flowergirl2day
07-08-2009, 01:42 AM
I am having a difficult time designing a diet that meets daily nutritional requirements. The various dietary restrictions (sodium, potassium, protein and phosphorus) leave little to work with. I contacted my dietician with a few nutrition-related questions. While she was very helpful in answering my questions, it is still up to me to come up with a workable diet plan. What would be the best way to go about it? I have spent all day trying to make some sense of it all. :dizzy:
The dietitian says that many or the recipes in the renal cookbook supplied by the hospital have a high potassium content, making them unsuitable for people not on dialysis. She is editing the book, which will reduce the number of acceptable recipes. Any suggestions you may have would be much appreciated. :)
thank you,
flowergirl
The dietitian says that many or the recipes in the renal cookbook supplied by the hospital have a high potassium content, making them unsuitable for people not on dialysis. She is editing the book, which will reduce the number of acceptable recipes. Any suggestions you may have would be much appreciated. :)
thank you,
flowergirl
Sponsor
Coravh
07-08-2009, 10:30 AM
I know how hard it is. I was pre-dialysis for a number of years and even when on hemo I had a lot of restrictions. What I found worked best for me was to take my normal diet and recipes and then try to adapt them as best I could. I would make adjustments based on my blood work. Unfortunately, it is often difficult, sometimes impossible to get a completely balanced diet. Talk to the doctor about an acceptable supplement. There are renal friendly supplements out there and they can help too. I ended up eating a very simple diet. Plain chicken, white rice, overly cooked green beans or peas for dinner. On rare occasions I would double or triple boil the potatoes if my potassium level was ok. Rice cakes aren't bad for a snack with a little bit of applesauce. Not too much K in that either. I found that as things progressed there were foods that bit by bit were banished from my diet entirely, but I got used to that (even though I was never too happy about it).
Sorry I can't be more help.
Sorry I can't be more help.
flowergirl2day
07-08-2009, 08:24 PM
Thank you so much for your response, Cora! :)
The dietician herself admits that this is a pretty tough and complicated diet. Too bad they only provide the dietary guidelines, which tend to contradict each other at times. As far as meal planning, I think what you suggest makes more sense than trying to create menus, given the limitations. We can use less meat and fewer veggies in our cooking, skip the cheese etc. I am sure I will learn some shortcuts as I go. When I first started a low sodium diet three years ago, I thought I'd never be able to stick with it for long. I was wrong. I learned that I actually enjoyed eating foods not enhanced with artificial flavoring, chemicals and a lot of salt. Food tastes so much better in its natural state. So, like you and many others, I know I will get used to these restrictions and learn to work with them.
I have the cookbooks now. It is surprising how ordinary the finished meals in them look. There are a few good recipes for desserts and cookies that I will be able to use. I like the very handy nutritional analysis of each meal. Perhaps there is even a better book available with the nutritional breakdown of each recipe within- I'll definitely have to look into it.
I like rice cakes - I ate them for a while when trying to lose weight. And, chicken with rice sounds good! The only problem I see with all this is that our husbands still demand "normal" food. How does one work around that? I will not have the time to cook two separate meals. :confused:
flowergirl
The dietician herself admits that this is a pretty tough and complicated diet. Too bad they only provide the dietary guidelines, which tend to contradict each other at times. As far as meal planning, I think what you suggest makes more sense than trying to create menus, given the limitations. We can use less meat and fewer veggies in our cooking, skip the cheese etc. I am sure I will learn some shortcuts as I go. When I first started a low sodium diet three years ago, I thought I'd never be able to stick with it for long. I was wrong. I learned that I actually enjoyed eating foods not enhanced with artificial flavoring, chemicals and a lot of salt. Food tastes so much better in its natural state. So, like you and many others, I know I will get used to these restrictions and learn to work with them.
I have the cookbooks now. It is surprising how ordinary the finished meals in them look. There are a few good recipes for desserts and cookies that I will be able to use. I like the very handy nutritional analysis of each meal. Perhaps there is even a better book available with the nutritional breakdown of each recipe within- I'll definitely have to look into it.
