Help with eating better.

[Mandelin]

I really try to stay away from meat proteins, usually just have them on the weekends. I am working with a dietician, but I probably drive her insane cause I am not a vegetable person. I don’t like tomatoes, onions or peppers. I do like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green beans, corn, etc. i am a little confused by I recipes and suggestions on DaVita and think a lot of them have high sodium levels and I received an email this morning for summer options and it listed deli turkey which I know is a not good, even if it is lower sodium turkey. . I have watched my sodium for 30 + years and don’t really have a sodium problem. I am bouncing between stage 3 and 4. I want to preserve what I can, but find it hard because I am a small person and have a high metabolism and have always ate something every 3 hours. I have eaten salads before for lunch but they never satisfy me. I am always looking for something else within an hour. I am looking for help with trying to figure out how a lot of you eat vegan or vegetarian and aren’t always hungry. I have eaten tofu and hummus and find them ok. I eat soy yogurt, but that doesn’t last long. I don’t have a problem with potassium and phosphorus yet, but don’t want to overeat the potassium veggies and end up not being able to eat those either. Are you filling up on rice/bread type foods? Are you pretty much eating the same things every day? I eat oatmeal and an egg every morning for breakfast, lunch has been Birdseye frozen veggie noodles, and dinner is always a toss up. I don’t feel like I am eating very good, but I know I am staying away from stuff I shouldn’t eat. It would be nice if this site had a section where everyone who is doing well with this put what they ate for the day, just looking at DaVita recipes doesn’t help me much. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Hidden]

Hi, the recipes on the DaVita website are not to be taken as is. You know what your lab values are and so should your renal dietitian. You make adjustments to the recipe to suit your own personal needs.

Tomatoes are loaded with phosphorous. Puree a red pepper to substitute. Mrs. Dash can be used to substitute for salt. So can a small amount of sage, rosemary, or oregano.

Each recipe is offered for CKD, CKD with Diabetes, and Non-dialysis patients. If it calls for a vegetable you don't enjoy, change it to the one you like.

Oatmeal is often not good for CKD as it is hard for the kidneys to process. Try to remember that you are not on a diet. You are on a kidney-friendly meal plan and that is a lifestyle change.

What is good about the DaVita recipes is that there are so manyand they can be seasonal, so you are not "stuck" eating the same things all the time.

[Mandelin in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Mr. Kidney. I’m not very inventful when it comes to food. I do like bland food so seasonings can take them or leave them. It just seems like I like the potassium vegetables and not the ones that are kidney friendly.

[steve680 in reply to Hidden]

"Tomatoes are loaded with phosphorous." I think you meant potassium. A tomato only contains 24 mg phosphorus (per 100 g), but does contain 237 mg potassium (per 100 g).

[Hidden in reply to steve680]

You are correct.

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Right, Mr. _K .

Mandelin, it is all about adapting and a lifestyle change; this also applies to non kidney patients.

Just because a recipe calls for something, doesn't mean that you have to eat it.

I am not a fan of mushrooms so I don't buy them.

Cauliflower can be used as a vegetable steamed, mashed and a substitute for potatoes and also made into a pizza like crust where good foods can be added.

It's all in substituting what you like.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI Mandelin,

I know how hard it is to find things that work and not get in a rut. I used to eat peanut butter on veggies as a filler, but I do not eat PB now because of the phosphorous. But if that is not an issue, it is a great filler. I also eat oatmeal as my dietician said it was fine. It is plant based, so we do absorb all the phosphorous in it. And it is a good source of fiber as well. I do not eat it everyday. I also use things like low fat creme cheese on flat breads and then use filler such as scrambled egg whites, slice apples or just shredded lettuce. Make a great lunch. I like broccoli but I leech it in water for about an hour or so. I love cauliflower. Try grilling it or roasting it with different seasonings on it. You can also mash it up and use it like potatoes. It is all in the seasoning.

I also agree that Davita recipes are not truly CKD friendly or smart.

[Mandelin in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thanks Bassetmommer. I always ate peanut butter too and was told years ago by urologist it’s not good for you. I’ve always considered myself a pretty decent eater until I have to stop eating the things I like, I’ve always been a picky eater also. I’m not very creative when it comes to food.

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador in reply to Mandelin]

Cream of Wheat is also healthy and iron rich. Sliced red, green and yellow peppers with a bit of hummus( check the sodium levels on your choice) also makes a good lunch or snack.

[Mandelin in reply to Bet117]

Thanks Bet117. Peppers are one vegetable I really don’t like. Why would cream of wheat be ok since it’s whear but oatmeal isn’t?

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador in reply to Mandelin]

Hi Mandelin!

Lol don't give a blink to the peppers as I am not a fan of mushrooms.

I also eat cooked asparagus, brussel sprouts, and eggplant.

I love cauliflower and cook it many ways.

I roast or steam them and keep them in a container in my fridge.

As far as Cream of Wheat ; it was recommended to me by both my nephrologist and a dietician as it is easy to digest and high in iron. I eat it cooked with maybe a sprinkle of stevia and cinnamon on it.

Oatmeal has more phosphorous than Cream of Wheat. My nephrologist has no objection to me eating it, but I would check.

I am looking for the You Tube that supported this and will share.

Will be in touch!

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador in reply to Bassetmommer]

We are on the same page

[lowraind]

Try reading Mathea Ford's books: Living with Chronic Kidney Disease--Pre Dialysis and Create Your Own Diet Plan--Build a Meal Plan for Stage 3-4 Renal Disease. The information should be helpful to you and it will also help you to branch out in your diet.

[Mandelin in reply to lowraind]

Thanks lowraind, I will look into that.

[horsie63]

Holy cow you could be me. I'm 4'9" and 92 lbs. I look like a thin 12 year old. I have Graves Disease which causes hyperthyroidism (in remission) along with my stage 4 CKD and high BP (controlled with meds). I've always been able to eat however much I want and not gain a pound. I'm not a fan of too many veggies especially onions and peppers. I don't like spicy food. Don't eat meat for the most part and until my CKD got bad I ate every few hours. Now I'm having trouble eating anything as I have a lot of nausea and have lost my appetite.

[Mandelin in reply to horsie63]

Sorry to hear you are in the same boat. Seems I wrote this 3 years ago. Since then I had gotten back to stage 3 as of a year ago May. Don’t know what happened in July but everything started tanking. I am now at 12% and can’t seem to turn it around. I stay away from meat and dairy and just eat fruits, veggies, rice and variety of noodles and am 94lbs again. I ended up with some kind of cough which the only thing they could say was acid reflux’, but it happens with everything. Has an endoscopy and nothing showed up. I still feel pretty good so not on dialysis. but did get the fistula for the just in case. I’m still going to keep trying to turn this around.