Detection

• According to the Cleveland Clinic, if you suffer from diabetic nephropathy, the definitive marker of your condition is the presence of abnormally high amounts of the blood protein albumin in your urine. This condition is known as macroalbuminruria. Your doctor may also detect other signs of kidney degradation, including abnormal results of tests that measure your ability to excrete certain waste products in your urine. As your kidney damage worsens, you may experience symptoms including high blood pressure (hypertension), swelling in your ankles or legs, itching, weakness, decrease in your red blood cells (anemia), nausea, vomiting and an increase in urination, especially at night.
  
  

Sodium

• Diet affects the progress of your diabetic nephropathy in two main ways. First, your condition can make you extremely sensitive to sodium, and your daily sodium intake can have serious effects on your level of hypertension. Minimizing your daily sodium can help you meet hypertension goals set by your doctor, and can also significantly lower your risk for stroke. Additional benefits include decreases in any abnormal enlargement of your heart muscle caused by hypertension (a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy), as well as a decrease in the protein in your urine. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic recommend a daily sodium intake of 2.3 grams or lower.
  
  

Protein

• Excess protein consumption can also worsen the effects of your diabetic nephropathy. This is true because the breakdown of proteins in your body creates a relatively large amount of waste that must be excreted through your urine. When added to the excessive protein content in your urine triggered by nephropathy, large amounts of dietary protein can potentially increase your rate of kidney degradation. To keep your nephropathy under control, you may need to lower your protein intake to a daily range between 0.8 grams for every kilogram of your body weight and 0.6 grams per kilogram. You may also need to avoid the use of any protein supplement products. Consult your doctor for specific guidelines on protein restriction.
  
  

Diabetes

• Beyond the particular dietary requirements of diabetic nephropathy, you will also need to follow a general dietary plan to manage your diabetes. In particular, you will need to eat a combination of carbohydrates, fat and protein that allows you to properly control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. If you take insulin to treat your diabetes, you may need to adjust your daily insulin dosages based on your food intake. Consult your doctor for the details of food's relationship to diabetes and insulin use. You may also consult a nutritionist for help in proper meal planning and sodium and protein control.