Food affects your kidney dialysis by giving you energy and helping your body repair itself. Your healthy kidneys worked continuously to remove wastes from your blood and now, with low or no kidney function, dialysis removes wastes that build up in your blood and make you sick. A renal diet can improve your dialysis and your health, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Your dietitian can help you learn how to eat right on dialysis to improve your health and delay or prevent complications from your renal disease.
Renal Diet Identification
A kidney-friendly diet, according to Davita.com, is a diet that controls certain nutrients to limit the buildup of excess wastes in your blood. Your kidney specialist doctor will monitor your blood work to determine if you need to reduce foods high in protein, potassium, phosphorus or sodium. If so, a dietitian will work with you to determine a diet prescription for your renal diet that may also include fluid restriction and a meal plan that includes foods you like while protecting your kidneys from further damage.
Dialysis Identification
The two types of dialysis include hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis requires permanent access to the bloodstream through a surgical connection of an artery and a vein. Peritoneal treatment usually takes four to eight hours three times per week.
With peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is surgically implanted in the abdomen and into the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneal dialysis is a less-efficient method of removing waste products from the blood, according to Kathleen Mahan and Sylvia Escott-Stump in "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy."
Significance
Dialysis and a renal diet help those with end stage renal disease meet nutrient requirements, prevent malnourishment and maintain appropriate blood chemistry, blood pressure and fluid status. Nutritional recommendations for people with kidney disease help manage calories, protein, fats, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, fluids, and vitamins and minerals.
Considerations
Individualized nutrient goals should be refined as lab values and other parameters are evaluated over time. The renal diet is designed to minimize complications, prevent deficiency and maintain nutritional status. Fluid build-up between dialysis sessions causes swelling and weight gain and affects blood pressure.
Tips
To help limit fluid intake, reduce the thirst caused by the salt you eat. Choose low-sodium products and avoid salty foods such as chips and pretzels. Fruits and vegetables and foods that are liquid at room temperature contain water and add to your fluid intake.
The level of potassium in your blood can rise between dialysis sessions and affect your heartbeat. Manage the amount of potassium you eat to avoid danger to your heart. For instance, dice and boil potatoes to remove some of the potassium.
Too much phosphorus in your blood causes calcium to be removed from your bones. Your renal dietitian will give you specific information about managing phosphorus levels and may recommend a phosphate binder.
References
- NKUDIC: Eat Right to Feel Right on Hemodialysis
- Davita.com: Sticking with a Kidney-friendly Diet
- "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 10th Edition"; Mahan and Escott-Stump; 2000
- "A Healthy Food Guide for People with Chronic Kidney Disease"; Kathy Shiro Harvey; 2002
- National Kidney Disease Education Program: Explaining Your Kidney Test Results
