More Protein

[Lori1851]

  HI Friends,
I have a ?. The dietician at dialysis said Dustin needs to eat more protein. I understand that alot of it is lost during dialysis. What kinds of food do you all eat?? They say more protein like "Boost" drinks, protein bars then I see where milk, and all that is a protein to. Geesh, its kinda like eat this then I worry about his phosphorous being too high which he is already on a binder for that.
I made him deviled eggs, bought yogurt etc. The dietician said he is alil malnourished. He is 160lbs and 6'0. He does not have the best appetite.
Thanks for the info I know I will get .
Lori mom to Dustin 22 FSGS/now on dialysis

[goofynina]

Hi Lori,  My dietician tells me to eat fish (no way) chicken (preferrably breast) and lean meats, egg whites,   

[Ohio Buckeye]

The protein drinks have helped me.  Boost, High protein slimfast, Ensure
& protein bars have added vitamins and nutrients.
Sometimes I boil eggs and eat the whites to keep protein up.
Chicken, fish, meat, turkey.

[thegrammalady]

i usually eat 6 or so whole eggs a week. a lot of people here don't but then i don't have a cholesterol problem. i eat, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, tuna, around 10 ounces of protein a day. and more vegetables than most. each one of us is different. i don't eat much if any dairy because of parathyroid problems. your doctor may have to adjust the binders to get the phos within limits, but then that's what they are for.  it will take time but it can be done.

[jbeany]

The dairy products have too much phos and usually too much potassium at the same time - you are better off with actual meat.  Most of us have problems eating enough protein - they want us to eat far more than most people can stand.  You can buy protein powder that you can mix into other foods as well, if he can find some he doesn't mind the taste of.  (It needs to be mixed into something with a strong taste, or it's pretty awful!)  Hopefully, Dustin is young enough that he doesn't have cholesterol problems, so load him up on eggs and red meat!  Also, if you make baked goods for him, add extra eggs.

Have you looked into getting him on something that would increase his appetite?

[Zach]

Protein is a very important part of our diet.  In the "old" days we were told to limit our protein intake to about 60 grams a day. Today, with more scientific research, it is now recommended that we consume about 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight, per day. 1kg=2.2lbs.

Here is the protein guideline from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF):
http://www.kidney.org/professionals/kdoqi/guidelines_updates/nut_a15.html

Here is an interesting article from the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP):
http://198.104.149.102/aakp-library/balancing-protein-in-the-renal-diet/


To make sure the protein is used to sustain and build muscle, calorie intake is also important. NKF's guidelines recommend 35 calories per kilogram of weight, per day.
http://www.kidney.org/professionals/kdoqi/guidelines_updates/nut_a17.html

The key is to consume protein and calories without going over one's daily limit of Phosphorus and Potassium.

It's not easy, but it is very doable.  It takes a little time before it becomes second nature.  There's loads of information you'll find from past posts, here at IHD.  And always remind your son to take the phosphorus binders whenever he eats.  That's very important.

This is a good search engine for information on food values:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

[Roxy]

Zach you must be a mind-reader! I was just coming on here to ask how figure out how many grams of protein a person generally needs , because they tell us ounces but that really only works for meats and such. However, there's other foods that contain protein but don't necessarily fit in the category of figuring it out by ounces but all packages at least tell you how many grams. Even though I'm post transplant, I still have a hard time getting the right amount of protein in my diet. 

[goofynina]

Zach you must be a mind-reader!

  The Allmighty Zach know's ALL  

[st789]

Follow strict diet means discipline and resources to follow through.  Zach is our guru in this category.

[LightLizard]

the protien powder that the kidney foundation provides for me is quite versatile, really.
i put a heaping scoop in my morning coffee, and you can mix it with mashed potatoes, too.
be wary of the commercial brands of the stuff, though. some of them contain phosphorus and fairly high concentrations of sodium and potassium.
fish and chicken works for me, and i'm always open to a nice steak, if its prepared properly.
milk is for babies.


love

~LL~

[Redbomb]

Question:

I was wondering about Soy-based protein powders? Does anyone know if they are "allowed"?

Thanks,

[LightLizard]

beans are pretty high in phosphorus, and i don't think soybeans are an exception. but, there is a fermentation process that the soy beans must go through to be digestable, so you might be onto something good, there.


love

~LL~

[LightLizard]

from CBN.com...

" Healthy kidney function is vital for removing metabolic waste products from the blood and for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Diabetics are particularly susceptible to poor kidney health due to high blood sugar levels. Some researchers have suggested that more vegetable protein supports better kidney health (1-3).

More specifically, medical studies suggest that soy protein with its isoflavones may have multiple benefits for supporting kidney health (4,5), and is an excellent choice for adding vegetable protein to one’s diet.

In a randomized clinical trial, Type II diabetics were instructed to replace their usual diet with a soy-enriched diet (6). Switching to the soy diet reduced the amount of protein and nitrogen in the urine suggesting a favorable effect on kidney function. Also, soy consumption reduced total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Similar lipid lowering effects also have been observed in renal transplant patients (7).

People on dialysis, who are prone to protein malnutrition, may also benefit. Preliminary data University of Kentucky reveals that dialysis patients, when given soy protein, experience a decrease in protein malnutrition, suggesting that soy protein may be beneficial in supporting a better nutritional status in dialysis patients (.

If you are interested in soy and kidney health support, ask your health care professional about adding more soy to your diet."

(talk to your dietician about this. there are many studies and opinions, and it's virtually impossible to tell who has what agenda in all of it.)

love

~LL~

[Zach]

NUTREN® RENAL, in eight oz. cans, is for kidney patients.  I drink it as soon as I return from hemodialysis.  It tastes awful, so I add some extra sugar and coffee/seltzer to cut it.  It has good overall nutrition and for the 17 grams of protein it only has 175 mg of phosphorus.  So just 2 PhosLos or 3 Renagels. Plus you get 500 calories to help your body use the protein for muscle and not for energy.

It's a bit expensive at $3.45 each, so I use it only right after dialysis.

Designer Whey Protein Powder is what I use every day. 19 grams of protein, only 140 mg of Phosphorus and 100 mg of Potassium (Chocolate flavor not included). So just one PhosLo or 2 Renagels.

It comes in different flavors, but since it uses SUCRALOSE, I buy the natural flavor and add my own sugar and flavoring.  Mixes well in a glass without the need for a blender.

[Meinuk]

I use Unjury - also expensive, but the unflavored blends well.  20 grams of protein per scoop.

http://www.unjury.com/reg/renal.shtml

[Zach]

I use Unjury - also expensive, but the unflavored blends well.  20 grams of protein per scoop.

http://www.unjury.com/reg/renal.shtml

Meinuk is right, it's a good protein powder, too. And the folks who run it are very nice.