Staying Fit With Kidney Disease (2024)

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Physical fitness is very important in today's world. Everyone is enjoying the benefits of greater strength and feeling better. Exercise keeps your body strong and healthy.

Can I take part in vigorous physical activity?

Yes. People who decide to follow an exercise program are stronger and have more energy.

How does exercise benefit me?

With exercise, it becomes easier to get around, do your necessary tasks and still have some energy left over for other activities you enjoy.

In addition to increased energy, other benefits from exercise may include:

  • Improved muscle physical functioning
  • Better blood pressure control
  • Improved muscle strength
  • Lowered level of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides)
  • Better sleep
  • Better control of body weight

Do I need to see my doctor before starting exercise?

Yes. Before beginning any exercise program, be sure to check with your doctor.

When planning a directed exercise program, you need to look at four things:

  • Type of exercise
  • Length of time you spend exercising
  • How often you exercise
  • How hard you work while exercising.

Here are some tips on each:

Type of Exercise

Choose continuous activity such as walking, swimming, bicycling (indoors or out), skiing, aerobic dancing or any other activities in which you need to move large muscle groups continuously.

Low-level strengthening exercises may also be beneficial as part of your program. Design your program to use low weights and high repetitions, and avoid heavy lifting.

How Long to Exercise

Work toward 30 minutes a session. You should build up gradually to this level.

There is nothing magical about 30 minutes. If you feel like walking 45 to 60 minutes, go ahead. Just be sure to follow the advice listed under "When should I stop exercising?" in this brochure.

How Often to Exercise

Exercise at least three days a week. These should be non-consecutive days, for example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Three days a week is the minimum requirement to achieve the benefits of your exercise.

How Hard to Work While Exercising

This is the most difficult to talk about without knowing your own exercise capacity. Usually, the following ideas are helpful:

  • Your breathing should not be so hard that you cannot talk with someone exercising with you. (Try to get an exercise partner such as a family member or a friend.) You should feel completely normal within one hour after exercising. (If not, slow down next time.)
  • You should not feel so much muscle soreness that it keeps you from exercising the next session.
  • The intensity should be a "comfortable push" level.
  • Start out slowly each session to warm up, then pick up your pace, then slow down again when you are about to finish.

The most important thing is to start slowly and progress gradually, allowing your body to adapt to the increased levels of activity.

When should I exercise?

Try to schedule your exercise into your normal day. Here are some ideas about when to exercise:

  • Wait one hour after a large meal
  • Avoid the very hot times of the day
  • Morning or evening seems to be the best time for exercising
  • Do not exercise less than an hour before bedtime

When should I stop exercising?

  • If you feel very tired
  • If you are short of breath
  • If you feel chest pain
  • If you feel irregular or rapid heart beats
  • If you feel sick to your stomach
  • If you get leg cramps
  • If you feel dizzy or light-headed.

Are there any times when I should not exercise?

Yes. You should not exercise without talking with your doctor if any of the following occurs:

  • You have a fever
  • You have changed your dialysis schedule
  • You have changed your medicine schedule
  • Your physical condition has changed
  • You have eaten too much
  • The weather is very hot and humid, unless you exercise in an air-conditioned place
  • You have joint or bone problems that become worse with exercise

If you stop exercising for any of these reasons, speak to your doctor before beginning again.

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Last Reviewed: 05/09/2024

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© 2024 National Kidney Foundation Inc.

Staying Fit With Kidney Disease (2024)

FAQs

Can you live 30 years with stage 3 kidney disease? ›

As mentioned before, stage 3 kidney disease can be managed efficiently when diagnosed early. Although it may be different for every patient since their lifestyle factors play an important role, the average life expectancy for people diagnosed at 40 is 28 years for women and 24 for men.

What are the restrictions with chronic kidney disease? ›

Limit or avoid high-potassium foods such as milk, and milk products (like cheese and yogurt), nuts and seeds, whole grains, legumes, bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, avocado, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and tomato products (like sauce and paste), broccoli, cooked greens, and sweet potatoes.

How long does it take to go from stage 3 kidney disease to stage 4? ›

Research shows that about half of patients of stage 3 CKD progressed to a more advanced stage during 10 years. Some people also end up with complications from CKD, such as cardiovascular disease that affects their overall life expectancy.

