I am doing research on the needs of Renal patients and would like to get as much feedback as I can on what dietary concerns patients today have. Tricks for reducing fluid gains, how you feel about potassium restriction, anything is good. Any thoughts or ideas you can share would be most appreeciated, I am a Renal patient of many years and have my own ideas but would like to hear from others regarding ups and downs of the renal diet. Thankyou for any input you can give. JB

Hello! I am delighted that you are picking up this so necessary topic. I have actually been managing very well on the diet, though it took a while to get there. My actual concern is how to pass the information on. I have purchased several cook books and the major help has been a book called Bowes and Churches Food Values for Common Commodities. This list many foods by name and brand name and the breaks them down into fats, K+, Na+, Phos, etc. I have used to to review my favourite foods and recipes to help with the determination as to whether I shoud eat them or not. It also includes fast food restaurants. Fluid wise I find that managing the salt and then drinking when I am thirsty seems to keep in good balance. Keeping busy certainly helps too. I work part-time, dialyse 3 afternoons a week and have a very active social life. The other method to managing is to keep the lists of allowable and not allowable foods on hand that way frequent checks keep the variety up and reduce the Oops I shouldn't have eaten that. I hope this is helpful. Nancy

Nancy, thank you for your input... I too use that book you referred to a lot.. it is invariably my dialysis bible! its most helpful when deciding what I can and can't have, and if I feel like eating at a fast food place,its also beneficial. I recommend anyone on dialysis or with other dietary concerns to get this book! (I do not work for the company either! Thisis totally unsolicited!)Again thankyou for your input.. it will come in handy JGB

Hi! me again. I thought that I would pass on that attitude is probably the largest restriction in staying on the diet. That and a really good understanding of what dialysis can and can't do. I am conintually amazed at the number of people who have dialyzed for years and still eat restricted food on the run. The message I get from many of them is that they feel that they "deserve" to eat what they want. Rather than understanding that they would feel better on the diet. I guess it all comes down to taking responsibility for themselves.
I had been thinking about doing a menu system based on the traffic light ( the dietitions in Edmonton Alberta at the University of Alberta developed it and I think that it has helped. If you would like to send me your address I would be happy to send you some of the materials and then we could discuss it further.
Thanks Nancy