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Know your blood/ serum Creatinine

creatinine-private-blood-tests-in-london

When it comes to blood tests, most are aware of blood sugar, cholesterol or haemoglobin levels. In the current times, we also know about Vitamin B12, D, and Calcium etc. But, have you ever come across “blood/serum creatinine levels”?

Recently, I came across somebody I know well with high levels of high blood/ serum creatinine levels. And, observed there is a lot of confusion between “Blood/serum creatinine levels” & “creatinine” that one takes as a supplement while working out in the gym. These are two different things. In this blog, I am talking about –Blood Creatinine.

What does it means when you have high blood creatinine levels?

Creatinine is produced in the body constantly. It is a by-product of creatinine phosphate in the muscle. Its value depends on the muscle mass that one has. Creatinine is carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys. It is filtered out by the kidneys and thrown out of the body through urine. The kidneys maintain the creatinine levels in the blood to a normal range. A creatinine level is an indicator of kidney function. High creatinine levels is a warning for impaired kidney function.

High level of creatinine is found during:

  1. Impaired kidney function
  2. kidney disease like glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis
  3. Prostate disease
  4. Kidney Stones (urinary tract blockage)
  5. Heart disease
  6. Diabetes
  7. Medicines like ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist (or angiotensin receptor blocker, ARB) taken.

creatinine-blood-test-s1-illustration

Creatinine Blood Test should be done if following symptoms are seen:

  1. fatigue and trouble sleeping
  2. loss of appetite
  3. swelling in the face, wrists, ankles, or abdomen
  4. lower back pain near the kidneys
  5. changes in urine output and frequency
  6. high blood pressure
  7. nausea
  8. vomiting

Normal Values of the Creatinine in Blood:

In male – 0.6 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

In female – 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

Infant – 0.2 milligram per dl of blood or above (due to less muscle mass).

A person with one kidney – 1.8 to 1.9 milligram per dl of the blood.

Lifestyle & Dietary modifications for high creatinine:

  1. Reduce water/fluid intake: Fluid intake needs to be monitored. Do not restrict fluids unless there is a fluid overload problem. If fluid retention is a problem, limit salt intake.
  1. Limit salt intake (Sodium): You should control the amount of salt going through the food. Add minimum salt as required. High sodium will cause water retention. Cut down on salt, cheese, pickles, instant soups, roasted and salted seeds and nuts & all types of fast foods. Specifically, avoid canned foods.
  1. Limit Potassium: Low-salt substitutes are not good either, as they contain high levels of potassium. Restricted eating high potassium containing such as tomato, potato, nuts and chocolates etc.
  1. Limit Phosphorus: Excess phosphorus can cause total kidney failure as well as bone disease and heart ailments. Reduce dairy products including milk, curd, and cheese. Cut down intake of foods like Shellfish, nuts, soya bean foods etc.
  1. Control Calcium: It is another concern for kidney patients, causing serious bone disease in later years if not controlled.
  1. Low protein diet: Low protein diet is recommended to reduce creatinine level. This avoids build-up of excess urea.
  1. Cigarettes and Alcohol: kill you anyway and, also does not help in the case of high Creatinine either.
  1. With diet control, the portion size also matters. If you eat in excess, the nutritional value changes considerably.
  1. Be active & Exercise regularly: High-intensity exercise could lead to impressive results. It may also help lower your risk for high blood pressure and diabetes which are the two main causes that lead to developing CKD (Chronic Kidney Diseases).

 Fruits and vegetables that are advised/not advised in kidney diseases:

  • It is advisable to take peaches, broccoli, onion, grapes, cabbage, pepper, cherries, cauliflower, apples, celery, berries, cucumber, pineapple, eggs, plums, green beans, tangerine, lettuce, watermelon and pears.
  • Restrict the intake of oranges and orange juice, asparagus, avocado, kiwi fruit, raisins or other dried fruits, bananas, cooked spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, prunes, etc.

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Myths and Facts about Dieting

diet myths

Dieting is synonymous with Weight loss. But what does dieting mean? There is a lot of misconception among people that going on a diet means not eating enough food is dieting.

Let’s clear this misconception by proper examples and scientific approach.

1. Dieting means to skip meals?

The major misconception that leads to health risk is skipping meals which people assume will help them to achieve weight loss. Skipping meals will only increase acidity levels, more food cravings and large portion size. The sensible approach is to take lesser quantity food at regular intervals what we call as “small ad frequent meals”.

2.Reducing calories

Reducing calories doesn’t mean you skip your major course meals, for instance, skipping rice, roti or oats. The smart approach is to fill your stomach with low calorie and more fluid foods. If you take a salad plate include more cucumber and sprouts which will fill your stomach with a good amount of food but are low in calories.

