Enough fibre

[GFR45]

Can anyone please tell me how to get enough fibre in a kidney friendly diet? It seems like all the high fibre foods such as bran cereals,whole meal bread, pasta, whole grain rice, pulses, some vegetables, nuts and seeds are not Kidney friendly and they’re what I’ve been eating. I realise I have to cut out or drastically reduce these foods because I have stage 3 CKD but without eating these foods I get very constipated. I live in the U.K. and do not get access to a dietician or Nephrologist. My General Practitioner said my condition is not bad enough so I’m trying to do my own research. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI GFR,

I would highly recommend you see a dietician. There are amounts of all those things which you can enjoy but just not overdoing. For example, nuts can be good but certain ones are better for CKD, like macadamia nuts.

things like potassium and phosphorous is why they say to limit bran and other foods. If you levels are stable and within normal range, you should be able to consume some of these foods without issues. But we cannot tell you that because we do not know your medical history.

Do some research on Davita.com and other sites to find out what foods with fiber you can eat. There are plenty out there.

As far as constipation, that is common with CKD. Make sure you drink lots of water, and get exercise everyday. That will help you.

[GFR45 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Thank you so much Bassermommer for your advice. My Potassium and Phosphorus are currently within normal limits but they’re near the top of the limit and I’m trying to prevent them going over. Yes, I do need a dietician. Will have to continue my search.

Stay safe.

[Allank]

Hi,

a renal dietition is very helpful. Different stages of CDK have their diet plan and of ourse one's levels of Potassium, phophorus , sodium - even if good , we don't over do it. Oats -good fibre and other good things is very popular with people who are vegetarian. Vegetable protein does not have creatinine. Because, in the main we limit animal protein and drink lots of water , it does not mean we can eat junk and sugar.

[GFR45 in reply to Allank]

Thank you Allank for your advice. However, in the U.K. specialist dieticians work in the hospitals and for that I need a referral from my General Practitioner which I’m denied as they only deal with more severe cases such as dialysis and transplant patients. I’m trying to see what else I can do.

#Stay safe

[Dangermom13]

In the meantime, cabbage is on the recommended list for CKD. It not only has fiber but an instructor for the bowels to move.

[GFR45 in reply to Dangermom13]

Thank you Dangermom13 for your suggestion. Cabbage is something i’m trying to eat more of but my IBS interacts badly to it so self isolation is helping with that currently!

#stay safe.

[Sammi_n_Munk]

Hi there GFR45. I don’t why your doctor would have told you that your situation is not bad enough to worry about a proper kidney-friendly diet plan. I mean, your situation isn’t dire, true, but once a CKD diagnosis has been made, even at stage 1, a person should be involved in trying to slow down the progression of the disease, and this is generally done through a kidney-kind diet and exercise regimen. This would be the best way to hold off on the ultimate stage arriving too soon.

If you don’t have access to a nephrologist (which really, you should), then there are websites that you can visit that may be able to help you form a good idea of how to manage CKD properly. DaVita.com and kidneyschool.org, is another one that I have heard of in this forum.

You were inquiring about fibre. It’s true that whole grains, which provide a lot of fibre for people, isn’t good for those of us with CKD. However, there are a lot of fruits that are allowable on a kidney diet that can also provide you with the fibre you require on a daily basis. Berries and cherries, are allowed on a kidney diet plan, and they are packed with fibre, as well as apples, peaches, grapes, etc. As I say, look into DaVita.com for food lists for CKD patients.

Also, drinking water is very important. Not just for the purpose of flushing your system and your kidneys, but many people suffer from constipation issues because they don’t drink enough water. And exercise is also important, again, not just for energy and kidney-function purposes, but also aids with relieving constipation.

I hope you find these few tips helpful. Please stay well, and if possible, even online, try to search for a renal dietician that can help you. In spite of what your doctor says, it is important, even in stage 3. Please do keep us posted on your progress. All my best wishes to you. God bless. 😊👍

[GFR45 in reply to Sammi_n_Munk]

Sammi-n-Munk. Thank you so much for taking the time to write and advise me. Yes, it’s very frustrating not having my stage 3 CKD taken seriously by doctors. I only found out when I queried my lab test and was quite shocked to be told I’ve had it for 9 years and not to worry about it! Thank you for explaining the importance of drinking lots of water, I must admit I didn’t use to drink enough water, more fruit juices and herbal teas but I’ve increased it now and I do try to exercise often.

On a positive note, I will be having a telephone consultation with a Nutritionist tomorrow (unable to find a private RD) and I’m hoping she will be able to help me. I have checked out the DaVita website and still figuring out how to use it.

Will keep you guys posted and thanks again for your help.🙏🏻

#stay safe.

[Sammi_n_Munk in reply to GFR45]

Hey GFR45! I’m so glad to hear that you’re going to be speaking to a nutritionist. That’s awesome! They can be very helpful! It does take some time to adjust to a new way of eating, and limiting your food list. (Believe me, I know! Lol!) That’s the part that I think most people find a little difficult. But, you’ll find (as the rest of us here also have) that following a good kidney-friendly diet plan will help you feel better and even more energized.

