Sometimes doctors must remove a kidney because of damage, disease or defect, or you might voluntarily opt to donate one of your kidneys to someone in need of a transplant. While it will take several weeks or months to recover from the surgery, you ultimately will be able to do almost everything you could before the surgery, including eating whatever you want. Having only one kidney, however, makes it more important than ever to follow a healthy diet plan.
Recovery
During the initial period after your kidney is removed, you will not be able to eat anything at first and will receive nutrition intravenously. Once your intestines begin to move, your doctors will let you try to drink water. If you are able to drink water without becoming nauseated, you then will begin a liquid diet and should be back on solid foods within a few days. At that point, you will be able to eat everything you could before surgery. You should avoid alcohol, however, until instructed otherwise by your doctor.
Long-Term Considerations
In general, you will not need to follow any special diet after your kidney is removed unless your doctor recommends one for the condition that made the removal necessary. Over time, your remaining kidney will grow and begin filtering more of your blood, effectively doing the job of both kidneys. You will need to keep that kidney healthy, however, and that includes preventing conditions that can damage that kidney, particularly high blood pressure and diabetes. While your doctor will monitor you regularly for these conditions, a good diet will increase your odds of keeping that kidney healthy.
Foods to Eat
To prevent high blood pressure, you should aim to eat at least six servings of whole grains per day and at least four servings of both fruits and vegetables. You also should eat a few servings of nonfat dairy products and lean meats each day, along with at least three servings of nuts or legumes per week. In particular, high-potassium foods such as bananas, raisins, prunes and squash can help prevent high blood pressure. You also need to drink plenty of water, as dehydration is bad for kidney function.
Foods to Avoid
Limiting your sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day will help prevent high blood pressure. Processed foods, including frozen dinners, canned soups, luncheon meats and even bread, are particularly high in sodium, so you should limit those in your diet. You also should limit high-cholesterol foods. Too much protein will put a strain on your kidney, so you should never try any sort of high-protein diet after your surgery. Additionally, you should limit your intake of sugary snacks such as cookies, cakes and ice cream, which all raise your risk of developing diabetes.
References
- University of California San Francisco Medical Center: FAQ: Living Kidney Donor
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Q & A for Kidney Donors
- National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: The Kidneys and How They Work
- Mayo Clinic; Kidney Donations: Are There Long-Term Risks?; Erik P. Castle
- The DASH Diet Eating Plan: DASH Diet
- Linus Pauling Institute: Potassium
