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Proper diet is the basis of human health and it is far more than filling the stomach to have foods and drinks. The diets should be fully absorbed by the body and meet the nutritional needs. Reasonable diet is especially important for kidney disease patients because improper diets can worsen the illness conditions.
For end stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), low-potassium diet is very important. Hyperkalaemia (high potassium level in blood) is one of the most common complications of chronic kidney failure and severe hyperkalaemia can cause sudden cardiac arrest and threaten life. To avoid hyperkalaemia, patients should avoid high-potassium foods and limit the daily intake within 2g. The potassium in some foods can be reduced through cooking such as soaking potatoes in water, boiling the vegetables and fruits, etc.
Besides limitation of high-potassium foods, end stage CKD patients should have foods that are high in calcium and low in phosphorus because low calcium and high phosphorus in blood is the most common electrolyte disorder in CKD. However it is a pity that foods that are high in calcium usually contain rich phosphorus such as ribs and dried shrimps, therefore patients should have low-phosphorus diets: avoid animal offal, seafood, alcoholic drinks as well as pumpkin seed and other nuts.
Since end stage CKD patients should limit the intake of protein to reduce burdens to the kidneys, therefore they should have enough calories (30-35kilocalories/kg) to maintain normal life activities. What is more, the inadequate intake of calories will cause the break down of proteins in the body and this will further increase the level of creatinine and urea nitrogen and worsen the illness conditions. Patients can have foods that are high in calories but low in protein such as potatoes, lotus root starch, taro, sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkin, water chestnut, etc.
In addition, end stage CKD patients should limit the intake of salt, fat and purine and have more foods that are high in vitamins and fibers.