Once again, I’m happy to hear that things are coming along better. And yes, do keep us posted! You stay well, dear. God bless. 😊👍👍

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

It really depends on your labs rather than your stage. I am stage 3 but I have no issue with potassium so I eat sweet potatoes and bananas for fiber. The phosphorus in whole grains and nuts are going to be an issue but I eat a half the portion size on the package to keep it in check. You still need these things to keep your body in balance. I get my labs every six months. I do not see a dietititan as I have been able to manage on my own.

[GFR45 in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

Hi Health Buddy Melissa. Thank you for your response. It’s encouraging to hear that you are able to manage on your own as this is something I’m trying to do although I would rather have more medical input. My last lab tests were done in February and overall there are some improvements in my kidney function in the last 7 months, most noticeable is my GFR which went up from 45 to 61 due to the changes I’ve made. With the exception of my Creatinine which is 88 (4 points above normal limits) my other numbers are within normal limits but they’re near the top of the limit. Therefore, I’m trying to figure out a diet to would help keep them within normal limits. The changes that I’ve made have helped but I have no idea how much of each mineral I’m consuming each day and I need to have a proper plan in place. I’m going to have a telephone consultation with a Nutritionist tomorrow and hopefully we can come up with a meal plan that helps to slow the progression.

Will keep everyone posted. Thanks again for your help.

#stay safe.

[HealthBuddyMelissa in reply to GFR45]

The nutritionist should be able to help you a lot. Just a note about Creatinine that is the one number I can not get back to normal though I continue to try. My Nephrologist says it is baseline and it will never go to normal because the kidney is damaged and it won't heal completely due to scarring. I use a website called eat this much to tell me a basic of how much phosphorus is in a food. Potassium should be on your labels as well as protein and sodium. Go by the serving size and adjust your serving size as needed. Phosphorus is the hardest to track. Best wishes and goood luck.

[GFR45 in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

Thank you Melissa. I will check out the Eat this much site.

My Creatinine level fluctuated. It went back to normal limit last year but now it’s a little over so I’m wondering whether that depends on the cause of the CKD? However, i have no idea what caused mine.

Thanks again and have a good day.

#stay safe.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador in reply to HealthBuddyMelissa]

I also do the half portions and track my diet on Davita. I make modifications where needed to keep within the parameters required by my CKD diet.

[Silver05]

Hi GFR, we sound as if we're in a similar situation, IBS and struggling with constipation. I always have done which makes me wonder if it's that that has caused by CKD. I do not have any other health issues, no diabetes, normal/low blood pressure. I also live in the UK. I am currently at GFR54 which I know I am lucky compared to many. I am allowed one blood test per year, but feel this is purely to stop me bothering the surgery. The advice given to me to date is - cut down on biscuits and cake, drink water, no excessive exercise, no more than 3 doubles of spirit at a time, stop taking drugs until such a time when they will give me drugs and live life as normal. I feel very much on my own and it's only when I have my next blood test that I find out if anything is changing. I have no idea with regard to any levels other than my GFR so I can only presume they are okay. Responses from friends and colleagues are, "well your kidney function does drop as you get older", "well you look alright", "it's only dropped by 5 points"!!! My recent blood test showed high cholesterol 6.2 and the answer was to put me on statins. No chance. I have moved onto a plant based diet and mostly cut out saturated fat. I await my next blood test. It's very frustrating but it has been very helpful to read some of your replies and likewise doing my own research. There is a FB page Natural Kidney Journey which I find very helpful.

[GFR45 in reply to Silver05]

Hi Silver05. Yes, I agree our medical journey is very similar. I do not have High BP or Diabetes either although I was pre-diabetic but I’ve managed to nip that in the bud before it got to that stage. However I’ve also struggled with Constipated IBS for many years and my cholesterol was a little high too. My GP prescribed Statins but I said I would prefer to try diet and lifestyles changes first and it’s now within normal limits. I’m sure you will get yours down with diet and exercise also. I would be interested in hearing how you got on. I would suggest you ask your GP for copies of your blood results. That’s how I found out about my CKD. It’s easy to see if the numbers are within normal limits as they show the range. For example my result Creatinine result in February was 88 and the normal range (which is listed) is 45 - 84 so my Creatinine is 4 points higher than normal which as you may know is a sign that, at present, my kidneys are not removing as much waste as they should. However, this can improve with the right diet and exercise and that’s what I’m trying to do. Tomorrow I will be having a telephone consultation with a private Nutritionist and I’m hoping she will be able to help me come up with a diet plan that will improve my kidney function.

Will keep you posted. All the best with your journey and thank you for the heads up about Natural Kidney Journey. If I’m not mistaken I think I tried to check it out before but needed to have a FB account so didn’t get far.

Hope the lock down isn’t affecting you too much.

#stay safe.

[Silver05 in reply to GFR45]

Hi GFR45, I feel sure my cholesterol will be down already and I will ask for copies of my results. I had been following a keto/low carb diet and enjoying the cheese and cream. I lost a lot of weight following this diet and my stomach was very happy. I felt really well in myself, full of energy and no IBS. I think I may follow your lead and contact a Nutritionist as I'm very mixed up with regards to diet. I've lost my way since coming off low carb. I know what I should be eating but it's not suiting me. I hope it all goes well and look forward to hearing from you.

The lock down is fine apart from missing seeing my family. Hopefully it won't be too long. I hope it's not affecting you too much too.

[GFR45 in reply to Silver05]

Good afternoon. Just an update. I’ve spoken to the Nutritionist this morning. She said she’s helping someone on Dialysis and she’s sure she will be able to help me. She wants information regarding my current diet and health history. She also asked for lab tests for the past 18 months. After she receives these we will have another consultation. Basically I would like to know how much of each mineral I should be consuming daily in order to keep my levels within normal limits and for her to create a meal plan that does that.

Well done on your weight loss. Glad your Keto diet is working for you; Is it high protein? I went on a Vegan diet for a while and it was working well for me, all my numbers were within normal limits. However, I started losing a lot of weight and muscle and felt weak and tired so I had to go back to eating some protein - a small portion of chicken and fish, 4 times a week and Vegan the other 3 days. My last blood test showed my creatinine raised slightly (by 4 points). My diabetic marker and GFR remained the same but other markers went up a bit but we’re still within normal limits. So, I’ve concluded that my 60:40 meat-vegan diet is ok but needs tweaking.

Our diet is very important (we are what we eat) so we need to get this right so yes, considering a Nutritionist is a good start. Will keep you posted.

I’m doing Ok with the lock down so far. Lots of video chats with family and friends. Have a good day.

#stay safe.

[Valerietemps]

I have this same problem. It is a big problem for me. I’m keeping track of mg of sodium and potassium and allowing some of these higher mg foods but staying under my limits. I hope you can see a dietician, she helped somewhat.

[GFR45 in reply to Valerietemps]

Thank you so much Valerietemps. This is a great site for advice and suggestions so hope you find some of them helpful.

All the best

#stay safe

[Hidden]

GFR: Do you know what you are asking? Fiber is an open question. Most of the medical and health care practitioners that I have come into contact with are telling what they think they know but are simply not aware that there are two very distinct kinds of fiber. There are soluble fibers and there are insoluble fibers and they serve two very distinct functions. The soluble fibers are the cereal types such as psyllium, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables that dissolve in the digestive tract and are laxative. The insoluble are the grain husks that come out the same way they go in. Probably the most common is wheat bran and it does the cleaning of the bowels and polyps and solidifying of the fecal matter. Almost everything we eat has some amount of the soluble kind. The insoluble is a different matter. I make my own capsules of wheat bran (available at most grocery and "health food" stores). The blank capsules are readily available at "health food" stores. Two or three of the prepared capsules contain as much insoluble fiber as an entire box of "bran" cereal. Thirty years ago, during a very agonizing ordeal with diverticulosis and misinformation, I learned the difference between the two types of fiber and watched the prepared wheat bran tablets leave the store shelves. I keep a supply of the prepared capsules and psyllium on hand, to be used as needed. This is the way it is for me. Some that I tell about what I have learned about take exception and that is your prerogative. For myself, with diverticulosis and 4th stage ADPKD, I have found out how to not suffer from fiber ignorance. You don't want to make bran capsules? Just put wheat bran in cereals (hot or cold), muffins, breads, salads, soups, stews, etc. Make a copy of this and show it to your PCP and dietician, then decide what you want to do about "fiber".

[GFR45 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Oldearkie for your helpful suggestions. I have been putting wheat bran in my oats porridge for breakfast and it, along with a Magnesium supplement, fruits and vegetables helped to keep me regular. However, I understand that much of what I’ve been eating are high in Potassium and Phosphorus so I’ve stopped eating the wheat bran and stopped the Magnesium also and my constipation returns. I’ve been suffering with constipated IBS for many years and Psyllium was one of the fibres I took but it left me extremely gassy and bloated. I’m trying to find a diet that works for me but without the help of a Dietician it’s a struggle. However, I will be having a phone consultation with a Nutritionist today so hopefully I can get something sorted out. Thank you again and all the best for your health.

#stay safe

[Hidden in reply to GFR45]

My PCP prescribed sennoside tablets for constipation, knowing that I used the fibers. I tried the sennoside because he cared. It works okay but the tablets will probably expire way before being used up. I have taken the tablets with no ill effects when I want to give the soluble fiber an extra "bump". Thanks for your comments.

[Jenjudyst in reply to GFR45]

I was told to use Miralax which can be used everyday if needed. Hope this helps.

[GFR45 in reply to Jenjudyst]

Thank you so much for your suggestion. I haven’t heard of Miralax before but will check it out. Stay safe and well.

[GFR45]

Senna triggers my Hay fever but thank you for the suggestion.

#stay safe.