What is a good diet for a person with chronic kidney disease?

Because your kidneys don’t work as well as they used to, it is important to be careful about what you eat and drink. Here’s advice on your healthy diet:

Eat protein.

It makes your muscles strong. Dialysis can take protein out of your body, so be sure you eat plenty of protein-rich foods. Foods that are high in protein include meat, chicken, fish, and eggs.

Limit fluids.

Anything you drink is a fluid, but you also need to limit foods that have lots of fluid in them. Foods that are fluid at room temperature (like ice cream) are a problem. Also be careful about fruits and vegetables with lots of fluid, like watermelon, lettuce, and apples.

Stay away from sodium.

Sodium is the main ingredient in table salt. Many packaged foods have a lot of sodium. Restaurant food may also be high in sodium. Too much sodium can cause health problems for you. It can raise your blood pressure. It can also make you thirsty so you want to drink more fluid than is safe for you. Try to eat foods that are low in sodium or, if you buy packaged foods, say “sodium-free” or “very low in sodium” on the label.

Be careful about potassium & phosphorus.

Many healthy foods contain these nutrients, but they can cause problems for people with chronic kidney disease.