Diet guidelines for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Did you know: Just by eating healthy, you can very well slow down your kidney damage? It is crucial to watch what you eat and drink when you have kidney disease since your kidneys cannot properly remove waste products.

• Remember, even diets that may offer health benefits to some people (like keto, Mediterranean, and vegan) are not always safe for people with kidney disease.
• Always talk to a dietitian or medical expert before self-treatment and increasing or decreasing your daily intake of certain foods or nutrients

Will my Kidney-friendly eating plan change based on my stage of CKD?

Depending on the stage of kidney disease, you have to follow a strict eating plan. In the early stages of CKD (Stages 1 and 2), you will have fewer restrictions on what you can eat. If your kidney disease progresses (stages 3, 4, and 5), your doctor may recommend you to limit the following:

• Potassium: A mineral found in almost all foods that your body needs to make your muscles work
• Phosphorus: A mineral found in almost all foods that work with calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy
• Fluids: Anything that turns to liquid at room temperature, not just water

Why is a Kidney-Friendly eating plan important?

I) In the early stages of kidney disease, most patients need to limit sodium consumption. Patients may also be advised to limit protein consumption. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet has been recommended by the National Kidney Foundation for patients with kidney disease.

The DASH Diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, and nuts. It is low in salt and sodium, added sugars and sweets, fat and red meats.

A certain amount of salt or sodium is necessary for maintaining body water balance. But when your kidneys lose the ability to control sodium and water balance, you may experience the following:

Limit the use of canned, processed, and frozen foods. Also, ever wondered what the label on packaged foods meant?

A simple rule of thumb: If salt is listed in the first five ingredients, the item is probably too high in sodium to use

II) If your kidney disease gets worse(Stage 4 and 5 Kidney disease), you may also need to limit potassium or phosphorus in your diet

Potassium is a mineral that is found in many foods we eat. It helps keep your heartbeat regular and your muscles functioning properly. Your kidneys are responsible for maintaining the right level of potassium in your body.

High-Potassium Foods like these should be avoided:

Banana, Chocolate (1.5–2 ounces), Beets, fresh then boiled, Broccoli, cooked, Nuts and Seeds (1 ounce), Peanut Butter (2 tbs.), Salt Substitutes/Lite Salt, etc.

III) When planning a diet for stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD), or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), lab results, nutritional status, and plans for transplantation, dialysis, or no treatment are taken into consideration.

In conclusion,

1. Know your allotted protein amount and strive to eat that amount each day.

2. Eat enough calories to maintain your weight, even if you are overweight.

3. Monitor potassium levels that may increase due to low urine output or from medications

4. High Phosphorus levels are likely to occur in stage 5 naturally if you are limiting high-protein foods.

5. Control fluid retention and blood pressure with lower sodium and fluid intake and prescribed medications.

6. When you have kidney disease, you may need to limit water and fluids. Too much fluid in your body can cause high blood pressure, swelling, and heart failure.

If you need to limit fluids, here are some tips: