Goal

This diet allows patients to intake adequate nutrition and to avoid further deterioration of the kidney to achieve health as the purpose.

General principles

1. Calories: Because of dialysis solution containing glucose, it is used directly by the body leading to triglycerides increase in blood; therefore, it is crucial to avoid intake of excessive sugar and fat. Refer to registered dietitian for assessing calorie required for your body. 

• Reduce intake of candy, dessert, cakes, soft drinks, juices, and sweet beverages.
• Eat less fried foods and high fat content food like pastries, cakes, and so on.
• Work out appropriately to increase energy consumption and avoid obesity.

2. Protein: peritoneal dialysis often incur greater loss of protein compared to hemodialysis; therefore, patients should intake more protein supplement with 1/2 or more of milk, fish, meat, eggs, and soy bean products. Remember to avoid inferior quality protein like: beans, nuts, and gluten.
3. Lipid: The choice of oils and fats should better be vegetable oil such as olive oil and salad oil. Refer to the principle of hyperlipidemia diet when there is high lipid level in your blood.
4. Vitamin: dialysis often incur loss of vitamin, so patients should intake more water-soluble vitamin via dark green vegetable and dark colored fruit. Abide by the instructions given by the physicians and registered dietitian for vitamin supplement.
5. Minerals:

• Calcium: be sure to add calcium supplement; intake more dairy products, dry fish, and dark green vegetables. Dairy products and dry fish are also high-phosphorus foods and need to be consumed carefully.
• Phosphorus: if there is high Phosphorus concentration in your blood, refer to the principle of low-phosphorus diet as guidance.
• Potassium: If the urine is less than 1000 cc, pay attention to the concentration of serum potassium for it will cause excessive potassium. If serum potassium level is too high, please refer to the principle of low-phosphorus diet
• Sodium: avoid salty diet and processed food for a lot of these foods contain concentrated sodium.
• Iron: consume food with high iron content including red meat, blood pudding, duck blood, oysters, dark green vegetables and so on.
  • Suggest take in fruit rich in vitamin C, such as papaya and guava after each meal to increase iron absorption.
  • Do not drink tea or coffee during meals.
  • Avoid processed food like conditioned packs; consume more a variety of fresh food.
• Zinc: consume food like oysters and other seafood for it stimulate appetite and increase sensitivity in taste.

6. Water: There is no strict restriction over patients with dialysis; simply intake enough amount needed for your body; however, when there is edema, intake no more than 500 to 750 c.c. of urine amount compared to yesterdays.
7. Tabooed fruit: Do not eat star fruit.
8. Cooking methods

• To promote appetite, make use of onions, ginger, garlic, pepper, chili, star anise, cinnamon, five-spice, coriander, lemon juice, and other seasonings.
• It is better to steam, boil, and grill your food.