| Nutrition Is Important
When Receiving Dialysis
Proper nutrition is especially important when you are receiving dialysis. You can actually help your kidneys work easier by limiting or adding certain foods to your diet!
 | What to Consider in a Renal Diet for Dialysis | |
By eating right and following a special diet as prescribed by your doctor or registered dietitian, you will help make your dialysis treatments more effective and may delay the need for a kidney transplant. Work closely with your health care professional to develop a diet that includes the intake of some or all of the following:
- Sufficient Calories
If you don’t get enough calories every day, your body will break down muscle for energy, resulting in weight and muscle loss over time. To make sure you are getting enough calories, your doctor or registered dietitian may recommend increasing your intake of high-calorie, low-protein foods such as:
- Margarine and oils
- Honey
- Syrups
- Jams and jellies
- Hard candies
If you have diabetes and chronic kidney disease, your registered dietitian can adjust amounts of fat and carbohydrates so your diet provides enough calories and still meets your needs.
- Limited Protein
Even though you may have already been on a low-protein regimen, some protein is important in your diet. For you, it should be high-quality protein such as that found in:
High-quality protein provides the right amount of essential amino acids needed to build, maintain and repair body tissue. The amount of protein recommended for you by your dietitian depends on your body size. A registered dietitian can tell you exactly how much protein and how many servings of high-protein foods you should have each day.
- Reduced Potassium
Potassium is found in fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese and nuts. Potassium is very important because it affects the ability of muscles to contract. Too much or too little potassium can harm your heart, which is a muscle.
- Appropriate Sodium
You can find sodium in many processed foods. It is a major component of table salt. Too much sodium increases thirst, but drinking too many liquids can cause swelling and increase your blood pressure. High blood pressure can harm your heart or even cause a stroke. To manage sodium in your diet, season foods with spices and herbs instead of salt.
- Controlled Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a mineral found in cheese, milk and meat. In kidney disease, your body can’t keep a balance between calcium and phosphorus, resulting in too little calcium and too much phosphorus in your blood. Your doctor may prescribe a phosphate binder, a medicine that helps control phosphorus levels in the blood.
- Adequate Calcium
You need to be sure you are getting enough calcium to prevent bone disease, without ingesting too many dairy products. Milk and other dairy products are rich in calcium, but they also contain a lot of potassium and phosphorus, which you may need to limit in your diet. Your doctor may prescribe a supplement to help you get enough calcium.
- Limited Fluids
You will probably be asked to limit your fluid intake. A fluid is anything that is liquid at room temperature. Examples include water, ice, ice cream, gelatin, sherbet, juice, soft drinks and soups. Body fluids build up quickly between hemodialysis treatments and cause bloating and discomfort. Getting the right amount of fluid will help you feel your best.
The following foods and beverages count toward your intake if you are on a fluid restriction. Your registered dietitian will tell you the amounts of these foods that you can consume each day.
- Milk
- Soft drinks
- Fruit juices
- Coffee
- Tea
- Lemonade
- Broth
- JELL-O®
- Ice cream
- Sherbet
- Popsicle® pops
- Sorbet
- Balanced Vitamins
Your kidneys are important in metabolizing several vitamins, so you may need to supplement certain vitamins and control the intake of others. If you don’t already take a prescribed vitamin supplement, you should ask your doctor or registered dietitian for a recommendation before taking one.
- Controlled Blood Sugar
If you have diabetes, you will work closely with your registered dietitian to create an eating plan that meets your individual needs. Because of your diabetes, you must tightly control your carbohydrate intake to manage your blood sugar levels.
These high-sugar and high-carbohydrate foods can increase blood sugar levels:
- Candies
- Jellies
- Soft drinks
- Bread
- Cereal
- Pasta
- Rice
- Starchy vegetables
- Fruits and fruit juices
Your registered dietitian will balance the total amount of carbohydrates you eat with your medicines and activity level, and teach you how to control your blood sugar level.
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