Renal Dialysis Diet

Individuals who are undergoing or who will undergo hemodialysis, a procedure that is used to remove creatinine, urea and other wastes from the blood due to kidney failure, should strictly follow the renal dialysis diet.

This is recommended to patients so that the treatments will be more effective and to reduce the risk of other possible complications. Here are some of the facts and figures which you might want to know about the renal dialysis diet:

The Do’s in Renal Dialysis Diet

Protein must be included in the renal dialysis diet. Besides its ability to build muscles and repair tissues, this can help fight infections which is a risk in hemodialysis. High-protein foods include meat, poultry, all kinds of sea foods and most dairy products.

Fats and carbohydrates are not specifically mentioned in the renal dialysis diet. However, dietitians and doctors recommend that the intake must be maintained at the right levels. Increasing vitamin and mineral intake is essential to boost your immune system. Please remember that there are certain kinds of minerals which may be very harmful for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

The Don’ts of Renal Dialysis Diet

There are three minerals which you should limit according to the renal dialysis diet. These are potassium, phosphate, and sodium.

This means you should stay away from high-potassium food like spinach, mushrooms, bananas and tomatoes. You should only have 1000 mg of phosphorus every single day which is equivalent to one serving or 8 ounces. Controlling sodium basically means getting rid of everything with salt in it.

Renal Dialysis Diet: Controlling Fluid Intake

This is part of the renal dialysis diet because too much fluid actually weakens the function of the heart and the lungs. You might suffer from shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and swelling. Doctors recommend only 4 cups a day or roughly 1000ml. Take note of hidden fluids such as ice, frozen desserts, gelatin and even soups.

Duration of Renal Dialysis Diet

Restrictions on food intake can be very tedious and irritating. However, while you are undergoing hemodialysis, the renal dialysis diet must be followed to the letter. If laboratory results show that there have been positive changes due to the procedure, and certain modifications will be made on the diet as well.

Is Renal Dialysis Diet Working?

There are several ways to ascertain if the renal dialysis diet is actually working. Some patients say that they feel gradually better due to it. Urination or fluid excretion is found to be more efficient if the targeted weight loss is achieved. Of course, the best way to know for sure is through laboratory tests.

Talk to Your Dietitian about Renal Dialysis Diet

It can be quite difficult to follow a diet regimen such as this especially when there are a lot of contradictions as to the food choices. For example, one should eat high protein foods such as meat but it is very high in phosphorus which is not allowed.

Although there are ‘grocery lists’ which you can download online, the best way to succeed in this is to get a renal dialysis diet meal planner developed by a registered dietitian in the USA.

Get the best renal dialysis diet meal planner here and read more!