When searching for the causes of kidney disease, common answers point towards diabetes and high blood pressure. Yet, this surface-level explanation leaves much to be desired. It prompts the deeper question: What leads to diabetes and high blood pressure in the first place?
If you’re familiar with my holistic approach to health, you already know where I stand on this issue. Today, I urge you: Don’t be misled! Disease is not merely a byproduct of genetics.
The Genetic Influence
Certainly, genetics contribute characteristics like hair color and some personal quirks. They might even predispose us to certain health conditions like cancer, which understandably raises concerns. But it’s crucial to recognize that behaviors—including how we manage emotions, what we think, believe, and eat—are also learned from our families. These habits form unwittingly but have profound implications on our health.
Diet and Its Direct Link to Disease
Focusing specifically on kidney disease, let’s delve deeper. It’s now widely acknowledged that Type 2 diabetes stems from suboptimal dietary choices. Normally, a functioning pancreas produces sufficient insulin to manage the sugar ingested from your diet. However, a diet laden with excessive saturated fats can impair this critical process, leaving your body incapable of producing necessary insulin, thus leading to diabetes.
Similarly, high blood pressure and related cardiovascular diseases (America’s leading killers) are also rooted in poor dietary habits.
Kidneys, vital organs that filter waste from our blood, forming urine, suffer under an overly acidic body—a condition influenced not just by our diet, but also our emotional and mental states.
An acidic diet, rich in animal proteins and dairy products, contains higher levels of amino acids like methionine. While essential, excessive amounts can be harmful (as noted in the Oxford Journal of Nutrition, Volume 136, Issue 6, June 2006). Such diets also promote excess ammonia production, which can impair kidney function, according to Dr. Michael Greger’s “How Not to Die”.
On the brighter side, adopting a plant-based diet while steering clear of both meat and its substitutes can help prevent kidney stones and support overall kidney health.
Research Advocates for a Plant-Based Transformation
Despite various blogs promoting high-fat or protein-rich diets for preventing kidney disease, these are not supported by robust scientific evidence. Research indicates that a diet low in carbohydrates yet high in harmful components like saturated fats, choline, and carnitine—while deficient in kidney-supportive elements like vitamin C, polyphenols, and antioxidants—can be detrimental to kidney health (Masteringdiabetes.org).
Additionally, moderating intake of oxalate-rich foods—such as raw beets, spinach, beer, potato chips, bran, fries, and nut butters (University of Michigan Health Library)—is essential to avoiding kidney stones.
Making the Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle
Are you considering a shift towards a plant-based diet but find the idea daunting? My role as a holistic nutrition counselor is to support and guide my clients through this transition smoothly, making it an enjoyable and life-enhancing experience.
By understanding the deeper connections between our diet and diseases, and actively choosing healthier habits, we empower ourselves to lead more vibrant, healthier lives. Remember, your health journey is a personal evolution, and each step you take can lead to significant improvements in your well-being.