Chennai: With Christmas, New Year and Pongal fast approaching, there is always the possibility of consuming more food, than what one would usually eat.
Apollo Dialysis Clinics’ Consultant Nephrologist Dr Venkatesh however warns of the impact this overeating will have on the kidneys.
“The body absorbs nutrients from the gut and then the liver metabolises them. The more an individual eats, the more kidneys need to excrete. So overeating a lot of substances can increase the protein intake and put a strain on the kidneys. It is a lot for the kidneys to handle excess amounts of calories and other proteins,” he says.
“Overeating can pose a major life threat to dialysis patients, they need to keep a track of their diet chart well in place before the season sets in. Intake of heavy meals with lots of proteins and carbohydrates affects the kidneys impacting the liver, pancreas and the heart. Creamy food items, fatty food meals, cakes, chocolates, sweets and desserts are rich in potassium which causes extreme heartburn,” he adds.
“It is stated by the medical experts that the normal amount of food taken by an individual having kidney disease, does put pressure on the kidneys, now when they overeat or consume large quantities, it creates extra stress on an overworking half functioning kidney. It makes the condition even worse and results in kidney dysfunction. However few cases show the presence of kidney stones which grow in size post the Christmas season. It not only causes obstruction or pain but also results in kidney failure in extreme conditions if not taken care of,” he says.