If you have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), it is important to consider your diet carefully in order to better manage your condition and live as normal a life as possible.
Nutrition counseling can help you understand what sort of foods are best for you, as well as enable you to implement your new diet and get comfortable with it. With that said, below, are some tips and advice on choosing the right food for a CKD diet.
Select food that has less sodium and salt
The best place to start is by selecting and preparing foods that have less sodium. This is imperative because it will help in terms of controlling your blood pressure.
Check to make sure that your diet does not have more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Buying fresh food on a regular basis is imperative. You should also attempt to cook food from scratch, rather than eat prepared foods. We also recommend that you use sodium-free seasonings, herbs, and spices instead of salt.
Choose foods with the right amount of potassium
This is important to help your muscles and nerves work the correct way. When your blood potassium levels are too low or too high, problems can happen. Some foods that are high in potassium include bran cereals, wild rice, oranges, potatoes, tomatoes, nuts, and beans.
Choose your proteins with care
Protein is imperative for your diet, but it is vital that you are consuming the right types of proteins. This is important for the purpose of protecting your kidneys. When the body uses protein, waste is produced.
Your kidneys will eradicate this waste. Therefore, if you eat more protein than your body requires, it can make your kidneys work harder. So, make sure you choose the right protein foods and you eat small portions.
Select foods that are good for your heart
This is imperative because it will help to stop fat from building up in your kidneys, heart, and blood vessels. You should stir-fry, roast, bake, broil, or grill foods, as opposed to deep-frying too.
The foods best for your heart health are fruits, vegetables, beans, fish, poultry without the skin, and lean cuts of meat.
Select foods low in phosphorus
In addition to the suggestions that have been mentioned so far, it is wise to select drinks and foods that have less phosphorus, as this will help protect your blood vessels and bones. Good examples include rice cereals, corn cereals, rice milk, rice, pasta, breads, vegetables, and fruits.
Conclusion
So there you have it: an insight into some of the different things you need to consider when you are looking for the best diet for CKD. If you follow the advice and suggestions mentioned above, you should be able to get your diet right when living with CKD. However, one of the best things you can do is speak with a nutrition counselor who can assist you.
