Home Dialysis May Mean Fewer Dialysis Diet Restrictions
A kidney-friendly diet limits foods that are hard on your body, but with home dialysis, more of your favorites may be on the table. Home dialysis is usually done more frequently than in-center treatments, which can mean fewer dialysis diet restrictions and more of what you love.
Why Does Diet Matter?
If you have kidney disease, supporting your kidney function by eating the right foods is as important as taking the right medications. Your doctor may recommend limiting certain nutrients like sodium, phosphorus, or potassium. If you’re on dialysis, monitoring your fluid intake will help keep you feeling your best. These kidney-friendly dialysis food and drink restrictions put less stress on your body and help your treatments work well. Doing dialysis as prescribed and following your doctor’s recommendations helps you get the most out of your treatments.
While home dialysis can give you added flexibility in your diet, it’s important to keep your health in mind. Indulging too much can put extra stress on your body and make it harder to find your nutritional balance. Even if you have fewer dialysis diet restrictions, it’s important to make thoughtful food choices.
Everyone has unique dietary needs, and your diet may be adjusted as your health and treatments change. Talk to your doctor and dietitian to understand what your body needs to support your health. Together, you can create a meal plan that’s just right for you.
While home dialysis can give you added flexibility in your diet, it’s important to keep your health in mind. Indulging too much can put extra stress on your body and make it harder to find your nutritional balance. Even if you have fewer dialysis diet restrictions, it’s important to make thoughtful food choices.
Everyone has unique dietary needs, and your diet may be adjusted as your health and treatments change. Talk to your doctor and dietitian to understand what your body needs to support your health. Together, you can create a meal plan that’s just right for you.
How Home Dialysis Helps Reduce Diet Restrictions
Most people doing in-center dialysis have treatments three times per week. Home dialysis can be done more frequently, and this is closer to natural kidney function. Healthy kidneys work around the clock, so going days between dialysis treatments allows waste and fluids to build up. With your doctor’s guidance, frequent home dialysis treatments may allow you to relax some of your dialysis diet restrictions.
Better nutrient balance
Many people living with kidney disease need to cut back on high-potassium foods like bananas, potatoes, and tomatoes. Frequent dialysis treatments are more efficient at removing excess nutrients like potassium, so you may be able to enjoy more of your favorite foods.
Keep fluids in check
Most people doing dialysis will be asked to limit fluids to keep blood pressure and fluid retention under control. Doing frequent home dialysis treatments supports better fluid balance. Your doctor may allow more flexibility with the amount of fluid you can drink—especially if you still have some kidney function.
Feel better faster
Frequent treatments are easier on your body. This helps you recover faster.1 Many people feel more energetic and have a better appetite with home dialysis.1,2 When you’re feeling better, you may be inspired to prepare wholesome meals at home.
Is Home Dialysis a Good Fit for You?
Your diet can vary depending on which type of treatments your doctor recommends, how well your treatments are working, and your overall health. With more frequent home dialysis treatments, you may feel better and have a stronger appetite so you can enjoy more of what you love to eat. Many people discover that home dialysis is a great fit for their lifestyle. Talk to your kidney doctor about your treatment options and relaxing your dialysis diet restrictions.
References
1 Heidenheim AP, Muirhead N, Moist L, RM Lindsay. Patient quality of life on quotidian hemodialysis. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 2003;42(1 Suppl):36-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0272-6386(03)00536-5
2 Target N, Courivaud C, Michel PA, Daoud S, Thomas M. Comparison of physical activity and quality of life in home haemodialysis (HHD) patients versus conventional in-centre haemodialysis (ICHD) patients: the observational, longitudinal, prospective, international, multicentric SeCoIA study protocol. BMC Nephrology 2020;21(1):500. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-020-02127-7.
