Renal Diet

Introduction

• Hemodialysis means “cleaning of the blood”

• Patients with compromised kidney functions need

hemodialysis
• Blood from the body is withdrawn and it is passed
through an artificial kidney for four to five hours so it
can be cleaned
• Patients who have to undergo hemodialysis must eat a
renal diet – also known as the kidney diet.
 Calcium

• Calcium is one of the most commonly found minerals in our

body.
• Most of the calcium in our bodies – almost 99% – of it can be
found in our bones and teeth.
• A healthy kidney is able to properly eliminate the calcium that is
in our blood, which is about 1,000-1,500 mg per day.
• According to research and recommendations, it is important that
the total calcium intake for people who have chronic kidney
disease or any other kind of kidney disease to not have more than
2,000 mg daily (Enoch, Lobo & Ghosh, 2018).
 Phosphorus

• Phosphorus can be said to be a very important mineral that plays an

important role in the development and maintenance of bones.
• Other than that, it also has a function for the development of
connective tissues and organs, as it works to help muscle movement
as well.
• Phosphorus is absorbed in the small intestines when it is consumed
and it then gets stored in the bones
• If the kidney function is impaired, the excess phosphorus can no
longer be removed and this can be problematic, as the high levels of
phosphorus can pull the calcium out of the bones making the bones
weak
 Potassium

• Potassium can be found in many different foods that we eat and

it is instrumental in keeping our heart and muscles working
properly. Potassium is also very important in terms of helping the
body maintain the fluid and electrolyte balance in the blood.
• High level of potassium in the blood can cause many problems,
such as slow pulse, irregular heart beat, muscle weakness, and
even heart attack and death.
• This is why it is important that people who have kidney issues to
monitor their potassium intake and to keep their potassium levels
safe.
 Protein

• Patients of kidney problems must limit the protein in

their diet
• Protein creates a lot of waste in the blood

• Patients with compromised kidney functions cannot

eliminate such waste
• This is why it is important for the patients of kidney
diseases to be able to monitor their protein intake and
to not eat too many proteins (Lambert et al., 2017).
 Sodium

• Sodium is important for the body in terms of it being an

electrolyte, along with potassium and chloride.
• Electrolytes are important for the body because they control how
the fluids move between the body’s tissues and cells.
• High levels of sodium in the body cause cause various problems,
such as there swelling in the legs, hands, and face, high blood
pressure, as well as heart failure.
• This is why it is important for patients who are on a renal diet to
monitor sodium levels in their food and to ensure that they are
not taking too much sodium in their diet.
 Albumin

• Albumin is a protein that can be found in many animal products,

such as eggs, dairy products, as well as various types of meats.
• It can also be fond in beans, nuts, and seeds.

• Albumin is necessary for the body in terms of maintaining

growth and repairing or tissues. It is important for patients who
are undergoing hemodialysis to have a good range of albumin in
their blood, which is often depicted as being 4.0 g/dl or higher
(Lu, Vakilzadeh & Teta, 2015).
• It is an important part of the renal diet, as it helps with the
dialysis
 Sample Menu
• Breakfast
• Boiled egg with toasted bread, jam/jelly/marmalade/butter
• Fresh grapes
• Coffee or tea with creamer and sweetener

• Lunch
• Blackened shrimp with pineapple salad
• Low-sodium crackers
• Lemon cookies
• Lemon-lime soda

• Dinner
• Stuffed green peppers with dinner rolls
• Sparkling water
• Fruits
 References

• Enoch, R., Lobo, J., & Ghosh, A. K. (2018). A Study to Assess the
Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Renal Diet on
the Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Attending Tertiary Care
Centre. Health Sciences, 7(4), 94-100.
• Lambert, K., Mullan, J., Mansfield, K., & Owen, P. (2017). Should
We Recommend Renal Diet–Related Apps to Our Patients? An
Evaluation of the Quality and Health Literacy Demand of Renal
Diet–Related Mobile Applications. Journal of Renal
Nutrition, 27(6), 430-438.
• Lu, Y., Vakilzadeh, N., & Teta, D. (2015). Chronic renal failure:
what is the optimal diet?. Praxis, 104(7), 361-367.