The kidneys filter waste products out of the blood. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse website reports that the kidneys filter approximately 200 quarts of blood each day, removing two quarts of waste an excess water. Your body rids itself of these wastes through urination. Boost your nutrition to help ensure optimal health for your kidneys.
Vitamin C
The Herbs 2000 website notes that vitamin C may play a role in the health of your kidneys by warding off infections and stabilizing the walls of blood vessels. You need to take in 75 to 90mg of vitamin C on a daily basis, although the Medline Plus website warns you to avoid high levels of this nutrient -- dosages of 2,000 mg of more can cause gastrointestinal problems. Vitamin C can be taken in supplement form, or you can change your diet to incorporate foods high in vitamin C. KidsHealth by Nemours recommends foods like cantaloupe, tomatoes, strawberries, cabbage, broccoli, kiwi fruit, red bell peppers and citrus fruits to increase your intake of this nutrient to improve the health of your kidneys.
Vitamin E
Your kidney function can be disrupted by scarring and scar tissue, which can impact the volume of urine your body excretes. The Herbs 2000 websites reveals that vitamin E can help with urinary output and speed up how quickly your body heals. The recommended daily intake of this nutrient ranges from 15 to 19 mg, according to MayoClinic.com, although you should avoid taking vitamin E supplements if you taking blood thinners or if you have a vitamin K deficiency as too much of this nutrient may result in increased risk of bleeding. You can change your diet to get more vitamin E for kidney health, including foods like sunflower seeds, nuts, turnip greens, tomatoes, peanut butter, wheat germ and avocados.
Potassium
Consider adding more potassium to your diet for kidney health. The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Health Information Organization website reports that potassium stimulates kidney function. You should make sure to consume1,600 to 2,000 mg of potassium on a daily basis, according to MayoClinic.com. While your diet should provide you with the potassium you need, potassium supplements can be taken. To increase the amount of potassium in your diet, MayoClinic.com recommends eating acorn squash, potatoes with their skin, spinach, lentils, split peas, kidney beans, butternut squash, watermelon and raisins.
