Your kidneys help to control the proper balance of fluids and electrolytes in your blood, and they remove waste products. If you have kidney disease, your kidneys do not function as they should. As a result, you must control the level of fluid, electrolytes and waste products in your blood through your diet. The right diet for a person with kidney disease focuses on restricting the amounts of certain minerals, fluid and protein in your diet. Specific dietary recommendations differ based on your individual characteristics and level of kidney function.
Phosphorus
Your kidneys help to regulate the amount of phosphorus in your blood. The proper balance of phosphorus and calcium is vital to keeping your bones healthy. If you have kidney disease, your kidneys cannot remove excess phosphorus from your blood. If the levels of phosphorus in your blood get too high, your bones begin to release calcium into your blood in an effort to maintain the proper balance of calcium and phosphorus. Over time, this can lead to weakened bones that are more prone to breakage.
If you have kidney disease, your doctor or dietitian may recommend a low phosphorus diet. When on a low phosphorus diet, limit high phosphorus foods, such as cheese, peanut butter, nuts, ice cream, beer, soda and organ meats.
Sodium
If a healthy individual eats too much sodium, the kidneys remove it from the blood and excrete it from the body through the urine. If you have kidney disease, your kidneys cannot properly filter sodium out of your blood. As a result, sodium accumulates, signaling your body to retain water. This can lead to increased blood pressure, which can put stress on the kidneys and worsen your condition. Many people with kidney disease must follow a low-sodium diet. This involves avoiding the salt shaker, as well as processed foods, salty snacks, cured meats and cheese.
Fluid Restriction
If your kidney disease is advanced, your doctor or dietitian may recommend restricting your fluid intake. Because diseased kidneys cannot filter excess fluid from the blood efficiently, drinking too much can result in excess fluid levels, which can cause increased blood pressure, generalized swelling and shortness of breath. Specific fluid restrictions depend on your individual condition and level of kidney function.
If you are placed on a fluid-restricted diet, you must limit liquids and anything that melts into a liquid, such as water, coffee, tea, soups, ice pops, ice cream, gelatin and milk.
Protein
When your body breaks down protein, a waste product called urea forms. Normally, the kidneys remove excess urea from your body through your urine. If you have kidney disease, however, the kidneys do not recognize urea as a waste product and allow it to accumulate in the bloodstream, causing you to become sick.
Your doctor or dietitian may recommend that you reduce your protein intake. Because protein is vital for repairing body tissue and maintaining muscle mass, too severe of a restriction can have adverse health effects. Work closely with your health care provider to determine the right balance of protein.