3.Restrict non-vegetarian food

The non-vegetarian food contains all the essential amino acids that lack in vegetarian or vegan food. However, food preference is a matter of choice for each individual. If you choose chicken, fish or lean beef you are probably increasing proteins in your diet. Make sure the portion size is not more. Your plate should have more of low calorie, high protein food and less of calorie dense food.

4. Cut back on carbs to lose weight.

Carbohydrates come in different forms: simple and complex. Simple carbs found in foods like cookies and candy lack vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Cutting back on these sweets is a great way to eat healthier. Foods with complex carbs like whole-wheat bread, beans, and fruit, have lots of nutrients that are good for you. Cut back on simple carbs but keep complex carbs on the menu.

5. You need fat in your diet. Fat keeps you full and satisfied.

Fat is the slowest food component to clear the stomach. For ages, it was assumed that fatty foods slow digestion and keep you feeling full longer. Recent research proves that the proportion of sugar and fat has little or no difference in satiety ratings. What’s more, fat actually has twice the calories of protein or carbohydrates. In reality, protein tends to leave people feeling more satisfied than either carbohydrates or fat while fibre and whole grains affect feelings of fullness and satisfaction. To stay full longer, eat healthy foods that are high in fibre, like fruits and veggies and lots of healthy whole grains.

6. Only dieting will promote weight loss.

Weight loss is 50% with proper diet (as mentioned above) and 50% with exercise. You need to burn already stored calories in the body to lose weight. Extra calories and extra carbs are converted into fat in the body for storage. Extra proteins get converted to uric acid. You need to burn out and eliminate that extra energy. Choose exercise from low intensity to gradually increasing to moderate and then high.

7.Detoxification is the quickest way to lose weight.

The truth is that while detox actually does help you lose weight very quickly, most of the weight loss is body water and the weight will come right back on as soon as you stop doing it. Detox can also help you lose stool through diarrhoea and that will cause your weight to drop fast but as soon as you eat, the stool will build up again. You can lose only so much weight when participating in a cleanse diet. It is much better to lose weight the conventional way—through eating a low-calorie diet and exercising in order to lose the extra pounds.

 

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What should you eat before your workout?

pre workout meals1

It is a commonly known fact that workouts are necessary for the maintenance and well-being of our system. While working is on everybody’s mind, must also work out with the sole aim of wanting to reduce their weight. To achieve your weight loss goals proper diet combined with exercise is the best

For all those wanting to start their workout regime has to bear in mind that one cannot exercise without having something to eat as diet and exercise go hand in hand. In fact. Diet contributes 70% and exercises 30% to achieve the desired results. But 70% diet does not mean you have to eat less, it means that you eat the right meal at the right time and in the right proportion. Hence it is very necessary to look into your pre-work meals.

Why proper pre-workout meals are necessary!

One of the reasons to have something to eat before you start your work out is to protect your muscles from overstrain by reducing the glycogen depletion and the breakdown of the muscle protein. Also, the levels of the stress hormone called cortisol can be maintained at the optimal level by giving your body the proper nutrition that it needs.

Pre-workout meals should be a combination of complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates for a slow and steady release of energy throughout your workout. Along with carbohydrates adding a small amount of protein helps to decrease the exercise-induced muscle loss. When you exercise, blood flow is diverted away from your digestive system to your muscles. Hence one should avoid meals which take time to digest like meals high in fats and fibre.

Ideally, if you work out in the mid-day, afternoon or in the evening one should eat about 2-3 hours before the workout to give time for your system to move the food out of the stomach and begin digestion and absorption. Some of the examples of pre work out meals can be whole wheat toast with banana and low-fat yoghurt and fruit smoothies with some granola bar or any traditional Indian balanced meal.

For early morning workouts, your glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and blood sugar levels are low. The time between your last meal at night and early morning, tend to be between 10-12 hours. During this overnight fast, your glycogen stores slowly decline because it is being used up to keep various bodily functions going while you sleep. So for early morning workouts, eating a small amount of rapidly digestible carbohydrate like any seasonal fruit be the best choice.

I have put down a list of few foods that you can have a workout! By feeding your system with proper nutrition before any form of exercise you can achieve positive results

#Fruits: 

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The consumption of fruits with a high glycemic index can be ideal for a workout. The high GI fruits not only contain low fat but also contain easily digestible sugars. This helps the food to digest well before the workout and the necessary fuel needed for a vigorous workout is also obtained. Also, you do not feel this healthy snack bouncing in your stomach while exercising, thus relieving you of an uncomfortable feeling. Some of the fruits which can be consumed are the banana, apple, mango, pineapple, watermelon, etc.

