DIALYSIS and Diet

 As in 21st Century, diseases keep rising. This can occur due to many reasons but the important factor is lifestyles and food. If one person doesn't look for his food and about his health then definitely they suffer from many conditions. 

Everybody knows that the Kidney does the filter work in the body along with it also maintains body fluid and the other important work done by the kidney are they remove waste material from the body. In short Kidneys do the main functions in our body. 

But Some conditions like Acute renal failure or Chronic renal failure is Kidney diseases. When they were not in control so it leads to Dialysis. Haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis enable a person with essentially little or no renal function, to live for many years. Dialysis is a procedure that replaces some of the kidney's normal functions. It is performed when a person experiences more than 95% kidney failure. 

Dialysis may be employed on a daily basis or two-three times a week, it all depends upon the amount of toxic waste product accumulating in the blood. Dialysis cannot replace the healthy and normal function of the kidney but it allows a person to avoid life-threatening features of uremia. 

Dialysis does not help to relieve all the symptoms of chronic renal failure and the person must continue to observe dietary and fluid restrictions. The principles of dialysis are the same for both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

You must have heard about if a person goes under dialysis he loses weight. So here is some information about what you should consume if you are taking dialysis. 

Protein: Since dialysis is a catabolic process the releasing catabolic hormones like glucagon, glucocorticoids, and adrenalin, an adequate protein intake is essential. There is a loss of as much as 7 g of amino acids and 2-3 g peptides into the dialysate. An intake of 1 to 1.2 of protein per kg Ideal Body Weight is recommended of which at least 70% must come from animal protein because the loss of essential amino acids in the dialysate is proportional to the plasma concentration and not limited by adapted and restricted catabolism. In the case of anorexia or an elderly person, it may be necessary to use protein supplements. 

Carbohydrates: Adequate carbohydrates must be taken to fulfill energy requirements. The diet must consist of high fiber, low fat, and low sugar in order to limit the risk of hyperlipidemia. 

Energy: Weight loss in obese people may be achieved by carefully restricting their energy intake level to 500  kcal below their current needs. Generally, an intake of 35 kcal per kg per day is recommended. Underweight people may need energy supplements. 

Electrolytes: The aim after dialysis should be to maintain serum potassium levels within limits with sufficiently frequent and effective dialysis to limit pre-dialysis potassium to less than 5.5 mmol per liter. Hence, an intake of 30-60 mmol of potassium is recommended. It is necessary to consider other factors like constipation, the potassium content of the dialysis fluid, acidosis, infection, tissue damage, and medicines being used. 

Potassium intake can be reduced by reducing the intake of all fruit and vegetables to one or two servings. Boiling vegetables and potatoes in a large volume of water for about half an hour and then using them after discarding the water, can achieve a further reduction in potassium in the food. 

Intake of phosphate may be restricted to about 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg day by reducing the intake of phosphate-rich food like eggs, cheddar cheese, milk, malted milk drinks organ meat, whole wheat flour, all types of nuts, cocoa, and its product and drinking chocolate. 

The restriction of sodium of 80 to 100 mmol per day is normal. Salt intake must be restricted since it causes excessive thirst and it may be difficult for the patient to control his fluid intake. And the other plus point will be hypertension will control if salt restriction occurs. 

Fluids: Generally, the urinary output diminishes the longer a person remains in dialysis. The person must be educated about this fact at the time of dialysis. Roughly about 500 ml of fluid in addition to that equivalent to urine output is allowed. 

Vitamins: A dialysis person require supplementation with the B-complex group of vitamins and vitamin C since several of them are lost due to prolonged cooking methods. B-complex vitamin, vitamin C and Folic acid. Vitamin A, which bound retinal, is a high molecular weight protein and not dialyzable, hence no vitamin A supplements are required. As for blood losses the iron should be given in a good amount. 

This is all the information you should know about Dialysis. 

Stay healthy and stay safe.