@A DiabetesTeam Member It depends which doctor told you this. It also depends on your kidney function such as eGFR Or % of kidney function you have. If it is a specialist in kidney diseases then maybe they meant kidney diet. If you have any form of kidney diseases (which many long term diabetics develop over time), then this might also mean fluid restrictions. If your eGFR is above 60 % this is good news and maybe follow the flushing with more water as @A DiabetesTeam Member suggested, so less restrictions. If you are below 60 % kidney failure, no matter what kidney disease you may have (there are over 200 kidney diseases), then fluids are restricted, usually your doctor will refer you to a dietician or a pre dialysis clinic nurse, as there is a lot of food restrictions when in kidney failure. The diabetic diet clashes with the kidney diet, they are total opposite. Basically if you are in kidney failure, kidney diet is the most important thing to follow, I have seen people nearing dialysis and changing their diet for kidneys, they improved and postponed dialysis anywhere from 10 to 30 yrs in some cases. So we would need more information what your doctor meant about protecting your kidneys. I just looked at your profile story again and saw you have been diabetic a long time, so I presume your doctor meant your kidneys are having issues. You should ask for your % function or eGFR, this would help a lot as there are different stages of kidney failure. I also noticed you have had heart surgeries, sometimes this affects the kidney as in fluid retention, swelling of legs and so forth, also if you have high blood pressure usually fluids become restricted to help the kidneys a bit. I can maybe try and help you out a bit on that front, but need to know how much kidney function you have or what stage of kidney disease you have as in 1 to 5, as the diet works best in stage 1 through 3, there are sometimes benefit in stage 4 but not as much, stage 5 = dialysis at this point diet and fluids restrictions are even worse. Hope this helps a bit.

Basically knowing what % or stage of kidney issues you have helps a lot to further elaborate on kidney diet. Basically if you have any kind of kidney failure, the diabetic diet has to take the road and be replaced by the kidney diet, it will not be easy but if it can postpone further complications it might be worth looking into it. There is also the chicken vs the egg theory when it comes to kidney failure : The kidneys produce a hormone to keep blood pressure stable, so this hormone is affected once kidney failure sets in. So some people have kidney failure 1st which then causes high BP, but the contrary is also right, high BP causes kidney failure.

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A Diabete...

A Diabete...

The best, easiest, cheapest thing u can do is to Drink LOADS of fresh well chilled water every day, it flushes the toxins/bad crap completely out of ur kidneys resulting in clear or very light yellow pee/urine also cut down drastically on calcium cos it makes kidney stones. Check ur urine by looking when u pee, if it's a dark amber brown it's far too concentrated and harmful so dilute it by drinking LOADS of well chilled fresh water EVERY DAY, when ur pee is a very light yellow it's ok but having completely clear urine is PERFECTION and easy to achieve by drinking LOADS of water DAILY!

Thank you for the great information; I actually feel alot better and hopeful. Elmo Joanne and Graham great information. Prayers for your wife Graham; she sure has enough on her plate; and blessings too

If you are not on BP meds then you could ask the Doc about a Potassium Supplement but too much is not a good thing - the right amount can help keep things from getting worse - but the Doc can add a potassium level check to your normal blood work

(my wife is on a prescribed daily dosage (8 milliequivalents whatever the heck size that it - big orange pill) - not to "treat" but to try and protect - she has been taking so many pretty hard on the system meds for over 20 years that there is constant worry that the kidneys will just go on strike - I try never to focus on what it might be doing to her liver and kidneys)

Joanne; The GFR is 61 and my regular doctor says the kidneys are stable at this time. Every time I go I am told not to be concerned and I should do what I have been doing. All my numbers are excellent. I exercise every day; watch my blood pressures and sugar. I do have the AFIB that I am not a candidate for a pacemaker. My heart throws beats off the top middle and bottom of the heart. One thing I can control is the caffeine I am drinking and I will work on that. Thank you and Elmo for your responses; very much appreciated.