It's slow going but I'm heading to a vegetarian eating experience. I'm finding it hard to figure out where I should start, protein, potassium or sodium, not to mention calories or carbs. I spill protein, potassium has been way to high at times and I have a lot of edema (currently on a diuretics) so which should i start with trying to get under control. I'm also diabetic and have IBS so there are those issues to deal with too, food wise.
Also wondering what works for others, 3 meals, or 6 small meals or some other arrangement.
I've heard it said here that animal protein is harder for the kidneys to process.. are you talking of meat or all animal products, i.e., cheese, eggs, etc.
Trying to do the potassium, sodium and protein together is driving me crazy, I'm thinking to get one under control then start on the next one.
Thanks.
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jodaer
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I agree with WinJ3; I would ask your doctor for a referral to a renal dietician.
He/ she will come up with an eating plan filled with appetizing, nutritious foods and quantities geared to address your kidney, diabetic, and IBS issues, which diet may overlap in some areas but are different in others. A book is not as personalized.
Bring a copy of your labs, medications and a list of the foods which you like to your appointment. What may be good for one person, may not be for another.
A qualified dietician will also give you quantities, portion sizes and suggestions.
We can all share what we eat, but some foods allowed for us such as cabbage, salad, beans, light wheat bread may not be best for you.
You have my support and I am sure that of others here. It will all work out!
Hi,My fellow members are correct with a dietician to be the best bet. To start you off, here are some easy rules. Stay away from processed foods such as canned products, some pre-made dinners and anything that has a lot of salt. You need to read labels. As far as protein, stay away from red meat. Chicken and fish in small quantities maybe ok. Eggs are an easy protein for the kidneys but in moderation. Dairy, especially milk is a tough on the kidney protein so limit that. Cheese is high in salt and protein so limit it. Cream cheese might be ok in small portions. Plant based protein such as legumes and beans are ok.
Learn by looking up what are high potassium foods and limit those. Brussel sprouts, potatoes, winter squash and zucchini are examples.
Because you have so many things to factor in your diet, you doctor should really be helping you find a dietician. There are many who are diabetic dieticians, but you want someone with renal background as well.
Hi I am newly diagnosed oct long story found new Dr mine retired no heads up so I go else where get this diagnosis CT scann cystoscopy finally got new Dr will see wed she is internist and is listed as nephrologist too ?? Young female but has great reviews about 22 yrs experience in local hospitals they finally got my BP controlled I am not diabetic but of course I read a lot and being 3a CKD has thrown me a ball I can't seem to catch ..I am trying the diet seems to be strange no wonder hospital food is bland ...sorry just honest but I want to do what's best I do not drink or smoke never have I recently gave up sugar ha ok hope to help and be helped 🌴💓🙏👍
Welcome to our community, where you will find great, compassionate knowledgeable and supportive people!
Your feelings when hearing the words CKD are perfectly normal; I am sure that every member here has felt as you do when they heard them.
Although kidney disease has no cure, the key is through medication and diet to control it and stop it from progression.
I'm sorry that your prior doctor retired without notice and left you hanging; it happened to me.
Look at it this way, you are now getting a fresh perspective and possibly someone who remains more up to the minute in the field. If this person is not a good match for you, don't hesitate to get a second opinion.
Make a list of questions in a notebook before going to an appointment and make sure that they are answered in plain language before leaving the office.
As far as a CT scan and cystoscopy in addition to labs; your doctor is being thorough. If you are spilling proteinuria or hematuria, they are checking to see where it is coming from.
Great that you have gotten your BP under control, don't smoke and are avoiding alcohol. Lowering sugar intake will help avoid inflammation.
Drink plenty of water, avoid dark colas and eliminate NASID ' s such as Advil, Motrin and Aleve as they are hard on the kidneys.
As far as diet; view it a lifestyle change rather than a diet.
Kidney patients eat a low sodium. ( 1500- 2000mg) diet which is also low in protein; eggs skinless chicken which is baked, grilled or broiled and fish high in omega 3 oils are better choices. No red meats, processed foods such as canned soups and cold cuts; high in sodium, watch dairy, potassium and phosphorous.
