Vegan Diet

[LightLizard]

My wife says that I've gotten a little more agressive in my attitude, since I've been on dialysis. She thinks that it's because of my increased need for protien. (My dietician says I need 8 servings per day!)
I used to be vegan, but since I've been aware of my kidneys' condition and my tendency to anemia, I have begun to eat red meat, often.
Is there a good resource that anyone knows of for a vegetarian-based diet for renal patients?

thanks

love

~LL~

[lcamanini]

I wish I could help, but unfortunately I don't know anything about a vegetarian diet for renal patients. I also used to be vegan, and I have very strong beliefs relating to that, but my doctors stress that I must eat meat for protein and iron. Most of the things that I ate when I was vegan are very high in potassium. I wish I could still be vegetarian, but I think it would be difficult since many fruits and vegetables are so high in potassium.

[okarol]

For this full article go to: http://www.aakp.org/aakp-library/Vegetarian-Kidney-Disease/

Eating Vegetarian Foods While Living With Kidney Disease

By Joan Brookshyer, RD, CSR

Historically, vegetarianism has been met with skepticism in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, we now know that with careful planning vegetarianism, or even part-time vegetarian eating is not only safe, but also beneficial to CKD management.  Research shows eating vegetarian proteins can actually slow down the progression of kidney disease and other complications associated with this disease.

Nutrition management focuses on decreasing waste product build up from digested foods, which would normally leave the body as urine. The primary goals of planning a diet with plant-based foods are three fold:
1.) obtaining the appropriate amount of plant protein to meet protein needs while minimizing waste product build up in the blood
2.) maintaining sodium, potassium and phosphorus balance and
3.) maintaining good nutrition.
The following information is meant to be an initial guide to those with early kidney disease (30-50 percent of normal kidney function) and not receiving dialysis treatments. More careful follow up is recommended, especially when kidney function decreases below 30 percent or when regular dialysis treatment is required.
{Go to full article... link above}