Medicare's "You Can Live: Your Guide For Living With Kidney Failure"

Tips for Living withKidney Failure“Planning mealsaround yourtreatment timeshelps make thetreatments workbetter.”Follow your Diet and FluidIntake PlanWhen you eat or drink anything, your body uses what it needsfor fuel. But the body can’t use all that you eat or drink. Whenyour kidneys were working, they cleaned the body of many wasteproducts. Now that your kidneys don’t work, waste products stayand build up in your body. Treatment helps rid your body ofthese wastes, but it can’t clean your body of them all. That is whyfollowing your diet and fluid intake plan as close as possible isso important.Your dietitian can teach you how to plan your dietand pick healthy foods, even when you are eatingout. You can also ask your dietitian if he or she canhelp you change your favorite recipes to fit your dietneeds. Eating and drinking what your dietitian suggests,not only helps you feel better, it makes yourtreatments more comfortable. Planning mealsaround your treatment times helps make the treatmentswork better. If you need help getting theproper foods, ask your social worker about programsin your community.31