Your kidneys are one of the main filtration organs in your body. The kidneys regulate wastes and fluid and work to keep the right concentration to keep your body functioning properly. If you have renal disease, your kidneys cannot function properly. Because of this, it is important to control the amount of electrolytes and fluid in your blood, through your diet. This may include reducing the sodium in your diet.
Symptoms of Excess Sodium
If your kidneys do not function properly, too much sodium in your body causes your body to retain water. As a result, you may experience swollen ankles, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath and a general swelling, referred to as edema. Fluid may also accumulate around your heart and lungs. To reduce the amount of water your body retains, you must reduce the sodium in your diet.
Sodium Recommendations
Your doctor or dietitian will recommend a specific sodium restriction based on your level of kidney function. Some renal patients are allowed a 2 g, or 2,000 mg, sodium diet, while others are restricted to only 1 g, or 1,000 mg, of sodium per day. Work closely with your health care team to determine the proper amount of sodium for you, and stay within these guidelines. It is important to remember that this restriction includes all of the sodium in your diet -- from added salt, processed foods and foods that naturally contain sodium.
Read Labels
Reading labels is a vital aspect of following a low-sodium diet. Sodium is commonly used as a preservative in packaged foods because it maintains freshness and increases shelf-life. The National Kidney Foundation suggests avoiding a food if it contains more than 500 mg of sodium per serving. You should also avoid any foods that contain salt or sodium listed within the first five ingredients on the label. Ingredients are listed in order of their weight by volume.
Labels can also help you find lower-sodium versions of your favorite foods. Foods that contain the labels "Light" or "Lite in Sodium" contain at least 50 percent less sodium than their conventional counterparts. Low-sodium foods contain less than 140 mg of sodium per serving, while very low sodium indicates less than 35 mg of sodium per serving. The label "Sodium-Free" indicates that the food contains only a trivial amount of sodium.
What to Avoid
The easiest way to significantly reduce the amount of sodium in your diet is to avoid processed foods, especially canned soups, frozen dinners, macaroni and cheese, canned vegetables, vegetable juice and cheese. Also avoid any cured foods or lunch meats, such as bacon, ham, hot dogs, deli meats, sausage, pastrami and pickles. Salted snacks, like popcorn, pretzels, nuts, crackers and potato chips, also contribute a significant amount of sodium to your diet. Avoid table salt and salty seasonings, such as garlic salt, lemon pepper, celery salt, onion salt and bouillon cubes, as well.
Warnings
While salt substitutes may be safe for some renal patients, they can cause serious complications in others. Salt substitutes contain potassium instead of sodium, which is also regulated by the kidneys. If you are also on a potassium restriction, using salt substitutes can cause dangerous increases in potassium that can lead to heart attack. Instead of replacing the salt in your diet with salt substitutes, try flavoring your food with sodium-free spices, fresh herbs or citrus juices.
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