Adopting a Kidney-friendly Diet

Protein

Once you are on dialysis, your protein needs are usually much higher than they were before you started treatment. That’s because both haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) treatments cause your body to lose protein. There are a variety of different healthy protein sources including chicken, beans, beef, eggs, fish, turkey, tofu and many others. Choosing fresh, high-quality protein is the healthiest option. You should avoid cured meats to limit the amount of salt you are taking into your body.

Sodium (salt)

It is important for dialysis patients to limit their daily sodium (salt) intake. If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), your kidneys have a hard time keeping the sodium (salt) and water in your body in balance. This can give you high blood pressure, shortness of breath, swelling and make you thirstier. To make sure you are not eating too much salt, it is best to stay away from packaged, processed foods, canned or frozen foods, as well as restaurant and fast foods. Healthy, home-cooked meals flavoured with spices and herbs are a great alternative that puts you in control of how much salt goes into your body.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is essential for building and maintaining strong bones. When your kidneys are not functioning as well as they should, phosphorus build-up can occur. This puts you at risk of severe bone and heart problems, like cardiovascular disease and hip fractures. There is a lot of phosphorus in fast foods and flavoured beverages, as well as milk, yogurt, cheese, processed meats, chocolate, and nuts. Notice how many healthy foods are high in phosphorus! these foods and drinks should be avoided if you want to stay within your recommended daily phosphorus intake.

Calcium

Whether you are on peritoneal dialysis (PD) or haemodialysis (HD), the amount of calcium you get from your diet should be within your recommended daily allowance. Too much calcium in your body can put you at risk of vascular calcification, which are mineral deposits in your veins and arteries, along with other harmful conditions. 

Fibre

Getting enough fibre from the foods you eat is an important part of maintaining your overall bodily health. Fibre helps your body control its blood sugar levels, keep cholesterol in check, and maintain gut health. This is easy if you eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-phosphorus grains.

Keep in mind that every person on dialysis has specific dietary needs. You should talk to your clinician or dietitian about what specific foods you should and should not eat while you’re on dialysis to make sure that you are on the kidney-friendly diet that is right for you.

Calories

If you’re on PD, some of the calories your body takes in will come from your dialysis solution, the fluid that is used to clean your blood during your treatments. This is because dialysis fluid contains dextrose, which is a form of sugar. While you are doing an exchange, the dextrose in your dialysis fluids provides your body some of its daily recommended calorie intake, which decreases your body’s need to take in calories from food. As a result, most peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are recommended to eat fewer calorie-rich carbohydrates than haemodialysis patients (HD).

Potassium

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) generally removes excess potassium from the body more efficiently than haemodialysis (HD). If you're on peritoneal dialysis (PD), you are typically less restricted on your potassium intake, in comparison to haemodialysis (HD). If you are a home haemodialysis (Home HD) patient, it is best to speak with your healthcare team or dietitian about the level of potassium that is recommended for you. 

Fluid Balance

One of the most important functions of your kidneys is keeping the fluid in your body in balance. When you have chronic kidney disease (CKD), your kidneys are not able to remove this fluid as effectively as they should. This can lead to a build-up of excess fluid, which is both uncomfortable and unhealthy for your body.

Patients on in-centre haemodialysis (In-Centre HD) may feel more of the negative effects of fluid imbalance than patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) or home haemodialysis (Home HD) because they treat less often and for shorter periods of time.

If you have peritoneal dialysis (PD) or home haemodialysis (Home HD), you may not have the same fluid restrictions as someone on in-centre haemodialysis (In-Centre HD). However, it is still recommended that you stick within your agreed fluid allowance per day, which includes the fluid that is in foods like green peas, celery and watermelon.

Minimising your sodium (salt) intake and planning your daily fluid intake ahead of time can help you keep your fluid gains to a minimum.