Nutritional plan for kidney patients:
Herbal supplements are not safe for kidney patients, and some vitamins can also harm kidney patients, so a doctor must be consulted before taking any type thereof. The nutritional plan for a kidney patient depends on the patient’s condition, whether he is in an advanced or late stage of the disease, and is therefore recommended to limit or avoid certain foods. It is recommended for a kidney patient to do the following:
- Reduce sodium, as over time the kidney patient gradually loses the ability to balance water and sodium in the body. Therefore, limiting sodium helps lower blood pressure and reduce fluid retention in the body, which is common with kidney patients.
- Focus on fresh, home-cooked food and eat small amounts of restaurant food and canned foods because they often contain a lot of sodium.
- Choose food products that contain less than 5% sodium on their nutritional label.
- Replace salt by enhancing flavors with herbs, spices, mustard, and vinegar, and within a week or two the patient will get used to it.
- Avoid salt substitutes unless recommended by a nutritionist, as many of them contain a very high percentage of potassium, which the patient may need to limit.
- Depending on the stage of kidney disease, the patient may also need to reduce potassium, phosphorus, and protein in his diet.
- Phosphorus is a mineral in the body that works to strengthen bones and keep many parts of the body healthy, but the body of a kidney patient cannot get rid of the excess amount of it. Which leads to weak bones and damage to blood vessels, eyes and heart.
- Kidney patients should limit Phosphorus. It is found in meat, dairy products, beans, nuts, whole-grain bread, and dark soft drinks. It is also added to many canned foods.
- A proper level of potassium keeps nerves and muscles working well but with chronic kidney disease, too much potassium can accumulate in the blood and cause serious heart problems.
- Oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, whole-grain bread, and many other foods contain a high percentage of potassium, but apples, carrots, and white bread contain a lower percentage of potassium.
- The appropriate amount of protein must be consumed because the excessive amount of protein leads to an increase in the amount of effort expended by the kidneys to get rid of it and worsens the condition of the chronic kidney patient.
Some examples of foods a person with diabetes and chronic kidney disease can eat:
- Fruits: berries, grapes, cherries, apples, peaches.
- Vegetables: cauliflower, onions, eggplant, kale.
- Proteins: lean meats (poultry, fish), eggs, and unsalted seafood.
- Carbohydrates: white bread, unsalted biscuits, pasta.
- Drinks: water, unsweetened tea.