#DryFruits – Almonds and Walnuts:

dried fruits

Dried fruits, as well as nuts like almonds and walnuts, can be an excellent pre-workout snack. Firstly, they get digested very fast and thus you can grab a hand full of the nuts just before you head to the gym. Also, they comprise of carbohydrates, which can be easily broken down and provide you with the necessary energy during a vigorous exercise.

#Chia Seeds: 

cia seeds

Packed with powerful antioxidants, omega-3 fats and proteins, chia seeds can form a perfect pre-workout meal. These help in getting the much-needed energy, strength and stamina, you can safely vouch for chia seeds.

#Oatmeal: 

oatmeal

Rich in fibre and vitamin B content, oatmeal can be voted as another best pre-workout food. Because of a large amount of fibre in it, it gets digested slowly, providing a steady release of energy into the bloodstream. This can keep your energy levels up for a long time.

But a word of #caution! Oatmeal gives best results during a workout when consumed at least half an hour before you hit the gym.

#Lemon and Honey water: 

lemon honey water

To start your day fresh before a workout, you can consume lemon and honey water. The honey and lemon combination can give you the much-needed energy to sustain throughout the workout. Being an excellent detoxifier, drinking this is a sure way to achieve your weight loss goals.

#Yogurt: 

Packed with protein content, yogurt should be had well before workouts. It prevents muscle damage and when combined with fruits, it can form an excellent pre-workout snack.

Have a happy workout by consuming the above-listed foods and stay fit and healthy!

 

 

 

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Are you having your fruits the right way?

fruits

Fruits are a great choice when it comes to eating healthy. But, that’s not all, there is more to it. Having fruits at the right time, in the right form and the right combination is important. A common mistake, I have observed among people is the wrong way of consuming fruits.

Let’s see what they are:

  1. Having fruits with meals or post meal
  2. Having fruits late evening or night (post-dinner)
  3. Having fruit juices

The above mentioned are certainly not the right way of consuming fruits and is harmful. Let us take a look at each of these in a detailed manner.

  1. Having fruits with meals or post meal

Our meals contain lots of sugar & calories. All carbohydrates sources like rice, bread, chapatti etc. are finally broken down to sugars in our digestive system. Other components like dal, curds, chicken, eggs, and fish have proteins. Calories come from all these foods. Fruits contain natural sugar – fructose. Though natural it is still sugar.  Adding a fruit to it will increase the calorie load. When fruits are consumed along with lunch or dinner, the excess sugar from fruits has a higher chance of turning into fats. The body always stores excess sugar as fats. Moreover, the combination of fruits with other foods might turn poisonous. When fruits are mixed with other food it creates digestive disorders. This cause indigestion, gas and bloating.

fruit 2

  1. Having fruits in the late evening or night (post-dinner)

There is a simple reason why you should avoid fruits in the late evenings or at night. Our activity reduces towards the end of the day. Calories or sugars that we eat the food get utilised (burnt) when we are active. Fruits have a natural source of sugar-fructose. We do not need this sugar during the night when our activity levels are low. The extra sugar from fruits gas high chances of getting converted into fat. Thereby increasing the body’s fat %.

People who have the night shift or sportspersons having a game in the late evening can go for fruits at this time.

 

fruits 3

  1. Having fruit juices

This is one of the common mistakes that I have observed. In fact, this very aspect provoked me to write this article. We have fruit juice out of the notion that it is very healthy or just a plain convenience. But, did you know that it is harming us in a big way?  Fruit juice lacks fibres. A juice is taken out from relatively more quantity of fruits than what one can eat in one serving. As compared to this, we get all the fibres when we eat a whole fruit.  Fibres help in removing the toxins & wastes from your body. When we have juice we tend to have it faster as compared to eating fruit pieces.  Having a fruit juice raises blood sugar level faster. Whereas eating fruits in pieces is fibre rich and brings the Glycemic Index (GI) of the food down. Glycaemic Index is the rate at which sugar is absorbed into the blood. It is very important for having blood sugar levels maintained for Diabetic, pre-diabetic or even for a normal person.

Believe me, the satiety value is much more when you bite into a fresh, juicy fruit. All those who are having sweet cravings, try having a fresh fruit and see how dramatically you get that feel good factor!

Fruit juices can be had by elderly, sick people with digestive disorders. Sportsperson with very high activity levels can have it post-game/ exercise.

In a nutshell

  1. Have fruits as a mid-meal (in between your meals). Few best times are
  2. As soon as you wake up 6-8 am
  3. Mid-morning meal 11 am
  4. Evening snacks 4-5 pm
  5. Avoid fruits post 6 pm or late night unless you have high activity
  6. Always opt for a whole fruit & ditch the juice

 

 

 

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