Seasoning the low sodium way

Getting enough nutrition for people with kidney disease

Many times when reading about the renal diet and nutrition for people with chronic kidney disease, it’s about what not to eat. Getting enough nutrition is a common problem for some people with renal failure due to losses in appetite and energy. DaVita dietitian, Mary Jo Dahms, gives tips to help get the calories and protein necessary for health.

Alcohol and chronic kidney disease

When it comes to drinking alcohol, the latest news says a little red wine every day is actually good for you. But what if you have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis or have diabetes? Is it safe for you to drink?

Supermarket shopping tips for those with kidney disease

Supermarket shopping can be a daunting task when you are faced with a number of dietary restrictions. The grocery store aisles seem to be lined with items you aren’t supposed to eat if you are on a kidney disease or dialysis diet. Here are some tips on how, with some advanced planning, you can make the best of the experience and reap the benefits of improved health and well being.

Lunches on-the-go for the dialysis diet

Let’s do lunch! You may think you don’t have enough time for a nutritious lunch. Or you may be confused about what’s good to eat on a pre-dialysis or dialysis diet. Sara Colman, DaVita® dietitian and coauthor of the dialysis cookbook, Cooking for David, tells you all you need to know to plan ahead and enjoy a healthy lunch on the go.

Fast foods and the dialysis diet

In today’s busy world, it’s no surprise that fast food is such a booming business. Renal dietitians usually recommend that people on dialysis avoid fast foods due to the high levels of sodium, potassium and phosphorus. However, sometimes we all rely on the convenience of fast food. Here are tips to help people on a renal diet enjoy fast food on occasion, while still adhering to a dialysis diet.

Dialysis diet cooking with Katie Lee Joel

Katie Lee Joel is a chef, author of a soon-to-be-published cookbook, special correspondent on Extra, former host of Bravo’s Top Chef and wife of singer, Billy Joel. When Katie’s grandfather was diagnosed with renal failure, she began modifying family-favorite recipes to make them kidney friendly. She has contributed some of her dialysis-diet recipes to Shire Pharmaceutical’s Kidney Friendly Comfort Foods cookbook and shares a couple of her favorites here.

The challenges of being on a dialysis diet

 To help you succeed in making the right diet choices, Maria Stasios, DaVita registered dietitian (RD) from North Carolina, has put together a few tips.

Dining out on the dialysis diet

It’s always nice to have a break from cooking and enjoy dining out on the town. While dining out may be a little harder than eating in for those on the dialysis diet — since you can never be sure what amounts of sodium, potassium and phosphorus are in the foods you order — it is possible to dine out and make smart choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner that adhere to the renal diet. Here are tips to help people on the dialysis diet make healthy choices and enjoy themselves when dining out while keeping their lab results in a healthy range.

Top 15 healthy foods for people with kidney disease

These days, more scientists are finding links between common diseases and the foods we eat. Studies show that eating foods high in antioxidants can help fight diseases such as cancer and heart disease and help reduce inflammation. A healthy, kidney-friendly diet high in antioxidants is especially important for people with kidney disease because they are more at risk for health problems. The kidney diet is also low in potassium, phosphorus and sodium. Learn the top 15 healthy foods for people with kidney disease.

Using egg whites to keep protein up and control phosphorus

It is important for people on dialysis to get an adequate amount of protein to keep their blood albumin level up. Albumin is a protein needed to maintain growth and repair tissues. Lynn, a DaVita® renal dietitian, conducted a study to see if substituting liquid egg whites for meat in one meal a day would help patients keep a healthy albumin level while keeping phosphorus in the normal range and reducing the number of phosphorus binders needed to take. Find out the results of Lynn’s study.

The vegetarian diet and chronic kidney disease

Following a kidney diet may be a challenge for many patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) – but what if you are a vegetarian who suddenly needs to follow a renal-friendly meal plan? DaVita renal dietitian Chhaya explains how people with chronic kidney disease can follow a vegetarian diet. She provides tips for adequate calorie intake, focusing on proper amounts of protein and keeping kidney health in mind.

Budget meals on the dialysis diet

In a day and age where every dollar counts and every penny is pinched, it is possible to make budget meals if you are on the dialysis diet. Buying frozen produce instead of fresh produce, purchasing fresh meats instead of pre-cooked ones and sticking to a shopping list are some strategies from DaVita® renal dietitian Rebecca Brosch. Read more tips to help you leave the supermarket with a full cart of kidney-friendly groceries and some money left in your pocket.

Weight-loss dieting when you're on dialysis

If you want to lose weight while on dialysis, consider these tips. From becoming more aware of the foods you buy to how you eat your food, new habits may help you achieve your weight-loss goals. Learn how weight-loss dieting when you’re on dialysis may help you live a healthier life.

Kidney-friendly candy for dialysis patients

Candy is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth and add extra calories to your diet, for those who need it. For people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) there are certain candies that may be limited or restricted on the kidney diet due to high phosphorus, potassium or sodium. Learn which candies are kidney-friendly and how to work with your dietitian so you can satisfy a sweet tooth on the kidney diet.