Nutrition – Diet

Nutrition is a key component in creating a holistic treatment plan. From vitamins and minerals, to food and drink, understanding the importance of nutritional intake plays a major role in the health of each patient.
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As each person’s body and circumstance varies, Nephron recommends each client works closely with their doctor to create a unique dietary plan. Medications and vitamins can be detrimental or beneficial, depending on the patient, which is why we always advise our clients to have an open discussion with their practitioner. Although we don’t recommend developing a medication/vitamin plan without consulting with a professional, many dialysis patients can expect to begin a regimen of iron, vitamin D, Heparin, Epogen (or other blood clot preventing prescriptions), among others.

When it comes to food, most clients are pleased to find out that dialysis-friendly foods are not only healthy but also delicious! Whether you’re eating at home or out at a restaurant, finding foods that benefit the health of a dialysis patient is not tedious or difficult. Salads, vegetables, fruit, bread, pasta, lightly baked, and protein-packed foods are all welcome.

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Most often, clients need to watch their potassium intake – so understanding which fruits and vegetables are high in potassium is important – such as bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and brussel sprouts, just to name a few. Other main dishes that are usually discouraged are soups and creamy sauces, deep fried foods, and anything else that’s usually high in sodium (meat, garlic, salt, soy sauce, etc,). But, again, always consult with a doctor as each person’s body is unique.

Patients in dialysis tend to find themselves urinating less. Due to this, doctors often suggest patients limit their fluid intake. Excessive fluids will need to be drained and/or filtered through the hemodialysis machine.