Low Protein Renal Diet

What is the function of the kidney?

Your body is constantly at work building and breaking itself.  This makes waste products.  The work of the kidney is to clean the body of these waste products and get rid of it in the form of urine.  The kidney helps to get rid of extra water by passing water in the urine.

When your kidneys are damaged they no longer work properly

Kidney damage results in:

• Water and waste products build up in the body.  The waste products become toxic (acts like poison) and make you feel ill.
• You may loses your appetite, feel tired, nauseous, vomit and feel restless
• Your blood pressure will increase and your hands and feet may swell
• To prevent this fluid and waste product build-up, it is necessary for you to follow a special diet
• This diet will help decrease toxins, allowing you to feel better and prevent any symptoms of high toxins in the blood
• A dietician will explain this special diet to you.

Renal Diet:

Proteins are important as they are needed to build, repair and maintain muscles, and to protect the body against diseases. Proteins are found in most of the foods we eat. When eaten they are used for various functions and what is not used is conveted into waste products such as urea.

When the kidney is not functioning these waste products build up in the blood and can cause vomiting, headaches, bad breath and confusion

Large amounts of waste products, especially urea are formed from foods that are very rich in protein

The following foods are rich in protein and your intake of these should be restricted:>

• Milk (full cream / low fat / skim) Maas
• Fish
• Youghurt
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Pork
• Cheese
• Beef
• Nuts and peanut butter
• Lamb
• Legumes (dried bean, dried peas, lentils
• Mutton
• Organ meats (kidneys, heart, brains and tripe
• Soya

When your kidneys are damaged, you have to eat a Low Protein Diet (your intake of foods rich in protein have to be restricted), so that large amounts of urea are not formed