What Foods To Include During Kidney Dialysis Treatment

By Author: davita
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When kidneys are failed, they cannot perform their duties, and the wastes starts to pile up in the body. This can be fatal. So kidney failure patients have to undergo dialysis to maintain their health. It is hence vital to restrict the foods that have high amounts of substances which make them sick.

If you are getting adequate dialysis as prescribed by your doctor, the restrictions will be minimal. The key is to eat good, healthy food at small intervals. Have small, light meals five to six times a day.

There are four main things all kidney dialysis patients need to be careful about in their diet:

Potassium

Potassium is often exhibited as compensate to salt because of the way it can help reduce blood pressure. However, too much potassium can build up in the blood when kidneys are not working which can be dangerous for the heart.

Although limiting potassium seems difficult as it is found in many vegetables and fruits, avoiding those which are in high in potassium can be a great idea. Fruits generally contain high Potassium levels. Many vegetables also contain ...
... high potassium. Vegetables can be leached to remove a lot of the potassium.
Normal Potassium Value: 3.5 to 5.1 mEq/l

Foods high in Potassium:

Chikoo, Mango, Coconut, Banana, Potatoes, Palak, Tomatoes, Dry fruits, Fruit juices, Chocolates, and Sauces

Foods low in Potassium:

Cauliflower, Cabbage, Cucumber, Beans, Grapes, Apples, Pineapple, Rice, Watermelon, Dals, Wheat, and Dals.
Sodium

Limiting the use of the salts in your meals is a first step. Avoid eating processed foods such as chips, soups, and also sweets which are often loaded with sodium. The best way is to buy unprocessed foods and to make homemade meals. Doing so might take some time but the result will be worth for your health.

You can consider adding herbs or spices to your food to enhance the flavour of foods. As your taste buds get used to less salt, you'll appreciate the way natural flavours like squeeze of lemon can add interest to meals. Avoid salt substitutes, which can be high in potassium.

Normal Sodium: 135 to 145 mEq/l
Foods high in Sodium:
Breads, Butter, Biscuits, Processed foods, Aerated drinks, Cheese, Commercial masalas, Pickles, Chips, and Papad.
Foods low in Sodium:

Fresh vegetables, Fresh foods, Herbs and spices, Paneer, Poha and Fresh and canned fruits

Phosphorous

Mineral phosphorus is important for bone health. When kidneys are failing, too much phosphorus can build up in the blood. High phosphorus can draw calcium from your bones leading to the risk for osteoporosis. This causes calcium to build up in a different place in the body, which harms your organs.

So it is always better to eat plenty of high-calcium foods when suffering from kidney care disease in order to make up for the calcium that are drawn from your bones. But remember that foods that are rich in calcium are also high in phosphorus. So be careful while choosing the diet and it’s always good to limit the amount of phosphorus. You may be prescribed with phosphate binder by your doctor to help control the amount of phosphorus which your body gets from the food.

Normal Phosphorus: 2.5 to 4.5 mg/dl

Foods high in Phosphorus

Paneer, Milk, Tofu, Curd, Cheese, Eggs, Chicken, Fish, Chocolate, Cola drinks, Nuts, Oats, Ready to eat foods, and Soya foods

Foods low in Phosphorus
Fresh vegetables, and White bread
Fluids
Although being hydrated is a good thing, but careful measures to be taken while drinking fluids. Follow your doctor’s recommendations on fluid intake.
Try to introduce variety in your meals. Soon you will understand that food can be tasty despite of following your diet plan!