The food dilemma .....

[c0wboy61]

The first three weeks have been a eating nightmare since being diagnosed with stage 3 CKD. Being a single 58 yr old man wondering through the grocery store trying to find Kidney friendly food has been a challenge . Knowing I cant just pop into a restaurant or fast food is a little depressing. However I want to do the right thing and eat healthy for my Kids and Grand kids and me . I have yet to see a dietitian but I will but I am still going through medical testing. I think Ill try some type of meal service for the bulk of meals . I have seen so much conflicting info on whats good vs bad foods. Any suggestions ?

[Love101cats]

I've found that portion size is critical. Too much and the kidneys complain. I did buy a book just to give me some general guidelines and that was helpful as I cut down on red meat immediately but once I had spoken to the dietitian I had a comprehensive plan worked out. But that might change now as I had an ultrasound on Saturday. So have some general information but work closely with your dietitian and be prepared for change. Also listen to your body. It will tell you if you get it wrong as I found with tomatoes.

[c0wboy61 in reply to Love101cats]

Are any of the frozen meals at grocery stores ok ?

[arcefam in reply to c0wboy61]

Anything you need to worm up quickly to eat is high in Phosphate and bad for Kidneys

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Stay clear of salt, salt substitutes, sugar substitutes and don't touch colas. Eat as little red meat as possible. The substitutes will help destroy your kidneys, the cola coloring will destroy your bones. I stay with natural fresh foods where ever possible. Get your vitamin D levels tested as impaired kidney function lowers this and it is what builds your immune system and aids other body functions. Once you get past the initial shock of being CKD life continues pretty much as usual with some changes to diet and lifestyle. Nothing too major at stage 3 CKD. Try to keep your GFR stable.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I am a male 79 years young and was diagnosed at CKD level 3b, 4+ years ago. There are many sources for CKD diet. One I use is Davita which has many recipes. It might help you also to consider a Kidney 101 class given by Davita. There are also classes on line. National Kidney Foundation has good information. A dietitian also could be a help. Keep us posted on your progress.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

HI Cowboy,

Once you get past the shock it gets much easier. You are still in a stage where you can do a lot to slow down and decline. So even though it is a pin right now, you will be doing yourself a life long service by changing the diet.

Here is a simple plan to start:

1. Eat out infrequently. You have less control over your food choices.

2. No fast foods

3. No process foods such as frozen dinners or packaged products

3. Less meat the better, chicken and fish still have high potassium, eat sparingly

4. 1-2 cups of coffee and use real crème not non-dairy

5. Lots of water up to 2 liters unless told by the doctor to drink less or more

6. Incorporate more whole foods in your diet: vegetables and fruits

7. Little to no alcohol especially beer One glass of wine might be ok

8. Cook without salt. You will get used to it and then eating stuff with salt will taste bad

9. Do not take supplement, OTC drugs or other without checking with the doctor first.

10. Get Educated. Take classes on how to manage kidney disease. There are classes on the internet as will as maybe by your local Kidney Foundation davita.com/education/kidney...

You say you like to stop in to fast foods and grab something. Try grabbing salad. Switch from burgers to grill chicken. Little things add up. Some Lean Cuisines are ok for CKD, but you have to watch the salt levels in frozen foods. I am not sure if you have this service out where you are, but locally, we have chefs services that will come in a prepare meals for you that you can freeze. See the dietician first so you know what you can and can't eat. Each person is different.

Keep asking us questions. We love to chat.

[c0wboy61 in reply to Bassetmommer]

Any thoughts on any services that send meals to your door step ? I live in the country and far from any major city.

[Darlenia in reply to c0wboy61]

That's an interesting question. My son and wife (live on a mountain) use Blue Apron and Hello Fresh (preferred) which delivers meal kits to the door that you then prepare. Neither like going to grocery stores. In your case, you could pick out those kits that are most kidney friendly and replace questionable spices and sauces with your own saltlesss spices such as lemon pepper etc. Most everything is fresh...you do the chopping and dicing, etc. During the disruptive pandemic, Hello Fresh has been most reliable in my son's area. Btw, my son also hates grocery shopping , yet does all the cooking...loves it after a long day of physical work. If you want to be totally hands off, look for a personal chef who will prepare frozen or fresh meals to your specific instructions. These are generally home based businesses and they will prepare the meals in their own kitchen or in yours. Some network online or through a chamber of commerce, others place business cards in grocery stores, etc. Perhaps your doctor, dietitian, sports center, etc. can refer you to one, too. I hope someone with direct experience hops on this thread and also chimes in for you. I know Jayhawker and others have discussed frozen dinners and more in prior posts.

