Zee Media Bureau/Liji Varghese
Dialysis is the process of removing waste and excess water from blood in people with reduced or lost kidney function. Patients undergoing dialysis need to be extremely careful with the kind of food they eat.
Here is what one should not eat when on dialysis:
-Avoid dairy products. They are a double jeopardy as they have high level of potassium and phosphorus. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt contain high level of both the minerals, which can lead to complications in kidney patients. High level of potassium can cause muscle and heart problems and high phosphorus levels can lead to weak bones.
- Avoid nuts and seeds as they too contain high level of both phosphorus and potassium.
-Say no to canned food. Canned foods are high on sodium content which can lead to fluid retention in people undergoing dialysis.
-Keep away from fruits that are high in potassium content. Fruits like banana, kiwi, orange and avocado should be limited or avoided to reduce complication risk.
- Whole grains and high-fibre foods like whole wheat bread, bran cereal and brown rice should also be avoided as they are high in phosphorus content.
