The CKD non-dialysis diet

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who are not yet on dialysis may be given a special diet to follow. The purpose of the diet is to help prolong kidney function and to keep patients feeling their best by preventing buildup of fluid and wastes. Learn about the CKD non-dialysis diet and how it helps people in the earlier stages of kidney disease.

The hemodialysis diet

All about diet and nutrition The hemodialysis diet What is a hemodialysis diet? The hemodialysis diet is an eating plan tailored to patients who are in stage 5 of chronic kidney disease (CKD), also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). These patients have very little or no kidney function and must undergo

The peritoneal dialysis diet

Balanced nutrition

What is albumin?

Donna Swartzendruber is a registered nurse and a member of DaVita’s Clinical Education Team. In this article, she discusses albumin, the most common protein found in the blood. Albumin is used by the body for growth and tissue repair. Learn the recommended albumin level and how to achieve it.

Hidden phosphorus in your diet and how to control it

If you are a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient who has been watching your diet, yet still find your phosphorus levels are higher than you want them, hidden phosphorus in foods could be the problem. DaVita renal dietitian Lisa Gutekunst breaks down which foods have hidden phosphorus and lets you know what to look for on food packages. Learn how you can control phosphorus levels in your foods and maintain a healthy low phosphorus diet with CKD.

Nutrition and chronic kidney disease

It seems all of America is on a diet, whether it’s low carb, low fat or high protein. But if you’ve been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), awareness of your food choices and how these choices can affect your kidneys is important.

The ABCs of vitamins for kidney patients

The fact that vitamins are good for our health has been taught to us from the time we were children. Learn about vitamins, the role they play in keeping us healthy and how chronic kidney disease (CKD) changes vitamin requirements.

The diabetic dialysis diet

The transplant diet

Working with a dietitian

Diet is a big part of the treatment for chronic kidney disease. Working with a dietitian can help you understand your kidney diet, get the proper nutrition you need and stay motivated. Find out the benefits of having a dietitian on your health care team.

Fluid control for kidney disease patients on dialysis

One part of the renal diet that many kidney disease and dialysis patients find difficult is controlling fluid intake. Learn about how what you drink and eat affects your health and your dialysis treatments, plus get a few tips on how to control thirst.

Dietary protein and chronic kidney disease (CKD)

When it comes to protein, the saying, "you are what you eat" is entirely true. Most of the body—skin, muscle, tissues, nails, hair—is made of protein. In fact, every cell in the body has protein. But what is protein? And if it’s so important for our health, why can some kidney disease patients eat it, while others have limited amounts? Learn about protein and how different stages of CKD affect the amount of protein in your diet.

Sodium and chronic kidney disease

Sodium is important to our health. It has an active role in many of the body's functions. However, if you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), too much sodium can cause complications. Learn more about sodium, what it does and how it affects patients with renal disease.

Potassium and chronic kidney disease

Potassium is a mineral found in many of the foods we eat. People with advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) or are on dialysis need to limit the amount of potassium in their diets. Learn about potassium, what it does in the body and why it is important to keep potassium levels in a safe range.

Calcium and chronic kidney disease

Calcium is one of the well-known minerals; responsible for strong bones and teeth along with other important body functions. For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) their calcium requirements are different from the general population. Find out about calcium, how it affects people with kidney disease and what to eat.

Phosphorus and chronic kidney disease

Potassium, phosphorus and the dialysis diet

Maybe it’s because both minerals start with the letter “p” that people find it confusing to distinguish between potassium and phosphorus. This article, written by DaVita renal dietitian, Helen Dorrough, will try to help you understand the difference between the two, and explains why both are limited in the dialysis diet. In addition to identifying “double jeopardy” foods high in both potassium and phosphorus, you’ll find a list of low potassium and low phosphorus food alternatives to help you do well on the kidney diet.

Phosphorus binders (or phosphate binders) and the dialysis diet

High levels of phosphorus in the blood can be dangerous for people with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The dialysis diet alone cannot control phosphorus. That’s why your doctor and renal dietitian may recommend following a low-phosphorus diet combined with taking phosphorus binders (or phosphate binders) to help keep phosphorus in a safe range. Phosphate binders prevent your body from absorbing phosphorus from the food you eat.

Reading labels to control phosphorus in the dialysis diet

High levels of phosphorus in the blood can be dangerous for people with kidney disease. However, phosphorus is found in nearly all of the foods that people eat. Figuring out what to eat and what not to eat can be tricky. Learn how to read labels to find hidden sources of phosphorus in foods and other ways to keep your phosphorus level in a safe range.

Vitamin D and chronic kidney disease

Ask any school-age child, “What vitamin do you get from the sun?” and you will likely hear the correct answer, “Vitamin D.” Vitamin D is so critical for good health that nature designed a way for us to get it without much effort — directly from the sun.Yet, to be used in the body vitamin D needs to be activated in the kidneys, so people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) tend to be deficient in vitamin D and may need medicines to get their healthy dose of vitamin D.

How diet can affect your blood pressure

High blood pressure is the second leading cause of chronic kidney disease that leads to end stage renal disease. But a healthy diet is one of the ways you can help control your blood pressure. A low-sodium, reduced-fat diet can help keep blood pressure under control and may prevent kidney failure and other health problems brought on by high blood pressure. Learn more.

Lowering potassium in potatoes

Some people on the renal diet are often advised to limit their potassium intake. One popular food that is high in potassium is the potato. The good news is that you can lower potassium in potatoes by leaching or soaking potatoes before cooking them. Recent research suggests new ways of cutting and boiling potatoes to make sure the maximum amount of potassium is removed. Learn more about the most effective way to remove potassium from potatoes.

Exercise for people with chronic kidney disease

After a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, it is still important to include exercise in your life. While you may feel tired from the kidney disease, exercise can help you strengthen your muscles, including your heart, and help you maintain a positive outlook. You can also work with a renal dietitian to adjust your kidney diet due to your exercise if necessary.

In-center nocturnal dialysis and your kidney diet

In-center nocturnal dialysis is hemodialysis performed in a dialysis center during the night while patients sleep. People on in-center nocturnal dialysis may have different diets than people on traditional in-center hemodialysis because nocturnal dialysis is generally done for a longer treatment time. Learn more about the in-center nocturnal dialysis diet.

Sticking with a kidney friendly diet

Many people start a diet with a lot of enthusiasm, but then life gets in the way and interest begins to falter. Lose weight and eat right are just a few of the popular reasons to start a diet to improve your lifestyle, but in the case of kidney disease, the kidney diet is part of your treatment. Don’t let diet fatigue happen to you! Here are some helpful hints to start a kidney friendly diet and stick to it making it a permanent lifestyle change.

Your kidney diet prescription

The kidney diet is an important part of treatment for chronic kidney disease. Kidney patients are given a diet prescription to ensure their nutritional needs are met. DaVita offers an online meal planner, DaVita Diet Helper™, to help people in the later stages of kidney disease stick to their renal diets. If a person has their diet prescription they can use this tool to help them plan their kidney diet.

Fiber in the kidney diet

For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those on dialysis, getting enough fiber in a kidney-friendly diet can be even more challenging because many fruits, vegetables and grains are restricted in the kidney diet to keep phosphorus and potassium lower. Learn which foods are fiber-packed and kidney friendly and how to introduce more fiber into your CKD diet.