EJ. Central and peripheral adaptations to physical training in patients with end-stage renal disease. Sports Med. 2001;31:651-665. Read More