Vegetables such as cabbage, peppers, onions, green beans, cauliflower, green, yellow squash, and even egg plant from time to time are great. Avoid fried foods. Grill, bake, steam or roast with no salt spices such as onion powder, garlic powder, smoky paprika, crushed red peppers, basil and even use a bit of red wine vinegar and olive oil to taste. You won't find them bland.
I am plant based so I tend to eat pasta with veggies, legumes, substitute beans in dishes and love hummus with my vegetables.
Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, grapes, rasberries and pineapple are great for desert or in salads with lots of veggies and a dressing with no more than 200mg of sodium.
Cream of Wheat and Rice have great iron contents, light wheat or white breads are fine.
Our fellow member, Bassetmommer has given you some great suggestions as well. Take a look.
Remember that this is all a process that takes time to put pieces together and it will come together.
Please reach out again and let us know how you are doing as one of us will always reach back.
Thanks for the replies. I was looking for personal opinions, not referral to a dietitian. Been there, done that, didn't work so didn't buy the tee shirt
IMHO, you need to address everything at once, but focus on protein and salt primarily. Stop all red meat and deli meats. Go no or low salt with everything. No fried foods or fast foods. Buy unsalted seasonings. Cut back on all pork and poultry products. Also, reduce your sugar intake. No bananas or plantains due to potassium. Beans, legumes, mushrooms and fish have plenty of protein. No alcohol or sodas. Fruits such as apples, grapes, etc. for snacks as well as rice cakes. That should give you a great start.
Just noticed that Walmart sells all kinds of gluten free pastas and some from popular brands. The renal diet was a little overwhelming for me at first but I stepped back and worked on things one at a time. And, I'm still doing it. Best of luck
Oh, wow. Its a journey. Keep trying. What I've found is that I do not like "make-over" foods that represent the real food. One exception, I do like Boca Burgers and I like them with sauteed onions and low salt ketchup. Otherwise, I keep trying. Best again to you....
Quaker puts out a gluten free Oatmeal which has the same taste as the standard oats. Also, Barella and Ronzoni put out a gluten free pasta which is not sticky. I used their non- boil gluten free lasagne noodles to make a vegetable, fat free lasagne for a holiday. Both my husband and brother didn't know the difference.
There isn't gluten in oatmeal unless it's processed by the same machinery that has gluten it. But, that doesn't matter, I can't eat oatmeal or oatmeal like foods. I get nauseous if I do. To be truthful my biggest hurdle is preconceived ideas of certain foods
I'm sorry. Trying to support. I can understand your frustration. Often I find things at our health food store as the owners are very knowledgeable as to best products.
I too have some serious preconceptions of certain foods. Onions make me gag. Spicy foods make my stomach hurt. Can't eat cooked carrots or celery, raw is fine. Food I thought was good, unsalted pretzels...tuna in water...nope high in potassium. Can't eat this, can't eat that, don't drink those...it's enough to make a person just give up and eat whatever tastes good. I have an appt Sept 6 with a dietician and my first evaluation at the transplant center. I'm trying desperately to put on at least 5 lbs but it's hard.
I'm not sure where you reside, but I'm in Central Florida and I'm having a difficult time locating a renal dietitian. Two that I contacted were not helpful at all for my situation. They offered one size fits all menus and shopping lists and most involved primarily vegan menus which is too much of a switch for me at this time. But, im being persistent and hope I can connect with one who can help me working with foods I enjoy or are at least familiar with. Yesterday. I found one or two recipes that I'll try to include in my weekly menus on the DaVita website. Overall, remember that we all have different problems that influence our diets so basically we have to diet to our labs and nit to someone else's. This makes it so complicated when various food items/groups have to be excluded by us and not others.
Best advice I can give is to go slow and work on one food group or one issue at a time. Changing long standing habits are not easy and eating is one of those that takes time to master.
A good dietitian in proximity to you is Dr. Jack L, aka, the village nutritionist. as a retired college professor with a phD, he does online consults with personalized guidance. Reach out to jack at villagenutritionist dot c0m.
