If you suffer from chronic kidney disease, you need a kidney diet that will repair damaged kidney function naturally. There is no cure for kidney pain, but you can slow the progression of symptoms with appropriate dietary changes. You need a diet rich in healthy fruits, vegetables and protein. If you have kidney disease, you should also limit your sodium, fluid, and protein intake. There are some people who also have to limit potassium and phosphorus. With a little time and dedication, you can find a healthy diet that fits your needs. Remember that there is no one diet that fits everyone. So you should work closely with your doctor and nutritionist to find the most suitable diet.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Eat the Right Food
Step 1. Choose the right vegetables
Patients with kidney disease should pay attention to the types of vegetables they eat. Although vegetables are vital for a healthy diet, not all types of vegetables are safe for people with kidney problems. Vegetables that are high in potassium should generally be avoided.
- Good vegetable choices are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber, celery, onions, peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash.
- You should avoid potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, asparagus, pumpkin, winter squash, and cooked spinach. These vegetables contain a lot of potassium.
- If you must limit potassium, make sure you avoid vegetables high in potassium, such as potatoes. Instead, choose low-potassium vegetables, such as cucumbers and radishes.
Step 2. Choose the right fruit
You should also be wary of fruits with high potassium levels. Fruit is an important component of a kidney disease diet, but choose carefully.
- Fruits low in potassium are grapes, cherries, apples, pears, berries, plums, pineapples, mandarin oranges (a type of tangerine), and watermelon.
- Avoid other types of citrus and citrus-based products such as orange juice. You should also watch out for kiwis, nectarines, dried plums, cantaloupe, cantaloupe, raisins, and dried fruit in general.
- If you have to limit potassium, make sure you choose low-potassium fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries.
Step 3. Talk to your doctor about your protein needs
Protein is an important part of the diet, but you have to be careful. If too much, the kidneys will be disturbed. However, if it is not enough, you will feel tired. Since protein produces waste in the body and the kidneys help to get rid of it, excess protein puts unnecessary stress on the kidneys. Your doctor will suggest a low protein diet. However, while on dialysis, you may need to temporarily increase your protein intake.
- Know how much protein you can eat per day, and stick to those guidelines.
- Limit high protein foods to 150 to 200 grams per day, or less if advised by a nutritionist. Foods high in protein are meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
- Pay attention to the protein content in other foods. Remember that protein is also found in milk, cheese, yogurt, pasta, beans, breads, and cereals. Make sure you keep track of your total protein intake each day.
- Try eating less protein at night. Fill your plate with fruit, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates. Protein should not exceed 85 grams, which is approximately the size of a deck of cards.
- A high-protein diet may be important temporarily during dialysis. So talk to your doctor about whether you are currently on dialysis or will do so later because you need to eat a high-protein diet. Many doctors recommend eggs or egg whites as a source of protein during dialysis.
Step 4. Prepare food in a healthy way
How to cook is very important to slow or repair kidney damage. Learn how to cook properly to make your diet healthier.
- Use a nonstick frying pan to reduce the need for butter and oil, which will add a lot of calories and unneeded fat. Use healthy fats like olive oil instead of butter or vegetable oil.
- Trim excess fat from meat. You should also remove the poultry skin.
- For cooking options, try grilling, sautéing, grilling, or boiling food.
Method 2 of 3: Avoiding Certain Foods
Step 1. Manage sodium intake carefully
Sodium, better known as salt, can be very dangerous if you have kidney failure. It is very important that you minimize your sodium intake. Reducing salt will reduce fluid retention in the body and also help control blood pressure, which in turn can improve kidney disease.
- Purchase foods labeled "no added salt," "sodium free," or "low sodium."
- Check product labels to see how much sodium is in the food. Choose foods with less than 100 mg of sodium per serving.
- Do not use salt when cooking and do not add salt to food. If you usually place a salt container on the table, remove it to avoid the temptation to add salt to your meal. Also avoid salt substitutes unless authorized by a doctor or nutritionist.
- Avoid salty foods such as saltine crackers, potato chips, popcorn, bacon, processed meats, hot dogs, cured meats, and canned meat and fish.
- Stay away from foods that contain MSG.
- Reduce the frequency of eating out. Restaurant food contains more sodium than homemade food.
