Recommended Diet for a Dialysis Patient

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While you’re on dialysis, it’s important to be cognizant of what you’re eating. While on dialysis, it’s important to monitor your intake of sodium, potassium, protein, phosphorus, and the amount of fluids in the foods you consume. The best option would be to meet with a kidney dietician, however here’s a helpful guide to get you started today.

Low-Sodium
While on dialysis, keep your sodium intake to less than 2,000 mm per day. Many of the foods we eat today have sodium added as a preservative. Be sure to read labels and avoid canned foods that are high in sodium. Shop for snacks that are low-sodium or don’t have salt added. It’s good to keep in mind that if food has the label “low-sodium,” it could mean a lot of potassium has been added to substitute the salt.

Low-Potassium
Whole grain foods, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, orange juice, and cereals can all contain high amounts of potassium. Good substitutions for these foods are choosing white bread instead of whole grain, rice over pasta, and fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, and applesauce.

Lean-Protein
Sources of protein, such as meat, is a key ingredient in your dialysis diet. Choose lean meats that don’t have a high content of salt or any added gravies. These meats can be beef, fish, chicken, and pork. You can also achieve your protein goals by eating foods like black beans, kidney beans, nut butter, and limited amounts of cheese.

Low-Phosphorus
Foods that are high in phosphorus are dairy products, meats, and whole grains. As mentioned above, meats can be an excellent source of protein for patients on dialysis, so be sure to eat whole grains and dairy products in moderation.

Plenty of Fluids
The amount of fluids you should drink will depend on the amount of urine your kidneys produce, so pay close attention to your doctor’s recommendation. Juices that are good for kidney dialysis patients are apple, grape, and cranberry juice. You can also drink tea, water, and clear sodas to keep yourself hydrated.

Naturally Reenergize Your Body – Part 1

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Our society is one that truly never sleeps.  In order to lead a successful life, our bodies wake up early, commute, work, communicate, and stay up late to tie any loose ends to our days. We are constantly on the go, and all of demand we put on our body through daily tasks and responsibilities takes a toll on our overall energy. There are a few different steps that one can do to replenish and then boost your body’s daily energy.

 

Eat Small, More Often

The “eat small meals, multiple times a day” schedule is famous because of the belief that it lead to weight loss. While that has not been proven, it has been proven that multiple small meals a day can have a direct correlation to increased energy levels. Our brains use glucose as food. Low levels and high levels of glucose effect the brain similarly; they lead to feelings of sluggishness and a lack of energy. Our current “normal” eating schedules make it impossible to not have unregulated levels of glucose in our bodies, which means we are creating periods of low energy. (We’re used to little or no breakfast and large lunches.)  The key is to start with a fully balanced breakfast, and then eat small, nutritious snacks and meals about every 3-4 hours.

 

 

Have A Regular Sleep Schedule

Before modern technology, our brains were trained to release neurotransmitters to the rest of the body that coincided with the sun rising and setting. Our brains and bodies were on a consistent, rhythmic schedule that would sleep when darkness set in and wake up when it was light out. These days, our natural rhythms are interrupted by alarms and routines that keep our sleep schedules erratic. It is up to us to re-regulate our bodies by getting up at the same time and going to sleep at the same time every day. That regularity allows our bodies to sleep more efficiently, which directly correlates to more the recuperation of energy.

Be sure to check back next month for more tips to naturally increase your energy.

 

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To see the article that inspired this post, please click here.