I've been a vegetarian since I was 10 years old. I eat 2 meals and some snacks like carrots or fruit.
It depends a lot on your CKD and comorbid health conditions. Luckily, I don't have to watch my protein, my potassium is below low normal so I have to take a prescription, and my sodium is also below low normal probably from IBS and Lasix.
A dietician can help you. Just watch out for the dietician pushing carbs because they can be fattening.
I use a Nutritional Yeast Powder to make sure I'm getting enough protein since I eat no meat, eggs and rarely any dairy except occasional ice cream. I'm nearly a vegan.
You are better off learning to make "meat substitutes" like bean or lentil burgers than buying them because then you can control the sodium content.
There's a book called "Vegetarian Diet for Kidney Disease" by Joan Brookhyser Hogan. You may be able to find it to download on Amazon for free if you have points on Kindle.
Good luck on your new way of eating. I'm sure you will feel better and the health effects will extend to more than just your kidneys. Many ethnic cuisines have delicious vegetarian food.
Hi Sophie, thanks for the input. My biggest problem is I just don't eat veggies other than onions, potatoes and an occasional green pepper. I never have and to have to change my mindset at my age would take years of therapy. I used to drink V-8 so figured I was getting my "veggies" there, it was low sodium but now with having to watch potassium and sodium I've had to give it up. I don't eat fake meat and rarely eat any meat at all. My neph is OK with meat, at this time. He says not eating meat opens one up to nutritional deficiencies. I've found a few recipe sites that have some good ones. I will check out that book too.
It's ironic but as a vegetarian I don't eat that many vegetables due to food allergies and migraine triggers. The only vegetables I eat are artichokes and asparagus. Occasionally some butter lettuce or radicchio.
You don't actually have to eat vegetables to be a vegetarian, you just need to not eat animal products or you can be an ovo-lacto vegetarian and include eggs and milk. My last 3 PCPs and most of the cardiologists I worked with are all vegetarians. It is healthy as long as you combine foods and use nutritional powder for added protein. It can get complicated in the beginning and many Drs. don't like their patients being vegetarian or vegan.
I eat a lot of quinoa and beans, but I don't have to watch my protein, sodium, or potassium so I can eat whatever I like that is healthy.
Let us know what you figure out. Others may wish to try something similar. I realize diet is one of the hardest issues to deal with for many with CKD.
Jodaer, I think I am better to give my reply in reverse order
"Trying to do the potassium, sodium and protein together is driving me crazy, I'm thinking to get one under control then start on the next one."
I don't think it's a bad way to get started and you are right to feel overwhelmed by all the information out there. There are still lots of unknowns or worse lots of websites get it wrong! Adding "davita" at the end of your google searches will help. So which one is the most important for you? (Everything that your health team tell you would have precedence over what I am saying below)
You really don't need to limit potassium unless you have an unbalance because it's alkaline. Right now my goal is to eat more not less.
I wouldn't overthink sodium either. Yes less tend to lower blood pressure and can help with water retention, it also has other complex interaction since it's an electrolyte. I tried too little and I felt like crap; around 2,000mg works best for me and I use a salt grinder near the end of my cooking to give me the impression that I am putting a bit more than I am. Best for you is to experiment with it, 0 mg is not the answer if you cook your own food.
Similar story with protein, too little have swelling as a symptom. It's not recommended to have large serving of protein in one meal. I was told to avoid exceeding 16g of protein per meal. As long as you roughly aim for you protein target your efforts are likely better spent elsewhere for a little while.
"I've heard it said here that animal protein is harder for the kidneys to process.. are you talking of meat or all animal products, i.e., cheese, eggs, etc."
Again you are right to feel confused about this because it's not well understood. it may be because of the acidity of the meat (vegetal protein is more alkaline) or something to do with fiber intake for example (meat eater tend to eat much less). I still eat meat but not often and in small serving. Cheese is high in phosphorus but I still use it for flavor in small quantity, something I'll give away when my CKD progress over time. Eggs is a excellent source of high quality protein and also quickly absorbed. Unless you are told to restrict them I would merely watch how many you eat (~6-7g of protein per egg).