Step 2. Limit phosphorus intake
Phosphorus levels in the blood should be kept low if you have chronic kidney disease. Dairy products such as milk and cheese are generally high in phosphorus content. So, people with chronic kidney disease should avoid dairy products.
- For the consumption of foods from dairy products, adhere to dietary standards and do not exceed the recommended servings per day. You can also choose dairy products that are low in phosphorus. Choose cream cheese, ricotta cheese, margarine, butter, heavy cream, sherbet, brie cheese, and non-dairy whipped cream.
- Since you need calcium for bone strength, talk to your doctor about calcium supplements. Most people with chronic kidney disease need calcium supplements for health and fitness.
- You should also limit your intake of nuts, peanut butter, whole grains, lentils, offal, sardines, and cured meats such as sausage, bologna, and hot dogs.
- Avoid cola drinks and soft drinks that contain phosphoric and phosphoric acids.
- Also avoid bread and cereals from bran.
Step 3. Stay away from fried foods
People with kidney disease should avoid fried foods because they contain a lot of calories and unneeded fat.
- When eating out, avoid fried foods. Ask the waiter for other food. For example, ask if you can replace fried chicken with grilled chicken breast.
- At family events, also avoid fried foods. Choose vegetables and fruit instead of fried chicken.
- When cooking yourself at home, do not fry food. Better try sauteing.
Method 3 of 3: Regulating Fluid Intake
Step 1. Ask your doctor if you should drink alcohol in moderation
Alcohol can overload the kidneys. If the kidneys are already impaired, excessive drinking is certainly not allowed. If your kidney disease is severe enough, you may not drink alcohol at all. Some people with kidney disease may drink occasionally. However, you should ask for a recommendation on exactly how much alcohol is still considered safe.
- If your doctor says you can, make sure you don't exceed one serving per day and count it as part of your fluid intake for the day.
- Ask friends and family not to drink near you when you're hanging out. If an event serves drinks, see if you can skip it or ask friends or family to refrain from drinking.
- If you're having trouble staying away from alcohol, talk to a therapist about quitting methods. If you have a drinking problem, you can also seek support from an alcohol recovery group.
Step 2. Find ways to deal with thirst
You may not need to limit your fluid intake in the first place, but many people should reduce their fluid intake in end-stage kidney disease. If you are on dialysis, fluid can build up in your body between sessions. Your doctor may want you to adhere to a certain amount of fluid intake each day. Find ways to quench your thirst without drinking too much.
- Drink in smaller glasses with meals. If you eat at a restaurant, turn the glass over when you're done drinking. This is to tell the waiter not to refill your glass so you can avoid the urge to drink too much.
- You can freeze fruit juice. The fruit juice can then be sucked like ice cubes so that thirst can be overcome slowly. However, make sure the ice counts as part of your fluid intake.
- If you must limit fluids, use a pitcher to find out how much you can drink per day. Fill the pitcher with water, and drink from it all day long. If you drink something that counts as a liquid, such as coffee, milk, jelly, or ice cream, reduce the volume of the pitcher according to the amount of the other liquid. Make sure you also count fluids from canned fruit, canned vegetables, soups, and other sources.
Step 3. Be careful with soda
In general, soda should be avoided as it is a source of unneeded calories and sugar. However, if you like to drink soda every now and then, choose the light colored type. Lemon-flavored sodas, such as Sprite, are better than dark-colored sodas like Coke and Pepsi.
Make sure you avoid cola drinks and soft drinks that contain phosphoric or phosphoric acid. Soda is also high in sodium, while you should reduce your sodium/salt intake
Step 4. Limit your intake of orange juice
Orange juice contains high levels of potassium. It's best to avoid orange juice if you have chronic kidney disease. Try replacing it with grape juice, apple juice, or cranberry juice.
Tips
- Stay positive. Stress can make kidney disease worse.
- Try to exercise regularly. Regular physical activity can slow the progression of kidney disease. You should also make lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking.
- Don't skip meals or eat nothing for hours. If you don't feel hungry, try eating four to five small meals a day instead of one or two large meals.
- Don't take vitamins or minerals, supplements, or herbal products without talking to your doctor first.
- Remember that diet may need to be changed as the disease changes. Visit your doctor for regular tests, and make sure you work with a dietician to adjust your diet as needed.
- Diet may be difficult to change. You have to stop eating the foods you like. However, these changes must be made so that you can live as healthy as possible.
