Pyelonephritis is an infectious disease of the kidneys. Due to physiological characteristics, women and children are most often affected by it. It may also be affected by older men who have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or prostate adenoma. In this case, the success of treatment largely depends not only on the right medicines, but also on following a special diet.
Most common causes
You can get pyelonephritis at any age. The most common cause of the development of pathology is hypothermia. Pyelonephritis can also be a complication after a flu or a cold. Women of childbearing age are most susceptible to him because of sexual activity, pregnancy and childbirth. Among other things, very often the inflammatory process develops due to urolithiasis and attacks of renal colic. All of the above pathologies are accompanied by a violation of the outflow of urine, which, in turn, provides the possibility of unhindered reproduction by pathogens. That is why it is so important to follow a diet for pyelonephritis - table 7, which helps to restore the normal functioning of the kidneys and prevents the development of inflammatory processes.
Main manifestations
Pyelonephritis can be accompanied by a variety of symptoms. Usually it all starts with an increase in body temperature. Often developing inflammation in the kidneys is accompanied by severe back pain, nausea, and even vomiting. With a complicated history (for example, the presence of urolithiasis), renal colic may begin. If the treatment is untimely, then the disease with a high degree of probability will turn into a chronic form. When the first symptoms of pyelonephritis appear, the diet should be strictly observed.
How to eat?
The main goal of following diet 7 for pyelonephritis is to minimize the burden on the kidneys. Regardless of where the patient is (at home or in a hospital), he must increase the amount of fluid consumed in accordance with the recommendations of the doctor. A very important role is given to milk and products from it. Fermented baked milk, kefir, cream - all these drinks have a good diuretic effect. It is also worth consuming more cottage cheese, soft unsalted cheese and sour cream. Among other things, these products help in the restoration of the intestines, whose microflora suffers during the treatment of the disease with antibiotics.
With pyelonephritis, the diet must necessarily include fresh and boiled vegetables. It is permissible to steam them. It will also be useful to eat raw vegetables, because they contain a large amount of vitamins.
With this disease, the human body is especially in need of potassium. It is found in large quantities in meat and fish, dried fruits and dairy products, bananas. Potassium is so important because it helps to normalize the water balance in the body. It also accelerates the elimination of toxic substances.
What not to eat?
Following a diet for pyelonephritis in adults (table 7) implies a complete rejection of certain foods. First of all, you should refrain from canned food, smoked meats and pickled food. Any salted foods are prohibited (meat, fish, cucumbers, mushrooms and so on).
You should refrain from various spices, including vinegar, mustard, pepper and hot sauces. Horseradish and onions also fall under the ban, both fried and raw.
As for sweets, you should refuse any chocolate delicacies and products that contain cocoa. Cakes and cakes should also be excluded.
Although you need to drink in large quantities, not all drinks are allowed. You should refrain from natural coffee, cocoa, sweet soda and citrus juices.
With pyelonephritis, the diet prescribes to reduce the amount of salt consumed. It should be reduced to 5 g per day or less. The fact is that salt retains fluid in the body. With this disease, this is extremely undesirable.
Daily ration
Adhering to diet 7 with pyelonephritis, the menu can be compiled something like this:
- For breakfast, loose buckwheat porridge boiled in water is acceptable. It can be supplemented with one soft-boiled egg. Weak tea allowed.
- During lunch, you can eat pancakes with berries.
- For lunch, it is allowed to cook lean borsch or boiled fish with baked potatoes.
- Jelly can become a jelly.
- For dinner, baked apples or cottage cheese casserole are allowed.
- Before going to bed, you can drink a decoction of bran.
If an exacerbation begins
Pyelonephritis is a dangerous disease. With its exacerbation, patients are usually prescribed to withstand one or two fasting days. On a diet with acute pyelonephritis, it is allowed to eat a large number of fruits and vegetables. Gourds can bring great benefits to the body. After the “fruit” days, the time comes for a vegetable-milk diet. It is aged for at least one week. If the patient has improved, then you can carefully enter other foods into the diet.
During the period of exacerbation, it is recommended to completely abandon fatty, fried, spicy and salty foods. Butter bans also fall under the ban. During exacerbation, one should refrain from fresh bakery products. It is necessary to completely limit any seasonings and spices.
Diet with exacerbation of pyelonephritis involves four meals a day. On an empty stomach and in between meals you should drink the allowed fluids. If the patient is prone to obesity, then the intake of carbohydrates is additionally limited.
The most useful during the period of exacerbation are various herbs and berries. You can cook from them various decoctions and drinks. Berries such as cranberries and lingonberries are allowed. From bearberry, knotweed and nettle, you can also prepare decoctions. All these drinks based on natural raw materials have a pronounced diuretic effect. They contain a large amount of nutrients necessary for the body to recover. They also reduce the severity of inflammatory processes. In order to provide the body with the necessary amount of vitamins, it is recommended to brew tea from rose hips. It can be replaced with blackcurrant or mountain ash. You can drink such a decoction two to three times a day before meals.
In chronic course
If acute pyelonephritis is not cured in time, there can be serious consequences. In such cases, the disease often goes into a chronic stage. This means that pyelonephritis can at any time go into acute form. To avoid this, you need to refrain from forbidden foods and enrich your diet with foods rich in animal proteins. There are many of them in low-fat varieties of meat, fish and poultry. A large amount of vegetables should be consumed daily, as well as foods that contain calcium. It is better to replace store bread with home-made bread made from wholemeal flour and without adding salt.
Once a week, so-called fasting days should be arranged. Only fruits and vegetables can be consumed at this time.
It is important to note that with chronic pyelonephritis, the diet is not a temporary measure. This healthy habit should be followed throughout life.
In children
Up to 7 years, the child may be prone to kidney inflammation due to the anatomical features of development. With pyelonephritis, the diet in children largely depends on age and body weight. If the disease was diagnosed in a preschooler or primary school student, then 1-2 unloading days will be required. At this time, the child should eat only fresh fruits and vegetables. In the future, it will be possible to diversify the diet with dairy products. Such a diet should be followed during the week. If there is a steady improvement in the patient’s condition, then you can begin to carefully introduce other permitted products into the diet.
The diet for pyelonephritis in children should also be not temporary, but permanent. This is necessary in order to minimize the risks of inflammatory processes. If constant adherence to the diet is not possible, then it is worth sticking to it at least for a year after the last manifestation of the disease.
During pregnancy
Expectant mothers often experience pyelonephritis. In this case, dietary adherence should be mandatory. This is due to the fact that during pregnancy many drugs are prohibited. In this regard, to save the situation helps a special menu. The diet of the future mother should consist of a large number of vegetables and fruits, which are rich in vitamins and fiber. If the inflammatory process is accompanied by rare stools, laxative herbal remedies are needed. In the menu you can turn on prunes and beets. As for the fluid consumed, you must follow the recommendations of your doctor. Pregnant women are usually prescribed to drink at least 2.5 liters of clean water per day.
Finally
Regardless of who exactly was diagnosed with pyelonephritis, the diet should be observed clearly and without liberties. If you neglect it, it can lead to an extremely slow recovery of the body and even exacerbations of the disease. It is necessary to exclude prohibited foods from the diet and follow the instructions of the attending physician, so that the disease will soon recede.