The lymphedema diet and what caregivers should know.

In this post last week, we talked about what lymphedema is and what caregivers can expect.

As we found out in that post, lypmhedema refers to swelling in the arms or feet due to a blocked lymphatic system.

In today’s post, we will explore what kind of diet is best for somebody with lymphedema.

The Lymphedema Diet – What you should know

If you want to help your loved one choose a diet that resolves lymphedema, pay attention to these.

Cut back on sodium

Foods that are high in salt contain a lot of sodium. The United States Centers for Disease Control recommends that an adult consumes 2,300mg of sodium per day. The average American adult consumes around 3,400mg of sodium per day.

Sodium also increases how much fluid your body retains.

When the amount of fluid the body retains in high, this increases blood pressure. And it will certainly increase the swelling or prevent swellings from resolving in a person with lymphedema.

Here are 3 tips on avoiding extra sodium in your food.

• Don’t use your salt shaker to add more salt to your food.
• Avoid or limit your fast food intake.
• Avoid already processed foods like soups and vegetables that come in a can. These contain extra salt to help with food preservation. But that extra salt can be harmful to your health.

Drink more water

This may sound counter-intuitive – however it is important in helping to resolve lymphedema.

When the body is dehydrated, the nervous system “informs” the body to retain more water.

This can lead to lymphedema not resolving or becoming worse.

Providing the body with sufficient water will also help the liver and kidneys detoxify the body better so that toxic material that build up and block the lymphatic system are flushed out.

Here are 3 tips on how to drink more water.

• If you don’t like the taste of water, cut fruit into it (limes, lemons etc) to make it more palatable.
• Drink a glass of water right after you finish brushing your teeth in the morning.
• Drink a glass of water with each of your major meals of the day.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake

Your lymphatic system depends on proper blood circulation so that toxic material can be carried out of the body.

Just like your water pipes at home, if the lymphatic vessels that carry toxins out of your body are blocked, or constricted in any way, they won’t carry out their function.

Alcohol and caffeine are vasoconstrictors.

This means they constrict blood vessels. When the blood vessels constrict, it prevents the movement of blood into the lymphatic system. This results in the body retaining toxic materials.

Thus, it is important to reduce or completely avoid alcohol and caffeine intake to keep the body from continuing to retain fluids.

Bonus tip – Exercise

Exercise improves blood flow to different parts of the body.

It also has the added benefit of burning calories so you can stay healthy.

Including this alongside a diet low in sodium, alcohol and caffeine will help an affected individual reduce the risk of and resolve lymphedema.

A lymphedema diet that also takes into consideration fruits and vegetables that supply the body with immune-boosting minerals and vitamins is also helpful.

Stage 3 kidney disease and how to care for a loved one.

37 million people in the United States live with chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is divided into 5 stages that span across a spectrum. It can range from a mild disease to a severe one where the kidney may stop working altogether.

What do the kidneys do?

The kidneys are fist-sized organs in your body that are shaped like beans. Your kidneys filter your blood of any waste products. It helps you to balance fluid in your body

Your kidneys create urine by filtering your blood and so when a person passes urine, they are passing a direct product of the kidneys.

Without our kidneys, our bodies would retain fluid and waste substances that are toxic for the body.

Thus, when the kidneys are diseased, it can cause a great deal of distress for the person experiencing it and for caregivers.

How exactly do doctors determine the different stages of kidney disease?

Doctors measure the activity of the kidney using a measure called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

An eGFR of 90 suggests that kidneys are working at 90% of their capacity and usually this marks the lower end of stage 1 of kidney disease.

Stage 3 kidney disease has two distinct stages.

• Stage 3a – eGFR at this stage is between 45%-59%
• The next stage is Stage 3b – eGFR at this stage is between 30%-44%

During stage 3 kidney disease, an individual’s kidneys work at about half the capacity of a completely healthy kidney.

At this stage, many people don’t have symptoms of severe kidney disease.

As a caregiver, you may notice the following symptoms:

• swollen hands and feet
• complaints of back pain (kidneys are below the ribs and on either side of your spine)
• they pass urine more frequently

You may also notice high blood pressure – if you monitor this at home.

Because these symptoms are non-specific and could apply to other health problems, it is important that you encourage your loved one to visit their doctor who may then refer them to a kidney specialist known as a nephrologist.

It is important that you and your loved one do this to slow the progression of the disease.

Steps you can take to keep stage 3 kidney disease from getting worse

• Good diabetes control – Take everything into consideration here: from diet to insulin injections.
• Good blood pressure control – Ask your doctor about blood pressure medication. Lifestyle changes like daily exercise for at least 30 minutes per day can also help.
• Avoid smoking and tobacco use.
• Thirty minutes of exercise 5 times a week is recommended by experts to keep a healthy weight. This in turn improves blood pressure and helps with diabetes control.
• Continue to follow a healthy, balanced diet.
• Continue to collaborate with your nephrologist and primary care doctor on the best path of action to take for you.

As a caregiver, you can continue to provide supportive care and encourage your loved one to follow recommendations from medical experts.