"Also wondering what works for others, 3 meals, or 6 small meals or some other arrangement."
Mostly 3 meals but I do eat snack every now and then.
"... I'm also diabetic and have IBS so there are those issues to deal with too, food wise."
You really need to experiment for you IBS, sometimes it's not just what you eat but how you cook it.
Since you mentioned diabetes try whole grain. Most grain short of a few exceptions (like millet) have a very low glycemic curve. I usually cook mine in a bit of acidity like apple cider vinegar or even a bit of Dijon mustard. One of my favorite breakfast is steel cut oatmeal with almonds and apple cider vinegar. Try them for yourself and if you don't like the texture or taste, try the better source. Give them a try from the bulk section from one of the better store. Sometimes it's worth it, sometimes it isn't.
And tip of the hat: fat and fibers slow down carbs absorption! I am not saying to go ketogenic but it might help you keep things in perspective. I hope this help!
Thanks for the reply. I do have potassium issues, you haven't lived until you get woke up about midnight with a phone call telling you your potassium was dangerously high and to get to the ER immediately. The last couplie of labs had it down but it's still on the high side so need to keep a good watch. I try to keep it at 2000 or below. Also have issues with sodium, My biggest drawback is that i can't eat "mush" foods, My stomach turns at just the thought. Yes, you helped a lot.
Boy oh boy can I relate to your issue with veggies. I like raw carrots but cooked ones make me gag, same with celery, etc. I too have borderline high potassium at 4.8 and since I take Losartan I can't have the veggies I do like (potatoes, tomatoes). Onions make me throw up, I can't stand peppers or really any heavily spiced foods. My CKD was caused by uncontrolled HBP which is under control currently. I also have Graves Disease which causes hyperthyroidism so there are some other things I can't eat/don't like. I keep my sodium between 1500 and 2000 a day but really watching labels. I don't eat canned food, drink/use rice milk, and aren't really a fan of eggs or cheese, yogurt, etc. I don't like ice cream so that was easy. Giving up melons and bananas is hard. As is potato chips and the like. Luckily I guess is I'm not diabetic. You might look at the whole 30 thing even if it's a weight loss thing it's more of a elimination diet to determine what works. I can't do anything like that as my loss of appetite/nausea has caused me to lose too much weight already.
Oh my! If you're a Diabetic, some of these suggestions above will not be right for you. Your kidney disease is almost certainly caused by your Diabetes. If you don't control or eradicate that monster, it will continue to take out your kidneys. There are elements in the Kidney Diet suggested in the posts above that conflict directly with the Diabetes Diet. Diabetes is fueled by sugar/carbs. Unfortunately, elements in the Kidney Diet (noodles, rice, white bread, etc.) will fuel your sugars to continue their deadly work. So see a great dietitian that can blend the two diets for you. It can be done. It's also important not to remove any electrolyte (sodium, chloride, potassium, etc.) that are in the normal range - your labs should be your guide. Your cardiac system relies on those for proper functioning. So, bottom line, please see a professional who can guide you in the right direction. In our case, our primary doctor (in tandem with our nephrologist) took over my husband's diet after a dietitian couldn't figure it out. And yes, your kidneys will likely continue to deteriorate even if insulin or other prescriptions seemingly control it. So, it's optimum to get your glucose controlled to the point no medications are needed at all. Sadly, Diabetes is so common it largely gets ignored. Sending encouragement that you'll put it in its place and save your kidneys.
Thanks for the reply... yes CKD eating is opposite of diabetic. I've been to dieticians and they've never been a help. My last A1C was 6 so under control. I will figure it out. I know enough about food and what I can and can't eat plus the support of people here.
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I used to drink V-8 so figured I was getting my "veggies" there, it was low sodium but now with having to watch potassium and sodium I've had to give it up. I don't eat fake meat and rarely eat any meat at all. My neph is OK with meat, at this time. He says not eating meat opens one up to nutritional deficiencies. I've found a few recipe sites that have some good ones. I will check out that book too. 
Another Diet Question
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