Diagnosed with CKD for a couple of years now and one of the main factors I see often in managing or slowing the eGFR count is Diet & Exercise (losing weight), a diet with less or no sodium and no red meat seems to be the one subject I often stumble upon. Is that a good summarization? Would fasting also help in this case? What are your thoughts?
Thanks
Steve
Hi and welcome to the community.
A kidney-friendly meal plan and a solid exercise regimen are two of the most important ways to slow the progression of CKD. If you are serious about holding off dialysis for as long as possible you have to have the will power and determination to hold steady for the long term. It's not a "I feel like having a cheeseburger or a steak for dinner" kind of thing.
Collect your previous years worth of lab results and bring them to an appointment with a Renal Dietitian. Together you can develop a meal plan that will work for you. It can be vegan, vegetarian, or include poultry and seafood. No red meat, no processed food, certainly no fast food, no smoking, no NSAIDs, and again, if you're serious, no cheating.
You can go to the davita.com website and look at their RECIPES and see what your meal options may look like. However, none of their recipes should be taken at face value. Adjust them for your own needs regarding potassium, phosphorus, protein, sodium, and calcium. If you miss the salt, learn to use various herbs and seasonings to flavor the missing salt.
Work with your doctor(s) and develop an exercise regimen that will work for you through all types of weather.
This isn't about a diet. It's a major lifestyle change and it takes effort to be successful.
Best of luck.
My Renal Dietitian said at my level (3A) I should concentrate on Protein and Sodium intake . 60G of protein a day and less than 2000 mg sodium. Phosphorous and Potassium are less of a factor but I do watch them anyway. Losing weight has come hand and hand with just following the diet . My CKD was caused by prolonged use of medications and being off them has helped tremendously in one month . I am not going to say I don't need to do anything else but be off those medications because I am going to give my kidneys every chance out there. Yes I miss the salt and big steaks but each day its a little easier , the hard part is finding the right foods and not giving in to temptation around friends and family eating things I can not 
. As far as fasting my Dietitian said just eat right and starving yourself will not help and could be harmful in my situation .
Finally I have met someone whose CKD disease is from prolonged use of medications (in my case, Cipro). My left kidney has atrophied and right is functioning around 30-40 percent...I have noticed my labs are better following a pretty strict diet (less protein, phosphorus and potassium).
My Doctor put me on a CKD diet based on my eGFR and results of other bloodwork such as sodium, potassium, phosphorus and protein. Over the past 4 years this diet has helped my eGFR levels. As Mr Kidney stated a renal dietitian could be a big help in assigning an appropriate CKD diet for you.
Hi Steve,
Bear in mind that most people end up on those dialysis machines due to diabetes and high blood pressure.
Then bear in mind that 90% of people with diabetes have type 2.
Then bear in mind that high blood pressure and diabetes type 2 are far more often than not lifestyle diseases (obesity/lack of exercise).
Then you know that diet and exercise plays a huge part in kidney health, even if the kidneys are failing from another disease.
(P.S. I heard from a doctor that only a quarter of people with stage 4 kidney disease end up on dialysis. I said that’s good news; most won’t need it. He said no. He said that there is a close relation between kidney and heart health and the reason why only a quarter of those ended up on dialysis was because 50% were dead before 5 years was up.)
Kidney disease is a blood vessel disease and lifestyle that helps the kidneys helps the heart.
All the very best and I hope you avoid dialysis if at all possible.
Hi Steve. I agree with everything said here but would like to add that it's important to know the root cause of your kidney disease - is it diabetes, is it polycystic kidney disease, is it medication induced, etc. Any diet plan you enact should incorporate the needs for any other underlying health issue you may have. My husband discovered that the renal plan, for instance, allows for high carb fruits and breads which allows diabetes to roll along and take out other organs. So, know what drives your kidney damage, and have your dietitian make appropriate adjustments, if needed, as you lay out your battle plan. Wishing you much success!
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