A friend of mine sent me a couple of videos online that show some positive results of a plant based diet for stage 3 kidney disease. Here is the link:
nutritionfacts.org/video/pl...
Has anyone tried a plant based diet and had a drastic increase in eGFR?
I did plant base for almost a year. My Gfr was pretty stable, but I was much lower, stage 4. The only issue was I started to muscle waste. So I stick close to PB but added, eggs, chicken and turkey
I like Bassetmommer suffer stage 4 eGFR below 20, usually 16-18. Personally haven’t tried plant-based because, well just “gross”. Mostly I’ve cut down especially as I’ve reached my late 50s on the amount I eat. However, I still must have some chicken, pork or fish with dinner. I eat a small breakfast and a normal dinner only, much easier at 57 years old then it was in my late 40s…lol!
Hi Jwbak, I am stage 3b and looked for a dietitian that could do both renal and IBS diets. It took me a year to find and everything can be done on zoom. Also you to have a release from your doctor to,see her, and your insurance might just pay for it bc these types of dietitians are pricey. If you are like me and enjoy going out w friends for brunch or dinner; happy hour etc it’s not for you. I squeeze in every 4 wks bc I deserve it thru rationalization. You get a week,y menu 3 mealS a day + snacks. The portions are very small and I am hungry all the time….maybe chewy celery. Not all veggies/ fruits are your friends. I find that I add herbs spices Asian spices or liquids to add some flavor. At beginning of the week your sent a weekly sampler, to help with grocery shopping then each day you get a menu to cook for the day. Log your food as you eat and it will calculate your sodium, carbs potassium phosphorus protein etc for you. You’ll always know where you stand, it’s not food that you crave its stuff for your body/kidneys. I only have a small portion of chicken or fish on weekends. The program calculates your calories amt and all the rest. I don’t know how ppl do it on their own My GFr is 38 up from 31 a year ago. But I lost a lot of weight I’m small frame but going from an 8 to 0 or 2 was mind bending. I need to get back some muscle but now I’m fighting anemia fatigue.
If you want the name of my dietitian plz ask me. She has been helpful, attentive and encouraging
I hope this helps
minna
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A drastic increase may or may not happen right away. HOWEVER! You are on the right track! Please read Lee Hull's book Stopping Kidney Disease (the book is ginormous but it's a good read. I've also been skipping the keto analogs he's trying to sell). It's more than just plant based. I've been doing a very low protein diet, checking the acid in my urine for about a year now and have been stable. I even went up a point! Stability is better than your GFR declining. Good luck!
This is only my opinion. Do not expect drastic results. Expect gradual improvement. My Dr. And nutritionist have both suggested going plant based or at least no red meat and cutting way back on dairy. I've only been incorporating these changes for a couple of weeks. I'll update after I have some bloodwork done
Another must for initial expectations, eGFR should be mid-30s or higher (as you said pretty much smack in the middle of stage 3) as those of us in the mid-teens through the twenties of eGFR reading see no increase…doesn’t mean the kid Denys aren’t benefiting just not tangible way to measure it and a “lack of a reward” outcome from something that sounds fairly easy but in reality (that is the plant based only diet) is a major adjustment for those with years of eating a traditional type meal with some sort of animal products for a protein source at least at 2 meals a day. Best of luck to you…I tried it about 8 months and said to H3LL with it I’ve got to have some type of dead animal carcasses for at least my main meal!
I will try it but I doubt I will benefit from it as well. My GFR fluctuates from between 28 and 32 and my GFR loss is related to a nephrectomy that went south and caused me to have acute kidney injury on my remaining kidney. I suspect if someone had more gradual kidney loss they might see more benefit from this diet.
We are all different. Whatever you do in the diet area, it's important to only address those factors that are out of normal range in your labs. It's also wise to get your doctor(s) approval so they can order and check blood draws to make sure everything stays on track - for proper functioning of your entire body, e.g. your heart, brain, bones, etc. It takes the worry out of things to have a professional guiding and cheering you on.
hi. I went to a plant based diet a couple of years ago- my EGFR improved from 16-20. More importantly my kidney function has remained stable. I continue to adjust my diet and “eat to my lab” results. My hope is all will remain stable and that I will get a transplant before needing dialysis.
on YouTube check out Mr. Crafty Man who fashioned a strict diet for 90 days and completely turned around his chronic kidney disease and diabetes. His plan included plant-based. He was stage four. I gotta say he’s the only one I’ve ever heard of that had a drastic change due to a change in diet.
Thanks I have already seen that video. He was very meticulous about his diet, some impressive self discipline for sure.
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