Eating Three Foods Daily, a 38-Year-Old Man with Stage 4 Kid.ney Failure Sees an Unexpected Turnaround After 8 Months

Without taking medication, the man’s kidney function improved significantly thanks to dietary changes.

“Obesity alone can silently destroy the kidneys,” warned Dr. Lee Tang-Yueh, a family physician and weight-loss specialist in Taiwan (China), while sharing a case that shocked many. The patient was a 38-year-old man working in the insurance industry, with a busy schedule, frequent business dinners, and irregular eating habits over many years.

Standing 1.75 meters tall and weighing 95 kg, his daily diet was dominated by foods high in fat, salt, and sugar, along with a regular habit of drinking sugary beverages. At first, he only felt persistent fatigue and didn’t consider it serious. However, a routine health check delivered a startling result: his kidney function had declined to stage 4 kidney failure, and inflammatory markers were significantly elevated, with an inflammation index of 1.7 mg/dL, far above the recommended level of under 0.3 mg/dL.

The patient was confused, believing he was “just a bit overweight,” with no diabetes or high blood pressure, and couldn’t understand why his kidneys were so severely damaged. Dr. Lee explained that excess body fat doesn’t just change appearance—it acts like an endocrine organ, constantly releasing inflammatory substances that push the body into chronic inflammation. During this process, the kidneys are among the most vulnerable organs.

He emphasized that many people mistakenly think kidney disease only affects those with diabetes or hypertension. In reality, obesity alone, if prolonged, can quietly impair kidney function without obvious symptoms.

Notably, the treatment approach did not rely on strong medications. Instead, it focused on protecting the kidneys and reducing inflammation through diet and lifestyle changes. The doctor guided the patient to adopt a healthier eating pattern:

• Replacing refined carbohydrates with whole grains such as black rice and purple rice

• Increasing a variety of colorful vegetables to boost anti-inflammatory plant compounds

• Prioritizing fish as the main protein source, while strictly limiting fried foods, salty braised dishes, and processed meats

Without medication—only through dietary and lifestyle adjustments—after 8 months, the man’s weight dropped from 95 kg to 80 kg. More importantly, systemic inflammation decreased markedly, the burden on his kidneys was reduced, and kidney function showed clear signs of improvement.

From this case, Dr. Lee stressed that kidney damage does not happen overnight. It is the result of long-term neglect of the body’s warning signs. Cutting back on processed foods, limiting sugary drinks, increasing whole, minimally processed foods, and maintaining a stable daily routine are simple yet powerful “kidney-protective actions” that anyone can practice every day.