Thursday, June 4, 2015

Dietary Advice For Kidney Patients

The following information will give you an overview of a renal diet, prior to dialysis, and also what to expect when you commence dialysis. You will be informed by the dietician when it is necessary to commence this diet. All patients have different dietary needs, so it is important to start this diet only under the guidance of the dietician.

SALT

Salt is an important aspect of dietary treatment at all stages of your kidney disease. High intake of salt, from the diet, can cause problems with blood pressure control and fluid retention. It is advised to avoid adding any salt to meals and also to reduce the intake of very salty foods such as processed meats, bacon, sausages, soup and packet sauces. Your dietician will advise you on suitable alternatives to using salt.

PROTEIN

Protein intake from the diet is important during the progression of chronic kidney disease and also when you commence dialysis. The protein we eat is used for tissue repair and growth. Any unused protein is broken down into waste products, including urea and creatinine. As your kidneys are unable to excrete urea and creatinine properly, they build up in your blood and cause symptoms such as nausea and loss of appetite.

By eating large amounts of protein foods e.g. meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, milk and yoghurt before commencing dialysis, you will affect the buildup of urea and creatinine in your blood. An appropriate daily intake of protein should be advised by your dietician.

However, once dialysis treatment has commenced it is important to make sure that your body is getting
enough protein to prevent malnutrition. Some of your stores of protein are lost during the haemodialysis
and CAPD sessions. How much protein you need depends on your body size and is specific to each individual.

PHOSPHATE

Phosphate is another mineral found in many foods, mainly meat and dairy products such as milk, cheese, yoghurts, and also bran nuts and cola. Calcium and phosphate work together to keep your bones, teeth and blood vessels healthy. When phosphate and calcium levels are elevated, or out of balance in kidney disease, the extra calcium and phosphate join together to form hard deposits in your body. This is known as calcification. These deposits can form in the heart, lungs, blood vessels, joints and other soft tissue. High phosphate levels also affect your bones, causing kidney bone disease. Over time bones become brittle, weak and painful and liable to fracture easily.

As with potassium, an elevated phosphate level will require you to reduce the intake of phosphate from your diet. It may also be necessary to take phosphate binding substances with your food to reduce the absorption of phosphate from the gut.

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