The renal diet helps people with kidney disease preserve their remaining kidney function and avoid complications. Having diabetes along with kidney disease makes meal planning more complicated, as diabetics also need to control the amount of carbohydrates they consume each day. The renal diabetic diet helps people with kidney disease and diabetes control both conditions.
Significance
For those who have diabetes and kidney disease, following a diabetic renal diet is important for improving quality of life and preventing serious complications. Uncontrolled kidney disease can cause kidney failure and other medical conditions. Without proper control, diabetes can lead to heart disease, nerve damage and blindness, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
Features
The diabetic renal diet has several features that make it suitable for someone who has both kidney disease and diabetes. The renal diet portion of this eating plan limits the consumption of foods that have high levels of sodium, protein, potassium and phosphorus, according to the Medical College of Wisconsin. The diabetic diet portion of the plan restricts the types and amounts of carbohydrates you consume each day.
Effects
Reducing the amounts of sodium, potassium and phosphorus consumed each day helps the kidneys maintain normal levels of these substances in the blood. This prevents the complications associated with elevated levels of these minerals. Restricting carbohydrate intake helps diabetics avoid high blood glucose levels and other complications of diabetes. Following this diet can delay the development of kidney failure, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. This diet also prevents or reduces increased glucose levels, high blood pressure and swelling of the feet and ankles.
Meal Planning
Planning healthy meals involves determining the nutrient content and glycemic index of each food. The Thagard Student Health Center at Florida State University explains that the glycemic index ranks foods according to how quickly they increase the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. This index only applies to foods that contain carbohydrates. Diabetics should choose low-GI foods that do not cause rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Once a patient identifies low-GI foods, she also has to determine the amount of protein, sodium, potassium and phosphorus in each to determine if they fit into the diabetic renal diet plan.
Monitoring
Patients with kidney disease and diabetes need regular monitoring to determine if their diets need adjustment. The basic metabolic panel helps medical professionals determine if blood glucose and electrolyte levels are within normal ranges. This test also checks the levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen--waste products formed during protein breakdown--in the blood, according to Lab Tests Online. If the basic metabolic panel yields abnormal results, a physician or dietitian will recommend dietary adjustments.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: National Diabetes Statistics, 2007
- Medical College of Wisconsin: Diet for Renal Patient
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Kidney Disease of Diabetes
- Thagard Student Health Center: Glycemic Index
- Lab Tests Online: Basic Metabolic Panel
