I asm Staghe 3 and eat porridge every da... - Early CKD Support

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I asm Staghe 3 and eat porridge every day. Just discovered it is high in potassium and phosphorus, is it ok to eat them.

bulkington profile image
9 Replies

I am new to this so looking for advice

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bulkington profile image
bulkington
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9 Replies
Stevo99 profile image
Stevo99

A bowl of porridge a day should be ok mate unless your doctors disagree

I eat porridge every day also at stage 3

Mgt8 profile image
Mgt8

Hi

I imagine it depends what your blood results are. I would check these and talk with your doctor/ dietitian about it....

I've had a transplant but my potassium still seems high so I still need to watch that. If my potassium level is 5, then I cut back on the potassium rich food for a while. Can you access your results easily? Are they available online for you?

Mgt

MAS_Nurse profile image
MAS_Nurse

Hi bulkington and welcome to this caring community. In answer to your query, in people with chronic kidney disease, the kidneys cannot adequately remove excess sodium, potassium and phosphorous. It would be advisable to ask your dietician or doctor regarding this query. They will assess your blood test results.

A dietician will promote healthy eating and help you to stay well nourished and maintain a healthy weight. He/she will work with you to preserve flexibility in your diet to keep lifestyle as normal as possible. You may find the following website to be helpful---

Healthy Eating for Kidney Patients-Kidney ResearchUK

kidneyresearch.org/health.....

Are any other forum members able to help bulkington, please?

Thank you and best wishes.

curleytop1 profile image
curleytop1 in reply to MAS_Nurse

Hello MAS Nurse,

Thank you for telling us about the above website, but I found the correct website to be

kidneyresearchuk.org/about-us

It is the leading UK charity doing research into kidney diseases Curleytop1.

RickHow profile image
RickHow

Remember it is all about excess. While those with kidney problems should monitor phosphorus (for example) it does not mean eliminate it. Your body still needs it, just not in excess. Measure your intake based upon an entire day. Write down for a typical day what you eat and how much was in each item. Total it at end of day. See if your amounts are normal, or high, or pushing the boundaries. Then make a judgement. It is a lot like protein for example. You will read over and over again avoid protein with CKD. But it does not mean do not take in any protein! Your body needs it. And at stage 3 you ought to monitor your intake of everything to keep from advancing. But remember stage 3 is moderate CKD.

curleytop1 profile image
curleytop1 in reply to RickHow

Hello RickHow, I may be writing for many of us when I say I am wondering how you have found out how much potassium and phosphorus there is in individual foods? In the UK we do not have this information on food packaging, only salt levels and even that is not really clear as it is often given another name - sodium etc. I have tried contacting individual food manufacturers about their products but have met with various reactions - none good and helpful, and some really poor. They say it is not required by law here and that is that!

I have also tried to find out the information by asking about every basic food item I eat, but if I found out the information it was not too easy to understand, only that some foods are higher than others in either potassium or phosphorus, occasionally both.

Your comment about protein is interesting too! How could anyone attempt to avoid protein, its in everything we eat! I find it difficult to avoid protein as I have a good appetite and often feel hungry between meals - filling up with carbohydrate foods - pasta , bread, rice - is no good either as they are too high in calories and I am supposed to be losing weight (did very well at first but have now hit a 'plateau' so weight not coming off v. much).

I used to rely on using butter beans or cannelloni beans, peas or lentils in homemade soups to help with weight loss, but unfortunately they are all high in potassium ( which I have been told to lower by my doctor). I still make homemade soups, but choose only vegetables which are lowest in potassium and bring the portions to the boiling point in a large saucepan of water, strain, rinse and add them to the main soup (this gets rid of more potassium). I use a small portion of raw chicken, spray a pan with '1 cal ' cooking oil and brown it slowly, adding a little water when needed. Also add herbs and garlic or v. low salt stock cube (half quantity is enough). Then add the pre-cooked veg. to the pan and cover with extra water. This is served on a portion of cooked rice. It is easy to vary a recipe like this to suit anyone who has to follow a particular diet, also to make extra portions to freeze for future use.

RickHow profile image
RickHow in reply to curleytop1

Hi. Here in the United STates our food labels seem similar to yours in listing Sodium, Sugar, Fats, etc. These are categories that the law instructs are required on food labels. But in fine print at the bottom of our labels there are many foods (not all) which will list how must potassium, etc., is in the food too. It is not required, but many do. When it is not listed I just do a google search on the item (as example something like "baked beans and potassium") and get a general idea of the content. I keep a notebook of such foods, and since we generally eat the same things regularly, thereby have an idea of the content. You say you try to avoid protein. But keep in mind, we are advised to monitor our protein, potassium, etc. But that does NOT mean eliminate it!!! Our bodies need these things. My doctors all yell at me to just try to keep within the daily guidelines. Yes some days you will be over, but as long as you keep within daily values, all should be well.

curleytop1 profile image
curleytop1 in reply to RickHow

Hello RickHow, Thank you for your reply. I will try to find out the information I need with a google search, as you suggest, not sure it will work though as there is no legal requirement to list it. Curleytop1.

toeragthecat21 profile image
toeragthecat21

Hi im chris..transplanted with kidney two years ago..i was told to avoid excessive potasium... bananas aren't good ..potasium packed ...regards chris

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