How To Diet For Kidney Disease

By: Christy Miller

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Want to know how to diet for kidney dosease? Following a proper diet for kidney disease can make a person feel better and be healthier while they are dealing with kidney disease. When the kidneys are damaged by kidney disease they often can't eliminate the body's waste. Even when a person, who has kidney disease, is on dialysis, not all of their body's waste is eliminated with the dialysis. Following a diet for kidney disease can help the body keep the correct balance of electrolytes, fluids, and minerals.

  1. Eat the correct amount of protein. Many doctors recommend a low protein diet before their patients start dialysis. if a person with kidney disease needs to start dialysis, many doctors will recommend that they increase their protein intake. Eating eight to ten ounces of high protein food while on dialysis will help replace muscle tissue.
  2. Make sure you are eating enough calories. Having enough calories in a kidney disease diet is important , because people with kidney disease often lose weight. Many people with kidney don't feel like eating much, but it is essential for them to eat enough calories to keep their bodies functioning. People with kidney disease need to talk with their doctors to determine exactly how many calories they should be eating a day.
  3. When a person with kidney disease is on dialysis they will need to limit their fluid intake. Limiting fluid intake is important, because fluid can build up in the body between dialysis sessions. Since many foods have a large amount of water in them, these foods also need to be limited in a kidney disease diet. Foods such a soups and lettuce should be avoided in a kidney disease diet.
  4. Limit your salt intake. It is important for people on a kidney disease diet to limit the amount of sodium and salt they consume each day. Limiting the amount of salt a person intakes will help there body from retaining too much water. When shopping for food people, with kidney disease, should look for food that contains little or no sodium. People, on a kidney disease diet, should eat food that contains less than one-hundred grams of sodium per serving.
  5. Limit your potassium intake. Normally potassium is something that is healthy for you. However when someone is on a kidney disease diet they should not have too much potassium, because  potassium can build up in the body when the kidneys are not functioning properly. When on a kidney disease don't eat fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium such as bananas and tomatoes.
Posted on: Aug. 19, 2010