I like rice cakes - I ate them for a while when trying to lose weight. And, chicken with rice sounds good! The only problem I see with all this is that our husbands still demand "normal" food. How does one work around that? I will not have the time to cook two separate meals. :confused:
flowergirl
Coravh
07-08-2009, 11:27 PM
I sometimes used to wish that they just had some sort of kibble for people that you could eat when on a renal diet. Oh well. My Mom had a tough time for a while when I was living at home. There was my diet (some protein, few veggies, low fibre due to potassium), then there was my Dad's diet (Pritikin program - high fibre, low animal protein & fats, lots of veg) and then there was what Mom liked - somewhere in the middle. She ended up making 3 meals sometimes. Depending on what your guy likes, maybe you can just prepare one meal that is ok for you, and nice enough for him. Just try to keep the quantities at a minimum.
yoda1257
07-09-2009, 12:41 AM
Flowergirl2-
You might want to check out DaVita, one of the main provider's of dialysis.
They have a wealth of information regarding recipes, menu planning and the DaVita diet planner for kidney pts.
Leea
You might want to check out DaVita, one of the main provider's of dialysis.
They have a wealth of information regarding recipes, menu planning and the DaVita diet planner for kidney pts.
Leea
flowergirl2day
07-09-2009, 03:15 AM
Thank you so much for your suggestions, Cora and Yoda! I am new to this and have much to learn. I really appreciate your help. It is no wonder we often feel lost...this diet stuff really got to me. I've spent so much time on it already and still have not been able to figure it out. I was given three separate diets (or, rather, sets of rules/guidelines) to work with. They are each fine, assuming that each one is the ONLY diet one has to follow. Trying to combine all three into just one diet is almost impossible. They often contradict each other. What's OK on #1 is often banned on #2, or on #3, and vice versa. I am glad I don't have to worry about it anymore for now. Thanks for your help! :)
Cora, your mom sounds like a very patient woman!!!! I know there are times when we have no choice in the matter, and have to do whatever we can to get by. I am glad she somehow managed. My hubby is starting to come around. He now uses no salt in cooking, because he knows I won't eat the food if he does. I still prefer to cook the meal myself, because I can control what goes into it.
FG
Cora, your mom sounds like a very patient woman!!!! I know there are times when we have no choice in the matter, and have to do whatever we can to get by. I am glad she somehow managed. My hubby is starting to come around. He now uses no salt in cooking, because he knows I won't eat the food if he does. I still prefer to cook the meal myself, because I can control what goes into it.
FG
montesflus
07-09-2009, 04:26 PM
My husband is on a renal diet (so far he's doing fine). I believe that the main things one has to try to avoid, as much as possible, are sodium, potassium, phosphorus and, to a certain extent, protein. How strict your diet has to be will depend on lab results, as you're probably already aware. Since I want my husband to stay as healthy as possible, I eat more or less what he does at home. Being diabetic makes it even harder. As of now, my husband's lab results have been stable, and that's how we'd like to keep it. Another very important factor is to keep one's blood pressure under strict control - very important! Be careful when you purchase chicken. Always check the label to see how much sodium there is as ''some'' packaged raw chicken is processed with 15% chicken broth (usually pointed out on the label in small print). That could mean a difference from 0mg to 70mg to up to 450 mg of sodium in chicken. This has been making headlines recently as the ''hidden salt in chicken!''. They instill this 15% chicken broth into the chicken supposedly to make it more ''plump and juicy!''. But beware! One normally does not think of chicken as being a ''high sodium'' food! Always check labels re sodium content - cannot stress this enough.
Wishing you success:wave:
Wishing you success:wave:
flowergirl2day
07-10-2009, 02:18 AM
Montesflus,
thank you for this information. I had NO idea that raw chicken could contain sodium. I guess I'd better start reading MEAT labels!
Seeing how much sodium is used in manufacturing even the most basic food staples- like bread- is quite dissapointing. I wish there were ways to shop for groceries without having to read all those labels! It takes forever to get the shopping done! I usually run out of patience after a while and walk out of the store with just the produce. Everything has too much sodium! I worry a lot about consuming too much dietary potassium from fruits and vegetables. I take antihypertensive medication - an ACE inhibitor and spironolactone- which keep the potassium in the body. How can I make sure my potassium level does not get out of control?
