DANGERS OF TOO MUCH SALT

We know too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, but that is not where it stops. Eating too much salt may damage your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and brain. This information is from scientists at the University of Delaware. They found that high salt intake may impair the endothelium, which is the inner lining of blood vessels involved in blood clotting and immune function, increase hardening of the arteries, weaken heart and kidney function, and interfere with the sympathetic nervous system (the flight-or-fight response.) The USDA recommends no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.

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ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH AGEs?

We are not talking about your, or my, age. We are talking about AGEs as a sneaky health sapper! AGEs are Advanced Glycation End-products or harmful compounds formed when proteins or fats combine with sugars in the bloodstream. This process, called glycation, can contribute to various health problems associated with aging and disease. AGEs are often implicated in such health problems as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, kidney disease and atherosclerosis. By lowering your levels of AGEs, you may reduce your chances of depression, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Recent research has also suggested that it may lower risk of breast cancer by 43%. Tomorrow we will post some ways we can work to lower the AGEs in our bodies.

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OPTIMISTIC DR. QUOTE ON KIDNEY CANCER

For those suffering with kidney cancer, especially advanced cancer, Dr. David McDermott has stated, "We've seen outcomes and survival improving every year". One thing all cancer patients love to hear is an optimistic comment from a doctor. Dr. McDermott is a urologist Annapolis, Maryland.

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READ THE LABEL ON YOUR "HEALTHY" CHICKEN

Be sure to read the label on the chicken you buy! Did you know that one chicken breast could use up 20% of your daily sodium limit before you add even one ingredient?  As Americans have become more and more "into eating healthy" the food industry has become more adept at taking "healthy" foods and making them unhealthy! And they do this without trying to fool us. The packaging tells us what they are doing, we just don't read it like we should. The last statistic I found was from 2011 when one-third of the fresh chicken sold in American supermarkets had been synthetically saturated with a mix of water, salt, and other additives via needle injections and high-pressure vacuum tumbling to make it more tender and juicier.  The industry labels this chicken as "enhanced".  Nothing wrong with that as long as you are aware of what you are getting.  A 4-ounce serving of this "enhanced" chicken (or other poultry) can contain as much as 440 mg of sodium before you even season it.  That's around one-fifth of the average persons daily recommended allotment of sodium. Sodium can make it hard to lose weight, be a factor in high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, etc.  So once again I am stressing to you that you read the labels on the foods you buy. Yes, even the labels on the meats and produce.

This picture is for pictorial use only. Not a recommendation for or against this particular product.

KIDNEY CANCER

Did you know kidney cancer is the eighth most common type of cancer in America? It is estimated 82,000 people will be diagnosed with it this year. For most of us, kidney cancer is not even thought about. As with all cancers, early detection is important. If you have any thoughts that you have a kidney problem, go to your doctor and get checked out. As with all cancers, do not be afraid of what you might find out. The early a cancer is found the better the chances of a complete recovery. Following are a list of symptoms to be aware of:

If you or someone you know is exhibiting symptoms of Kidney cancer, seek medical attention immediately.

The symptoms include:

• Blood in urine
• Sudden weight loss
• Lump in the abdomen
• Pain in the lower back
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• 
  
  

 

KIDNEY DISEASE

When I saw this post I thought it would be appropriate for this blog because your diet has a big affect on both diabetes and high blood pressure.  You will find many posts on this blog discussing these very things.

Did you know the top 2 causes of Kidney Disease are Diabetes & High Blood Pressure? To learn the symptoms please click link & Share the post to help your friends. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-kidney-disease-symptoms

ONIONS FOR THE KIDNEYS

If you follow this blog, you know I am a diabetic.  As a diabetic, even though my diabetes is under very good control, I strive to eat only foods that will heal and not hinder my body.  As all diabetics know, we have to take good care of our kidneys.  Diabetes can be hard on the kidneys and that is a problem we don't need.  I do a lot of research on health and one thing I have found repeatedly is that onions are very good for the kidneys.  Thankfully I like onions and use them in some way almost every day. If you are a diabetic and onions are not currently a part of your diet, perhaps it is time to add them.  From raw onion slices on burgers to creamed pearl onions, to chopped or diced onions in soups, stews, casseroles, etc, they are easy to work onto the diet.

Onions are abundant with flavanoids, including a powerful antioxidant that helps fight the free radicals associated with kidney disease.  Better to add onions to your diet today than to be battling kidney disease later!

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MORE ON BANANAS

 

Since yesterday's post was about bananas, I thought it a good idea to follow up with this chart.

STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries are the most popular berries in the United States. Not only are they the most popular they are also a healthy choice. Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants, a good source of vitamin-C, and good news for diabetics, they are on the low glycemic index. Following are more health benefits of eating strawberries.

• Because of their high potassium content, strawberries can help lower blood pressure.
• Strawberries are heart healthy. One to two cups daily can help to lower LDL cholesterol. In one study, eating three servings a week decreased the risk of heart attack in women by 32%.
• The antioxidants in strawberries can reduced blood clot formation which can help prevent strokes.
• One study showed that eating 37 strawberries daily significantly lowered the risk of  developing complications from diabetes such as neuropathy and kidney disease. Eating two to three servings of strawberries per week lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• The antioxidants in strawberries can help lower inflammation and block tumor growth.

1 1/2 cups, considered a serving of strawberries, has 58 calories, 14 grams carbs, and 4 grams fiber.

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SOY PROTEIN AND TYPE 2 DIABETES

It seems soy protein has a lasting beneficial effect on the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys of persons diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.  In a study published in the journal Diabetes Care, patients who ate soy protein showed significantly lower levels of fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides.  The study also found that C-reactive protein levels, which signal inflammation in the body, were lowered along with other indicators of kidney disease.

If you aren't currently eating soy protein, you need to add it to your diet!  Don't know what to include?  Try tofu, soy milk, soy burgers, edamame, etc.

 

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