Dietary Advice for Patients with Chronic kidney failure

For chronic kidney failure, a proper diet should not add severity to the kidneys but also supply what is needed by our body. Some dietary advice for patients with chronic kidney failure are listed as follows.
1. Low sodium diet
Excessive sodium intake can aggravate swelling, high blood pressure and heart burden. Generally, daily salt intake should be no more than 3 grams. As the specific illness condition can differ, chronic kidney failure patients should restrict sodium intake according to their own specific illness condition and their blood sodium level.
2. Low potassium diet
High potassium intake can inhibit heart beat or even cause cardiac arrest in severer conditions. When kidney function declines, the excretion volume reduces so that blood potassium level elevates. Therefore, high potassium foods should be restricted. Such foods mainly include bananas, oranges, aginomoto, potatoes, fungus, dates, lotus, mustard, scallops, hams and almonds. The intake amount should also be adjusted according to their own blood potassium level.
2. Proper protein intake
While inadequate protein intake can cause malnutrition and lead to low immunity, excessive protein intake can add burden to kidneys. Thereby, on the premise that protein intake meets somagenic needs, daily protein intake should be reduced as much as possible.
Generally, for chronic kidney failure patients, 0.5 to 0.6 grams per kilogram each day is a proper amount. So, for a 50 kg patient, daily protein amount can be 25 to 30 grams.
To calculate the suitable protein intake amount and have a more detailed knowledge of the illness condition, patients with chronic kidney failure can take regular test about their GFR(a measurement for the rate of clearing wastes in kidneys). Based on the declining speed of GFR and whether dialysis is adopted, a standard level for the proper intake amount can be decided.
As for food selections, high-quality plant protein foods, such as milk, lean meat and eggs are preferable choices. Plant proteins(such as beans and bean products) should be avoided as the purine base in plant proteins can aggravate kidneys by increasing metabolic burdens.
3.Limit water intake
If urine output declines, water can not be effectively excreted with urine, causing swelling, high blood pressure or even short breath. So water intake must be restricted. Generally, water intake volume can be 500 ml more than the urine output.
4. Low-phosphorus and high-calcium foods
High phosphorus and hypocalcemia is quite common among chronic kidney failure patients. Henceforth, except for calcium supply from medications, patients can take more high calcium foods, such as milk, lean meat and egg white. Meanwhile, high phosphorus foods, such as fish, beef, mutton, chicken meat, peanuts and sunflower seeds.
5. Avoid stimulating and spicy foods
Stimulating foods, such chili, pepper, curry and garlic, can increase blood pressure level, throat inflammation and allergic reactions. So we'd better give them up.
Above all are some dietary advice for those with chronic kidney failure. Besides daily diet, other aspects in daily life should also be paid attention to in your everyday life. As kidney impairment still exist and may aggravate, timely treatment is quite necessary so as to avoid end-stage kidney failure.
Hope it is of help for you and wish you good health.