Nutritional therapy in moderate or severe kidney failure

The ability of failing kidneys to remove phosphorus is diminished. The build-up of phosphorus in your body contributes to the narrowing of blood vessels and makes your bones more brittle. To prevent the build-up of phosphorus in your body, you should reduce the amount of it in your food. Key sources of phosphorus include the phosphorus added to food products, wholegrains, dairy products as well as products in the meat group (meat, fish, chicken, egg).

If kidney failure has progressed to a more advanced stage, it may become necessary to also restrict the amount of potassium in food. There is a fair amount of potassium in both animal and vegetable foodstuffs. Typical sources of potassium include coffee, 100% fruit juice and potato. The need to cut the potassium intake always depends on the person. Sometimes, just a minor adjustment of the diet, such as replacing some of the daily coffee intake with tea, may suffice.

If the dialysis, which is also called an artificial kidney, is required there will be changes to the diet. The nutritional therapist of your healthcare provider will then provide you with detailed instructions regarding your new diet.