Kidney Disease Eye Disease Nerve Disease Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol

Diabetic Nephropathy
Diabetic nephropathy occurs when there is too much inflammation and glucose in the bloodstream, clogging the small capillaries that feed into the kidneys. In addition, there is an excess amount of acid waste in the blood that further clogs these small capillaries. The accumulation of calcium (due to the extra insulin) and acid waste in the kidneys causes the formation of kidney stones and ultimately causes kidney cells to die. Because kidney cells cannot be regenerated or repaired, the remaining cells have to work that much harder to filter substances from the blood.

To help with the filtering process, the heart increases the flow of blood plasma to the kidneys, which in turn elevates blood pressure. As the kidney cells continue to die, the risk of kidney failure increases dramatically. This eventually leads to one or both of the kidneys losing their ability to function properly, characterized by high protein levels in the urine. Alcohol, tobacco, conventional animal meat, and many of the other “dead” processed foods accelerate the deterioration of the kidneys.

Each kidney is comprised of more than a million units called nephrons. Each nephron has a tuft of blood vessels called a glomerulus. The glomerulus filters blood and forms urine, which drains down into collecting ducts to the ureter. The earliest detectable change in the course of diabetic nephropathy is a thickening in the glomerulus. At this stage, the kidney may start allowing more albumin (protein) than normal in the urine, and this can be detected by sensitive tests for albumin. This stage is called “microalbuminuria” (micro refers to the small amounts of albumin). As diabetic nephropathy progresses, increasing numbers of glomeruli are destroyed. This increases the amounts of albumin being excreted in the urine, and may be detected by ordinary urinalysis techniques. At this stage, a kidney biopsy clearly shows diabetic nephropathy.

Protein may appear in the urine for five to ten years before other symptoms develop. High blood pressure often accompanies diabetic nephropathy. Over time, the kidney’s ability to function starts to decline.

Diabetic nephropathy may eventually lead to chronic kidney failure. The disorder continues to progress toward end-stage kidney disease, usually within two to six years after the appearance of high protein in the urine (proteinuria).

Diabetic nephropathy is the most common cause of chronic kidney failure and end-stage kidney disease in the United States. People with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are at risk. The risk is higher if blood glucose levels are poorly controlled. However, once nephropathy develops, the greatest rate of progression is seen in patients with high blood pressure.

Diabetic nephropathy is generally accompanied by other diabetic complications including high blood pressure, retinopathy, and vascular (blood vessel) changes, although these may not be obvious during the early stages of nephropathy. Nephropathy may be present for many years before high protein in the urine or chronic kidney failure develops.

Diagnosis & Tests
The first laboratory abnormality is a positive microalbuminuria test, which implies that you are very likely to develop diabetic nephropathy. Most often, the diagnosis is suspected when a routine urinalysis of a person with diabetes shows too much protein in the urine (proteinuria). The urinalysis may also show glucose in the urine, especially if blood glucose is poorly controlled.

There may or may not be signs of other diabetic complications. High blood pressure may be present or develop rapidly and may be difficult to control. Serum creatinine and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) may increase as kidney damage progresses. If there is any doubt in the diagnosis, a kidney biopsy may be performed to confirm the diagnosis and to study the extent of the disease.

Foods and nutrients such as filtered water, celery, cucumbers, lemons, limes, and cranberries nourish, protect and cleanse the kidneys and the bladder. Refer to the wellness protocol section in this chapter for more details.