Managing Your Diet
If you are taking hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatments, you will need to keep a watchful eye on certain nutrients. Here are some helpful tips to control your phosphorus, potassium, and sodium intake.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus and calcium work together to keep your bones and teeth strong. Healthy kidneys remove extra phosphorus, so if you have kidney failure—even with hemodialysis—your levels may be too high. Too much phosphorus can cause itching, bone pain, brittle bones, muscle aches, and heart damage, so it’s very important to make sure it doesn’t build up in your blood. Most people on hemodialysis need to take a phosphate binder to help control the level of phosphorus in their blood. Phosphate binders "soak up" extra phosphorus from food before it reaches your bloodstream. Your dietitian will work with you to limit the following high phosphorus foods:
- Dairy products of all kinds
- Dried beans and peas
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Cola, Moxie, and pepper-type drinks (root beer, clear, and fruit-flavored sodas don’t tend to have much phosphorus)
You can learn more about phosphorus and kidney disease in these videos:
Potassium
Potassium keeps your heart, nerves, and muscles working as they should. It’s a mineral that’s found in most foods, but some foods have more potassium than others. It is VERY important to keep your potassium level in a safe range. Too much or too little potassium can stop your heart or cause muscle weakness, numbness, hallucinations, and many other problems.
When you have days off between dialysis treatments, potassium can build up in your body. Your care team will watch your potassium level and let you know if it’s too low or too high or just right. If your potassium level is not what it should be, your dietitian may ask you to eat more or less of foods that are high in potassium, like:
- Dried fruit (raisins, prunes, dried apricots, figs)
- Avocados
- Mangos
- Papayas
- Cantaloupe
- Kiwi
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Cooked spinach
- Salt substitutes with potassium
Sodium
Sodium (found in table salt) is an important mineral that helps to control your blood pressure and thirst. Your body only needs small amounts of it to be healthy. Most people get all the sodium they need from their food, without adding extra. Eating too much salt can make you thirsty. If you drink too much fluid you may notice swelling, weight gain, or higher blood pressure.
On hemodialysis, it’s important not to eat too much salt so your body doesn’t “hold onto” too much fluid. Read the list below for ideas to help you limit the salt in your diet. Do not add salt to the foods you cook or eat. Avoid high sodium foods, like:
- Processed meats (hot dogs, bologna, corned beef, ham, etc.)
- Canned soups and dried soup mixes
- Packaged “Helper” foods
- Fast foods
- Snack foods (pretzels, popcorn, chips)
- Bottled seasonings and sauces
- Frozen foods
- Canned foods
- Pickles, pickle juice, olives, and other pickled foods
Other helpful tips include:
- Cook with herbs and spices instead of salt
- Choose fresh foods when you can
- When eating out, ask for your food to be made without salt and ask for sauces and gravies on the side so you can eat less of them
- Read food labels
- Do not buy food with more than 300 mg of sodium
- Do not buy or eat foods if salt is one of the first five ingredients
Talk to your care team to find out how much sodium you should eat each day. Your dietitian will help you stay within your limits.