What is the best thing to drink for your kidneys? ›

We'll go through five drinks and juices that can help your kidneys function at their best.
  1. Water. About 60% to 70% of your body is water. ...
  2. Low-fat milk. ...
  3. Coffee. ...
  4. Green tea. ...
  5. Unsweetened cranberry juice.

How much water should you drink a day with stage 3 kidney disease? ›

The National Kidney Foundation recommends for people with stages I and II chronic kidney disease (CKD) to consume 8 glasses of water per day and those with stages III, IV, and V CKD to limit water consumption. It is best to discuss your water and salt consumption with your doctor.

How long does it take to go from stage 1 to stage 5 kidney disease? ›

Kidney disease progresses at different rates for different people, and it can take between two and five years to pass between different stages.

Which exercise is best for the kidneys? ›

Choose continuous activity such as walking, swimming, bicycling (indoors or out), skiing, aerobic dancing or any other activities in which you need to move large muscle groups continuously. Low-level strengthening exercises may also be beneficial as part of your program.

What protein is easiest on the kidneys? ›

Plant-based protein like beans and nuts are easier on the kidneys than animal proteins like meat and dairy products. This is because plant proteins produce less acid in the body than meat proteins. More acid in body can damage the kidneys.

What damages the kidneys the most? ›

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney disease. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But also heart disease and obesity can contribute to the damage that causes kidneys to fail.

What are two drugs not to be used in kidney disease? ›

5 Drugs You May Need to Avoid or Adjust if You Have Kidney...
  • Cholesterol medications. The dosing of certain cholesterol medications, known as "statins", may need to be adjusted if you have chronic kidney disease.
  • Pain medications. ...
  • Anti-microbial meds. ...
  • Diabetes medications. ...
  • Upset stomach/antacid medications.

What is poor man's dialysis? ›

Also referred to as prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT) —and sometimes derided as "poor man's CRRT"—SLED is a hybrid form of dialysis that takes the best parts of intermittent hemodialysis and continuous RRT. Some of the goals of this modality are: 1.

Should I worry if I have stage 3 kidney disease? ›

How serious is Stage 3 CKD? You might think of Stage 3 CKD as a "middle stage" of kidney disease. Your kidneys are damaged, but they still work well enough that you do not need dialysis or a kidney transplant. Kidney disease often cannot be cured in Stage 3, and damage to your kidneys normally is not reversible.

What heals kidneys fast? ›

Following are some natural remedies that can help you take care of your kidneys.
  • Stay hydrated. The most common reason for the formation of kidney problems is lack of water. ...
  • Stay hydrated. ...
  • Vitamin C. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Apples. ...
  • Kidney beans. ...
  • Lemon juice and honey. ...
  • Watch blood pressure.
Dec 13, 2021

Which fruit is best for the kidneys? ›

Here are 10 colorful, high-antioxidant foods for the kidney diet.
  1. Cranberries. Cranberries add a distinctive zing to sweet breads, muffins and other recipes like Easy Cranberry Salad. ...
  2. Plums. Black plums are higher in antioxidants than red. ...
  3. Blueberries. ...
  4. Blackberries/raspberries. ...
  5. Garlic. ...
  6. Apples. ...
  7. Strawberries. ...
  8. Red Bell Peppers.

Has anyone ever reversed stage 3 kidney disease? ›

Although kidney disease cannot be reversed, identifying CKD early is key to slowing the progression to delay or, in some cases, prevent dialysis. People with CKD stages 1–4 can potentially manage symptoms with medical supervision.

Is stage 3 kidney disease progressive? ›

In stage 3a CKD, you are at increased risk for your CKD getting worse and you are at risk for heart disease (even if your uACR is lower than 30). As your uACR number goes up, your risks of developing heart disease and CKD progression (worsening) both go up dramatically (as seen in the figure below).

What is the lowest GFR you can live with? ›

Stages of chronic kidney disease
Stage of CKDGFR (mL/min)Action to take
330–59Evaluate and treat any complications
415–29Prepare for transplant or dialysis
5< 15Start dialysis or get a transplant (if uremia is present) New evidence says dialysis should start by a GFR of 6, or sooner if there are symptoms.
2 more rows

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