Life with CKD: Diet (part 2)

My kidney diet is a little confusing.  I can eat tangerines, but not oranges; white rice, but not brown rice (too much phosphorous); canned peaches, but not fresh nectarines (too much potassium).   Eggs, fish, meats are good choices because I need the extra protein,  but they’re also high in phosphorous which I’m supposed to avoid.

It’s not that I can’t eat these foods.  I just have to limit them.  I don’t have healthy kidneys that help me get rid of the excess minerals.  Potassium and phosphorous are necessary to maintain good health.  But too much potassium is bad for the heart; Too much phosphorous is bad for the bones.  So now my kidney doctor has to worry about my heart and my bones too.  This is why you don’t often hear of people dying from kidney disease; They die from heart disease caused by bad kidneys.  And yet the reality is that kidney disease claims more lives than prostate cancer and breast cancer combined.

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So what can I eat and what can’t I eat?  For me, my dietician’s basic mantra is:

Less sodium
Less potassium
Less phosphorous
More protein

Why less sodium? Because kidney disease causes high blood pressure.  And high blood pressure worsens kidney disease.  It’s a vicious cycle so we need to be vigilant about keeping my blood pressure down.

Why more protein? Because peritoneal dialysis removes protein, so I need to consume more protein to make up for the loss.

My current food list looks something like this:

AVOID or LIMIT

Sodium
prepared foods, restaurant foods, anything with excess salt.  (Sadly salt is also hiding in bread, canned foods, ketchup, soups, cereal,…)

High-Potassium Foods
apricots, avocados, bananas, beets, brussels sprouts, greens (beet, collard, chard), nectarines, oranges, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, vegetable juice

High Phosphorous foods
dark sodas, nuts, beans, grains, dairy, cake, pancakes, biscuits (prepared), processed foods (hot dogs, deli meats, mac n cheese, etc.), prepared frozen foods, foods with preservatives

OKAY to eat

Low Phosphorous Foods 
white bread, white rice, apples, berries, grapes, cucumbers, carrots, rice/corn cereal, crackers, green beans

Low-Potassium Foods
Apples, Berries, Carrots, Cranberries, Cucumber, Fruit cocktail, Grapes, Green beans, Mushrooms, Onions, Pineapple, Strawberries, Tangerines, Watermelon

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It feels a little crazy for someone who’s eaten pretty healthy most of her life to swap out brown rice for white rice, or reject a banana to have fruit cocktail instead.  I still cheat almost everyday and sneak in a slice of avocado in my sandwich now and then.  But when my bloodwork tells me something is too high I go back to grunting my way through my diet again.   At least my kids are happy to have white rice again.

I so look forward to the day eating will be fun again.