My blood pressure has been good for some time now. My nephrologist set the target at 110/70, but my blood pressure is well below this target. Thanks for the reminders!
I know that we aim for stable kidney function. However, the labs do not always reflect the actual kidney function. Sometimes they overestimate it (says my doctor), since formulas are used to calculate the GFR. In this case, labs are not consistent with biopsy findings, which means that we don't really know the true level of kidney function, making the renal diet a good idea at this point. Thanks for all the help and good wishes! :)
flowergirl
thank you for this information. I had NO idea that raw chicken could contain sodium. I guess I'd better start reading MEAT labels!
Seeing how much sodium is used in manufacturing even the most basic food staples- like bread- is quite dissapointing. I wish there were ways to shop for groceries without having to read all those labels! It takes forever to get the shopping done! I usually run out of patience after a while and walk out of the store with just the produce. Everything has too much sodium! I worry a lot about consuming too much dietary potassium from fruits and vegetables. I take antihypertensive medication - an ACE inhibitor and spironolactone- which keep the potassium in the body. How can I make sure my potassium level does not get out of control?
My blood pressure has been good for some time now. My nephrologist set the target at 110/70, but my blood pressure is well below this target. Thanks for the reminders!
I know that we aim for stable kidney function. However, the labs do not always reflect the actual kidney function. Sometimes they overestimate it (says my doctor), since formulas are used to calculate the GFR. In this case, labs are not consistent with biopsy findings, which means that we don't really know the true level of kidney function, making the renal diet a good idea at this point. Thanks for all the help and good wishes! :)
flowergirl
12Bravo
07-10-2009, 04:24 PM
I might be on the same boat myself. Until I really started looking at labels it is amazing how much sodium everything has. I did not know that chicken was packaged in broth and up to 450 mg is insane.
Montesflus,
If you don't mind me asking. How long has your husband been on a renal diet? The reason I ask is because I am 28 years old....and I don't know, maybe just get a guage of time one can sustain a consistant renal function level? I apologize if I am being to forward.
Best,
Bravo
Montesflus,
If you don't mind me asking. How long has your husband been on a renal diet? The reason I ask is because I am 28 years old....and I don't know, maybe just get a guage of time one can sustain a consistant renal function level? I apologize if I am being to forward.
Best,
Bravo
montesflus
07-10-2009, 09:24 PM
12Bravo :
My husband was diagnosed with a tumor on his left kidney about 5 yrs ago. It was a ''grade 1'' cancerous tumor. He had to have his left kidney removed. Luckily for him no further treatment was needed except an ex-ray every 6 months as it had not spread anywhere else being that it was caught at such an early stage. Now he no longer needs the x-rays either. But he IS a type 2 diabetic, and this probably affected his remaining kidney, because before havng his left kidney removed, his kidneys were functioning normally. Hence the renal diet, which is a very hard diet, but is doable.
Wishing you the best.
Monte
My husband was diagnosed with a tumor on his left kidney about 5 yrs ago. It was a ''grade 1'' cancerous tumor. He had to have his left kidney removed. Luckily for him no further treatment was needed except an ex-ray every 6 months as it had not spread anywhere else being that it was caught at such an early stage. Now he no longer needs the x-rays either. But he IS a type 2 diabetic, and this probably affected his remaining kidney, because before havng his left kidney removed, his kidneys were functioning normally. Hence the renal diet, which is a very hard diet, but is doable.
Wishing you the best.
Monte
12Bravo
07-13-2009, 12:25 PM
Monte,
Thank you with sharing your personal info, I really appreciate it. I am just a bit nervous about having kidney problems and I am very curious as to others experience....especially the males. I am curious as to how your husband found out he had a mass on one of his kidneys? I mean what was the reason they examined his kidneys?
Best,
Bravo,
Thank you with sharing your personal info, I really appreciate it. I am just a bit nervous about having kidney problems and I am very curious as to others experience....especially the males. I am curious as to how your husband found out he had a mass on one of his kidneys? I mean what was the reason they examined his kidneys?
Best,
Bravo,
montesflus
07-13-2009, 08:21 PM
The mass was discovered through a CT Scan. They did the scan because he urinated blood.
Wishing you the best,
Monte
Wishing you the best,
Monte