Don't let dialysis stop you from enjoying Thanksgiving dinner. More than 300,000 Americans rely on dialysis to perform the functions of the kidneys once they stop working, according to the American Society of Nephrology. Maintain your daily goals for potassium, phosphorus, sodium and fluids on turkey day, and every day. This will help you feel well between dialysis sessions, and will help to prevent dangerous complications such as fluid retention, high blood pressure, heart attack and bone disease.
Appetizers
Appetizers like deviled eggs, Swedish meatballs and spicy chicken wings will help you meet the more than 1.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight you need daily on dialysis to prevent protein-energy malnutrition, as recommended by the American Dietetic Association. Remember to limit your portion to 2 or 3, to stay within your daily sodium, potassium and phosphorus goals. Enjoy 2 to 3 tablespoons of a savory spread with low sodium crackers or low potassium vegetables such as endive, mushroom or cauliflower.
Main Dish
Buy a natural fresh or frozen turkey. Avoid basted or self-basting turkeys, which are typically injected with salt water and are higher in sodium. Prepare your turkey with a salt-free rub, and baste with low-sodium broth. A 3-oz serving of roasted turkey -- one ounce is about the size of your thumb -- contains around 270 mg potassium, 600 mg sodium, 220 mg phosphorus and 20 g protein, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. The same amount of ham is higher in sodium, but comparable in other nutrients. Your daily sodium recommendation is between 1,000 to 3,000 mg daily, says the ADA, so if you eat turkey or ham this Thanksgiving, watch your salt intake the rest of the day.
Sides
Limit your serving of high-potassium potatoes, sweet potatoes and candied yams to ¼ or ½ cup. Choose roasted green beans with a sprinkling of slivered almonds, or cauliflower with garlic and parsley. Bake stuffing with celery and herbs. Enjoy a ½-cup serving of cranberries. A small dinner roll or plain bread stick is low in potassium, sodium and phosphorus. Preparing and choosing your side dishes carefully will help you stay within the daily 800 to 1,000 mg phosphorus, and 2,000 to 3,000 mg potassium recommended by the ADA.
Beverages
Choose low-potassium beverages like cranberry and apple juice. Get festive with sparkling apple cider. An 8 fl oz serving provides a low 120 mg of potassium, according to the label. Continue to limit your fluid intake, even on turkey day. Your doctor will tell you how much daily fluid you can safely consume between dialysis treatments, in order to maintain a healthy blood pressure and fluid status.
Dessert
Stick to small portions, like 1/8th of a 9-inch pumpkin, apple or pecan pie. Pumpkin has the highest level of the nutrients you should limit, with 300 mg potassium, 250 mg phosphorus and 350 mg sodium per serving, confirms the USDA. Get creative with a slice of apple spice cake or pumpkin cranberry bread.
Recipes
Look for recipes and foods that fit into your daily nutrition goals on dialysis. Davita, a provider of kidney care and education, offers Davita.com, an online resource for renal patients and families. Search recipes by categories, such as Thanksgiving or appetizers. Use the site's food analyzer to discover the potassium and phosphorus content of many foods. When shopping for renal diet cookbooks, look for books that are co-authored by a registered dietitian.
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