The Types Of Foods To Limit During Dialysis

It might be difficult to eat the proper foods when you are receiving dialysis and it varies for each person, but you can still eat well.

This post explains the dietary adjustments you might need to make and offers guidance on how to pick the best foods and serving sizes for your particular requirements.

Why you need to limit certain types of foods:

Dialysis is used to eliminate waste materials from the blood. The more hours of dialysis you undertake, the more waste products are eliminated. Because dialysis is performed more often and for a longer period of time, peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis have less dietary restrictions. However, dialysis can eliminate nutrients that the body need. Certain meals may need to be increased or decreased depending on your blood levels.

Protein

To be healthy, everyone needs some protein every day. Your Protein is required by the body to help fight infections, mend wounds, and maintain muscles strong and healthy. You'll probably need to eat more protein than you did before starting dialysis, especially if you're on peritoneal dialysis. Why? Because dialysis filters out some protein.

Here are some high-protein foods to consider:

• Meats including chicken, turkey, pork and fish (Select meats free of phosphate additions) 

• Tofu

• Eggs

• Goat cheese

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a mineral that helps maintain the health and strength of your bones, but it tends to accumulate in persons with impaired kidney function. The majority of foods include phosphorus, however some have significantly more than others. Most dialysis patients will probably need to restrict their phosphorus intake in order to prevent phosphate buildup in the blood. Only a tiny fraction of the blood's phosphate is removed during dialysis. 

A blood phosphorus level that is too high can result in calcification of the body's soft tissues, weak bones, itching, and even bone loss. You can cut back on the amount of high-phosphorus foods you eat, but you cannot completely eliminate phosphorus in your diet. Since phosphate additives are the easiest to absorb, you should avoid any meals that contain them.

Compared to phosphate dietary additives, phosphorus from natural sources (meat, dairy, legumes, and grains) is more difficult to absorb into the blood.

The phosphate goal that is best for you should be discussed with your dialysis team.

Eat fewer meals high in phosphorus if your phosphate levels are high by avoiding:

Foods containing phosphate additions, such as:

• Meats with seasoning

• Soft drinks, such as colas and certain dark sodas and iced teas;

• Processed cheese and meat

• Nuts and seeds; dairy items (milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream).

Potassium

Healthy kidneys typically extract the mineral potassium from the blood. Both too much and too little potassium can be harmful to your health. A extremely high amount may result in the heart stopping or beating erratically.

Your doctor may advise you to cut back on potassium-rich foods, change your medication, and/or start dialysis if your potassium level is too high. Knowing how much potassium is in various meals is crucial since you might have excessive levels without experiencing any symptoms. Your dialysis team will work with you to choose the ideal potassium dosage.

Usually, dialysis removes potassium; the more treatment hours you complete, the more potassium is eliminated. You might not need to restrict your potassium intake as much with peritoneal or at-home hemodialysis since you dialyze more regularly. A high potassium diet may be necessary for certain peritoneal dialysis patients. You must restrict your potassium intake if you undergo in-center hemodialysis to prevent too much accumulation between treatments.

Potassium is present in almost all foods, however some have more potassium than others. Limiting high potassium foods, such as a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, is necessary if you require a low potassium diet.

Here are a few pointers to assist you:

• Consume five to six servings of fruits and vegetables with low potassium each day. A serving is one medium piece of fruit or one-half cup.

• Cook veggies to get the most potassium out of them. You must "twice boil" the potatoes.

• White or 60% whole wheat pasta, bread, and rice should be used in place of whole grain pasta, rice, and bread.

• Only consume 1/2 cup of milk and dairy products daily.

Fibre

Fibre is crucial to your health because it keeps your gut healthy, prevents constipation, and makes you feel fuller for longer after meals, all of which can help you maintain a healthy weight.

The following high-fiber foods can be incorporated into a renal diet:

• Cereals made from corn bran, barley, and

• Blackberries, raspberries, apples, and pears

Green or yellow beans, peas, carrots, and cabbage

• You may also supplement your meal with 1-2 Tbsp. of milled flax or natural wheat bran (germ-free).

• Fiber supplements based on inulin are frequently suitable; however, before beginning any fiber supplement, consult with your renal dietitian or pharmacist.

Sodium -Salt

To lower blood pressure and fluid retention, almost everyone on dialysis should restrict their salt intake. Water is drawn to sodium. When you consume salty foods, you get dehydrated and your body retains the water. High blood pressure, edema, and shortness of breath can all result from a high salt diet, as can ankle and lower leg swelling.

 Dialysis will need to remove more salt and water, which might make the procedure more challenging or result in symptoms like muscular cramping. Controlling these symptoms will be made easier by eating low in salt. Limit your daily salt consumption to 1500–2000 mg or less.

The following advice can help you consume less sodium (salt):

• Avoid adding salt to food when preparing or eating. To improve the flavor of food, add fresh or dried herbs and spices.

• Opt for fresh and frozen produce, meat, poultry, and fish over processed, canned, pickled, or breaded options.

• Steer clear of convenience meals, canned soups, pickles, sauces, processed cheese, and salty snacks like pretzels, salted almonds, and potato chips.

• To pick reduced sodium versions of your favorite foods, read food labels.

• Keep condiments like ketchup, soy sauce, and barbecue sauce to a minimum.

• A lot of eateries provide options from a healthy menu. Ask your waitress if there are any menu items that are low in salt.