When kidneys are not working at optimum, wastes build up in blood instead of being removed by the kidneys. That is why a special diet is important to follow. Some foods may need to be changed in diet for a CKD patient. This may include limiting protein, carbohydrates, fat, fluid, sodium, potassium and phosphorous in diet.

Patient must watch his/her calories. A dietician can help design a meal plan for a CKD patient.

Protein:
Urea is a waste product that comes from the breakdown of protein. Urea is removed from the blood by kidneys and leaves your body in your urine. Too much protein in diet makes the kidneys work harder and can cause more kidney damage.
Since protein is needed for body, a careful balance is needed to keep your nutrition at best.

Calories:
It is very important to eat the right amount of calories. Calories come from carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol.  It is very important for a CKD patient to get enough calories. Your family and dietician can play an important role in helping you keep this under control.

Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are found in breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables, sugar, honey, cookies, cakes, sweets and drinks. Again, follow the diet guidelines suggested by your dietician and doctor.

Fats:
Fats include foods like meat, butter and oils. Fats contain twice the calories as carbohydrates or proteins. Polyunsaturated fats are better than saturated fats. High cholesterol can cause kidney damage and heart disease.

Fluids:
In the beginning there may not be a fluid limit for CKD patients. This is because the kidneys may still be able to make urine, although the urine may not have all the wastes that are in normal urine. The amount of urine may eventually decreases and then there may be need to restrict the fluid intake.

Sodium:
Sodium is a mineral found naturally in almost all foods. The most common form of sodium is table salt. Excess sodium can cause high blood pressure and swelling.

Potassium:
Potassium is a mineral also found in many foods. As the CKS gets worse, too much potassium can cause serious damage. Here is the list of foods that are rich in potassium.
Bananas, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Beans, Chocolate, Nuts, Peaches, Oranges, Milk, Raisins etc.

Phosphorus:
With CKD, phosphorus may start to build up in blood. Here is the list of foods that are rich in phosphorus.
Milk, Chocolate, Beans, Cheese, Nuts etc.
Your doctor may prescribe a medicine called “phosphorus binder” to bind the extra phosphorus from food and removed in your bowel movements.

Take Charge
The sooner you understand what it means to have CKD, the more likely you are to slow the disease and prevent problems. The basic goals of your health care team should be:

• Identify the disease
• Prepare you and help you understand the disease
• Offer treatment
• Educate you about the disease

We hope that many of your questions have been answered and you feel more informed about CKD. We urge you to discuss what you read with your doctor. The more you know about CKD, the more likely you are to help slow and prevent more problems.