[Jayhawker in reply to c0wboy61]

Hi Cowboy61

Below is a link to a Davita web page that provides information on meal delivery services that have renal-friendly meals for pre-dialysis people as well as those on dialysis.

I hope thus helps.

Jayhawker

blogs.davita.com/kidney-die...

[c0wboy61 in reply to Jayhawker]

Thanks I actually just made my first order from the Magic Kitchen Site, It will help me a lot since I am on the go a lot.

[Love101cats]

Its quite scary isn't it? The problem is greater if you are not well enough to cook as I am. I ended up just eating toast. Im clinically vunerable so cant let people in to cook for me. And I can't go out so don't shop. I tried supermarket meals and they are a no,no. I tried Parsley Box and they were better but then I went to Wiltshire Farms. There traffic light system is really clear. They identify low salt meals and all their meals come with a good range of vegetables. I checked with my dietitian and she is happy with my choices. Im stage four by the way. So one day frozen meal then next xomething simple i prepare like stir fry or salad. I hope this helps.

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

I have ever used any of these but here is a list. reviewed.com/cooking/best-r...

Ask your doctor for a renal dietician referral. It will really help you to know what specifically you need to stay away from and what you can enjoy. You will be surprised that there is plenty of good stuff you can enjoy.

[c0wboy61 in reply to Bassetmommer]

thank you

[KatyBGood]

I also was adrift about what I should eat. To make things worse, I had lost 20 pounds so gaining weight was also a goal. After a couple of months I finally got a dietitian consult, which helped. Everything that's been said already agrees with my counseling. She told me to aim for no more than 2000mg of sodium per day, which is attainable if a challenge. You can find nutrition charts online for virtually all of the big fast-food places and will see that a single salad can be over 1000mg. Depending upon your bloodtest results, you will also want to be aware of potassium and phosphorus amounts. Since mine are within normal range, dietitian told me to focus on calories.

[DadviceTV]

I work with a lot of renal dietitians (my own, plus others). Diet is by far the most mis-understood part of having kidney issues. Doctors know diet plays a role in delaying or avoiding the need for dialysis, as well as our overall health, but it's not their area of expertise and we tend to get limited and very general dietitary advice from them. When I was first diagnosed (single digit GFR), I was afraid to eat. I actually made some issue worse by not getting enough of some nutrients (such as sodium - I cut salt too far for my body). Eating was a massive challenge and it seemed my whole day revolved around what could I eat.

What helped me was to not focus on the food itself, but to instead focus on the nutrients. For example, bananas are not bad - but too much potassium (which bananas are high in) can be a serious problem. I worked with a renal dietitian and they gave me daily minimums for a number of key nutrients, as well as daily maximums for them. I then used a food tracking app to eat within my limited. With this method, portion control becomes the driving factor...not the name of the food. I avoided heavily processed foods, those with artificial ingredients, and those with GMO's. From there eating became a joy and no longer a challenge. I am so thankful for the renal dietitians who taught me to look at food this way - it was life changing.

Eating this way has been part of my treatment strategy and allowed me to not only delay needing dialysis, but completely avoid it. Over time my health improved and I am currently classified as stage 3, but more importantly, I have no symptoms, feel great, and have tons of energy again. My kidneys are still bad, scarred, and shriveled - and if I go back to my old ways I'll be on dialysis in no time. But I have earned a second chance at life by watching the nutrients I eat and working with my health care team to make other lifestyle changes.

I encourage you to reach out to a renal dietitian. See if you can get a referral - perhaps you are over weight, pre-diabetic, or have some other issue which your doctor can refer you for. If you can not get a referral, it would be worth it to pay out of pocket to work with a renal dietitian. Best of luck!

James @ Dadvice TV

[c0wboy61 in reply to DadviceTV]

The first weeks have been challenging and I can see how someone would not get enough nutrients. So far I eat a lot of fruit and feel guilty when I eat something that is not. I know I cant live on just fruit (or can I lol ) I know the stress cant be helping my body . I am the process of finding a dietitian but my location makes things more difficult. Thanks for the advice !

[RhenDutchess123 in reply to DadviceTV]

Thank you for sharing your Journey with us...You are an inspiration....One Day ..One Meal at a time...

[HealthBuddyMelissa]

You are stage 3, so you should only have to make some small to moderate changes. Ask your doctor how much protein you should be eating, ask him or her to look up the new guidelines just put out. Eat to your labs. If your potassium is normal, then you probably only have to modestly change your potassium intake. Sodium should be limited for all CKD people unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Phosphorus is the hardest to track. I use myhealthykidney for info on phosphorus levels in food. For now try to eat as healthy as you can, avoiding high sodium foods, modest protein- learn about proper portions sizes of protein, avoid prepackaged foods and fast food. Hopefully a dietitian will be referred to help you.