Healthy eating for renal patients

Eating well is an important part of your treatment and can help you feel better. Diet is essential part to your treatment process, not only will it help you feel better, it can also help you avoid complications of your renal disease such as fluid overload, high blood potassium, bone disease, and weight loss. Every individual is different and their needs unique, dietary advice should be given depending on a number of factors and discussion with your dietician.

Kidney function is essential for removing the waste material from food that you eat. The kidneys excrete a dietary protein called urea, as well as sodium, potassium, and phosphate. These substances can build up in the body if kidney function is impaired. Following a strict diet can lessen this accumulation and its effects.

Dietary Guidelines:

Fluid:

* Drink only when thirsty. Do not drink out of habit or to be social.

* Eat less salt so you will feel less thirsty.

* Take your medications with sips of fluid.

* When dining out, ask your beverage to be served in a child-size glass.

* Measure out the total amount of fluid you can drink for the day, place the water in the container. During the day drink only from this container to keep a check.

Potassium:

Eat low potassium foods which include:-

Apples, apricots, cherries, strawberries, peaches, pears, plums, beans, cabbage, cucumber, mush rooms, peas, potatoes, radish, onion.

Leached vegetables

Potassium dissolves in water; therefore, you can lower the potassium content in vegetables that have high potassium content by a process called leaching. Peel the skins off raw vegetables and then slice or cut them into small pieces. Next rinse the vegetables in warm water and soak in water for several hours. This removes some of the potassium. Vegetables should soak in water at room temperature for at least four hours.

Protein:

Protein is needed for the repair and maintenance of body tissue and is a vital component of body fluids including blood.

The breakdown products of proteins are:

* Urea - chiefly from protein provided by foods and

* Creatinine- produced from normal muscle 'turnover'.

* Your doctor or dietician may recommend a moderate - protein diet (1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day).

Eating too much protein may cause urea to build up more quickly. Eating less protein may be helpful in reducing your blood urea levels.

Sodium

Sodium is needed by the body for many functions in the body like balancing fluid, controlling blood pressure. Healthy kidneys remove excess sodium in the urine. As kidney functions decline, sodium and fluids may accumulate in your body. Fluid retention may cause swelling in your eyes, hands, ankles.

Foods high in sodium include:-

Table salt, potato chips, nuts, processed cheese, instant soups, canned vegetables.

Low sodium alternatives

Season with variety of spices like garlic, oregano, lemon.