Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

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Amanda*86
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 3:06 pm

Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by Amanda*86 »

Hello everyone :) I am a newbie...

My name is Amanda and I'm 27. I have recessive Alports Syndrome. GFR currently 22%, not on dialysis just yet, and currently planning a kidney transplant for early next year. In the process of having my family members tested in the hope of finding a live kidney donor.

I am due to meet with a dietitian, however the waiting list in 2months+.

I'd love any diet tips anyone can give. There are SO MANY CONFLICTING food lists on the internet! I know to stay away from high potassium foods like banana's and to try and stick to the good old 5-a-day. However loads of fruit and veg are also full of sugars the kidneys can't handle too well...

Anything got any good diet tips? Had any bad experiences with certain foods?

Thanks :)
Alports Syndrome
Age 27
Awaiting first kidney transplant
jstuartrobson
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:48 pm
Location: Spalding, Lincolnshire

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by jstuartrobson »

You are on the right track to keep away from High Potassium foods. I'm not sure if I stuck absolutely religiously to the list.

I met Laurence Keogh a well known chef on the tv and he produced a recipe book, which can be found here - http://www.kidneyresearchuk.org/file/Cookbook.pdf

Welcome to the forum, i'm a relative newbie too, but I've visited the forum on and off over the years.

John
cph1234
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:10 pm

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by cph1234 »

my gfr was 13 last time it was measured and my potassium was 4.9. Thats within normal range.
I have never been told to avoid high potassium foods by any doctor.
But i too keep reading that we should avoid them.
Recently i have started eating bananas again and tomatoes (fresh only, not
tinned or pasta sauce which i used to enjoy, in an attempt
to avoid gout).
I agree, it is difficult knowing what to eat. I used to eat a
healthy diet eating what i wanted but now have to be more careful.

Clive
cph1234
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:10 pm

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by cph1234 »

i know cooked tomatos are supposed to be better for you than fresh its just that
recently i have been getting gout and i think (though i may be wrong) that cooked toms ie
tinned or pasta sauce can cause gout. I may be wrong but when you get gout you try not
to get it again.
rheaybou
Posts: 1381
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:04 am
Location: Doncaster

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by rheaybou »

Hello Amanda,

I would suggest to ask your nephrologist to refer you to the renal dietician for guidance at your current stage/blood results. I did find that a lot of the handouts given by my renal dietician were taken from the following book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eating-Well-Kid ... 1859591167

It is a great investment and if you use this as a guide you can adapt your favorite meals to be more friendly to your dietary needs. the only universal suggestion I can give and sure others would agree on is salt. Salt is a horrible and delicious enemy of the kidney patient!

Hidden away in anything that you buy that is processed, white bread is about o.5g per slice! reducing salt intake is like giving up sugar, hard at first but herbs and spices soon make up for its loss.

Good luck with the family testing, it can be a long and drawn out process at times so starting early is good for everyone involved.
Now 35 with Alports and I had my first kidney-versary 18th feb 2013....I hope to have many more.

My living donor and his family are doing all well.

==
Alports.
AmandaClare
Posts: 658
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:58 pm
Location: London

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by AmandaClare »

Hi Amanda

I'm another Amanda and also have the recessive form of Alports.

Welcome to the forum. I hope you get your transplant sorted.
Alports Syndrome
Dialysis 1986, aged 14
Transplant 1988, still going strong!
Baby boy 2010
codyedwardwilliams
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2015 3:56 am

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by codyedwardwilliams »

cph1234 wrote:i know cooked tomatos are supposed to be better for you than fresh its just that
recently i have been getting gout and i think (though i may be wrong) that cooked toms ie
tinned or pasta sauce can cause gout. I may be wrong but when you get gout you try not
to get it again.

Although tomatoes are nutritious and suitable for most gout patients, they should be consumed as part of an overall nutritious, balanced diet. In other words, simply eating more tomatoes is unlikely to greatly improve an otherwise poor diet. Keep in mind to limit purine in your diet if you have gout.
wagolynn
Posts: 1362
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 2:49 pm

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by wagolynn »

Amanda*86 wrote:Hello everyone :) I am a newbie...

My name is Amanda and I'm 27. I have recessive Alports Syndrome. GFR currently 22%, not on dialysis just yet, and currently planning a kidney transplant for early next year. In the process of having my family members tested in the hope of finding a live kidney donor.

I am due to meet with a dietitian, however the waiting list in 2months+.

I'd love any diet tips anyone can give. There are SO MANY CONFLICTING food lists on the internet! I know to stay away from high potassium foods like banana's and to try and stick to the good old 5-a-day. However loads of fruit and veg are also full of sugars the kidneys can't handle too well...

Anything got any good diet tips? Had any bad experiences with certain foods?

Thanks :)
The best diet tip I know is, apart from eliminating added salt (to keep blood pressure down), do nothing until you have seen the dietician.

There is not a renal diet per say, everyone's needs are different, at the stage that you are, for the average patient, there is nothing to be done diet wise.

Later, there is a need to reduce Potassium and Phosphate intake because dialysis does not remove them well enough, (the kidneys normally control these) both of them at the correct level are essential for life hence my opening tip.
Rather than a diet it is better to think in terms of modifying the existing diet to keep the Potassium and Phosphate levels in the healthy range. Most of what we normally eat has Potassium and Phosphate in at different levels, so the 'diet' is a matter of balancing the total intake (highs paired with lows) to keep the blood results at the desired levels.

Research shows that patients with renal failure who eat a high fibre diet (five-a-day) live longer, it follows that shifting to a high fibre diet is good.

Protein, in the UK is not a problem we normally do not have a very high protein diet not like the Americans, most American sources will say reduce protein intake.

Best wishes.
JMan
Posts: 3470
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Re: Diet/Food suggestions for Kidney failure

Post by JMan »

A wide number of free resources and books online:)

Eating Well With Kidney Failure, a Practical Guide and Cookbook
http://amzn.to/uoj87U

Eating Well for Kidney Health, Expert Guidance and Delicious Recipes
http://amzn.to/rYCcW2

Eating Well, Living with Kidney Disease
http://amzn.to/rEtgVb

Truly Tasty, over 100 recipes created by Irelands Top Chefs for Adults Living with Kidney Disease
http://amzn.to/va6Pln

Food With Thought PDF Download or printed copy for £2.50 via the NKF

http://www.kidney.org.uk/help/books/boo ... ththought/

Davita Recipes, an American website with many many recipes.

http://www.davita.com/recipes/
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