Healthy Eating
If you have kidney disease, you may not be getting all of the important vitamins and minerals you need from your food. You may also lose some vitamins from your body during your hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatments. Your dietitian will develop a meal plan designed to meet your nutritional needs. Since everyone’s needs are different, what you can and cannot eat will depend on your personal health profile. Your doctor may also give you vitamin and mineral supplements to help. Take your supplements and vitamins as your doctor orders—not having enough vitamins can make it easier for you to get an infection. Only take the vitamins or minerals that your doctor prescribes—do not buy supplements from a store, off the shelf. They may have vitamins or minerals that are dangerous to you.
Your doctor may have you take the following supplements to keep you healthy:
- Iron—to treat or help prevent anemia.
- Vitamin B complex—a grouping of different B vitamins. Some work with EPO and iron to help prevent anemia. Others help change the food you eat into energy that your body can use.
- Calcium—to bind phosphorus and help keep your bones healthy.
Work with your care team to make sure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need by eating a varied diet and taking your supplements. Remember, when you eat well, you are helping your kidneys and yourself.
Click here for our Nutritional Calculator. It can help take the guesswork out of following your diet by helping you to determine the nutrients in your meal.
