Renal diet is recommended for patients with proteinuria and renal failure. Following a proper renal diet is extremely important in treating chronic kidney failure. The two most common causes of kidney (renal) failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. There's no doubt that the renal diet is a challenge and requires planning, imagination and practical ideas. Although the renal diet has some general basic principles that apply to all patients, the specifics of any individual renal diet will depend on your overall health and the type of treatment being given. Good renal diets include control the intake of fluids, potassium, phosphorus, and sodium (salts).
Sodium
Sodium is an element which can be used to regulate blood pressure and fluid retention. Sodium is found in almost all of our foods, but we obtain most of our intake from salt in preserved and canned foods and salt added to food at the table or in cooking. Sodium is restricted as it plays major roles in hypertension and thirst.
Foods high in sodium are: frozen or canned foods high in sodium (check labels), salted or preserved meats, salted snack foods
Potassium
To prevent hyperkalemia (a high level of potassium), a common problem for people on dialysis, potassium is restricted as it may lead to weakness, muscle cramps, tiredness, irregular heartbeat and, worst of all, heart attack.
Food high in potassium are: Apricots, avocado, banana, cantaloupe, fish, honeydew, kiwi, lima beans, fresh meats (turkey, fish, beef) milk, oranges and orange juice, potatoes (can be reduced to moderate by soaking peeled, sliced potatoes overnight before cooking and then double boiled in large volumes of water), poultry, prunes, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, vegetable juice, winter squash, yams, chocolate.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an element that combines with oxygen and calcium to help build bones. Phosphorus is restricted because high levels of phosphorus will result in low levels of free calcium in the patient's blood. It is extremely important that you measure your intake of phosphorus in a renal diet as high levels of phosphorus can result in such medical conditions as: brittle bones, muscle aches, and heart damage, it may cause itching, red eyes, calcium loss from the bones, and deposits of phosphorus and calcium in soft tissues such as skin, muscles and the heart. Phosphorus is found in most foods because it is a critical component of all living organisms. Dairy products, meat, and fish are particularly rich sources of phosphorus. Phosphorus is also a component of many polyphosphate food additives and is present in most soft drinks as phosphoric acid.
Foods high in phosphorus are: dairy products such as milk, cheese, pudding, yogurt and ice cream; chocolate; dried beans and peas such as kidney beans, split peas and lentils; nuts and peanut butter; beverages such as cocoa, beer, and cola soft drinks.
Foods that are high in both potassium and phosphorus include dairy foods, nuts, seeds, chocolate and whole grain foods.
Conclusion
By taking this step and making your health a priority, you will find that the renal diet will help you achieve a healthy and happy life. By keeping the renal diet, you also help to control some of the more common complications of renal failure like fluid overload, itching and high blood potassium levels. Yes, it is difficult, but unless you want to end up in the emergency room (from fluid overload or potassium toxicity) you've got to set your mind to it.
