Stage 3 Kidney Disease and Diet: What can I eat?

Good information. Thanks.

Encouraging that you have followed the diet for decades. I have been food aware and making what i thought were good choices but now some of my former good choices don't work for kidney disease (certain fruits and foods). Thanks to everyone for the ray of hope.

So many different situations and paths to take! In March I went to a nephrologist because, out of the blue, my diabetic checkup showed 3B kidney disease because of the eGFR of 34 (diabetic readings were actually fine). It was a shock and I was frankly scared.

I was put on a primarily plant based diet--almost all of my protein would now come from plants--and one of my blood pressure meds (for mild blood pressure problems) was given at a lower dose. I was told I could eat foods with sodium but in moderation and look carefully at all labels to keep track of numbers on sodium and protein which I shared with my nutritionist. There were no other restrictions.

I did this for three months. Just recently got the testing back. My eGFR rose by 21 points. This is solid 3A range. Creatinine dropped into a normal range. All other readings on the CMP were normal. Interestingly my A1C also improved from 6.5 to 6.2. And, from my viewpoint, my chronic IBS which I've had all my life and tends towards constipation responded better with all those beans! My doctor will not prescribe any kidney meds for now but keep those in a back pocket should anything not work out in the future.

I will keep eating like this and hope things will remain stable or even improve a bit. It was not easy to break life-long habits eating meat but this is worth it. The doctor told me if I could get the eGFR up another 5 points I would no longer be able to get a referral to a nephrologist (which to me is crazy!) since at age 76 an eGFR of 60 is considered borderline "normal". Will keep eating like this and see him again in 6 months.

Just one more comment... My kidney doctor early in his career worked for Davita so it is possible this influenced his diet choices for me. I am getting used to my "semi vegan" diet and actually like some of the foods I've explored. I have also noticed that my blood pressure readings seem slightly improved than before this diet. Since I have mild diabetes, I had always watched sugar consumption but I do eat some sugar. Just have to be careful not to go overboard. I could have lower eGFR again when I return to the doctor but I am hoping I can keep a handle on it.

One other thing, I recently heard this week about a recent test that shows plant based eating can a improve memory slightly both for those with dementia and those of us who are older and just forgetful! Of course, this is only one test and there would have to be many more to say anything definitively.

@endelfam Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Yes, that can be quite a surprise, to have a reading of any kind suddenly show a big difference. How were those eGFR numbers before that? Sometimes we could have an infection, or change in meds, or hydration level change that can affect an eGFR test.

How did you handle making drastic changes all at once in your diet? For many of us, we need to do "baby steps", weaning ourselves off certain loved foods. It sounds like your system is handling things well, with the added bonus of seeing better numbers for your diabetes. Kudos to you! I, for one, will be interested to hear how the next tests show!
Ginger

Ginger...Thank you for your kind words. My diet is still a work in progress but has improved. Losing weight on purpose but slowly. I had general readings done every year when I saw my diabetic doctor. My eGFR the prior year was 70. No major infection or change. No one --not diabetic or heart or general doctors--talked to me about being careful for kidneys. I wish they had. Looking back, I think I was not good about hydration. I am trying to change that.

I guess I was frightened enough to want to make a major change. My son is a vegetarian so I had some prior experience from his visits. I guess what I am doing now is technically not vegetarian or vegan but what is called a "plant based diet," which is increasingly suggested for various medical conditions. My normal meals are plant based but if I have a special reason I will eat fish or meat or cheese in hopefully moderate amounts. And yes small amounts of egg or milk often slip secretly onto my plate if I eat a piece of cornbread or a small piece of dark chocolate. Many say the easiest way to shift to a plant diet is to start with one day a week like "Meatless Monday" and then expand, but I did the whole thing at once.

The first month was hard--I signed up for vegan/low sodium meals from Bistro MD., did research on plant options from restaurants (especially Indian and Chinese), and searched for EASY recipes. Can't overdo restaurants because of sodium, but I eat or get take out occasionally; generally save half my plate for another day. I discovered lots of stuff at local groceries or Amazon Fresh ....fake eggs, cheese, non dairy dressings etc, plus eating more vegetables/beans. I still eat too many "ultra processed" foods!

I've discovered ways to make some favorites "plant based". Last night I had pizza with vegan cheese. Bought a store crust, slopped on fake cheese, baked 10 minutes. Even my husband liked it. We eat baked potatoes with "fake" sour cream/cheese. Lots of salads. The Impossible Burger is pretty good--they even have it at Burger King. I do my own chilis since I am allowed tomato sauce and love beans, lentils etc. Dump in lots of hidden vegetables like chopped spinach and kale. Don't know what my next readings will be but it is at least getting easier to stick to mainly plant based foods.

But as I said originally, each of us has different health challenges and different doctors. It did help that my doctor sent me to a renal nutritionist who pushed me hard. Now I keep going with my fingers crossed and will let you know my next results in November.

Thank you Ginger for being consistent...it is encouraging to read this..it is discouraging when some docs shrug and say" it's not going get better, diet is not that important at your age because the definition is broad but if you want to diet go ahead"...so I am on my own diet, watching sodium, potassium & phosphate levels, chking blood levels every 3mos.(convinced my GP this was a good idea) Today I was about to give up on my diet and go to Hell in a hand basket of foods I miss. But your post has re-encouraged me to stick with it. Just grateful for everyday I can get up and paint.

@fromthehill I'm so glad to read your post! We have to watch out for our own selves, definitely. Yep, there are foods we miss. Up until a year ago I was told no orange juice because of the potassium. So I went years with no oranges or fresh juice. Then I had to go on potassium supplements due to medications. So now I can have an orange every so often, and really enjoy it. For me, I prefer to err on the side of caution.

Like @endelfam, sometimes there is a cheat item that finds its way to my plate. But I know it ahead of time. I beat myself up for it, eat it anyways, and know it will be a long time before it happens again! One of those is the "happy family" chow mein at my favorite Chinese place. Beef, chicken, pork, and shrimp mixed together. I cannot have pork or shellfish due to gout. But it is only twice a year. It's a little reward for my diligence all the time.

Do you find that being mindful of your eating habits and how you manage has helped you feel better about yourself, despite the naysayers who think diet doesn't play a big role?
Ginger

Ginger

Good for you enjoy that orange I meal prep. My mom and I both have stage 3b CKD she is 94 years old. It’s hard so many things you can’t eat or eat in moderation so at my family reunion I ate a tablespoon of baked beans a tablespoon of potato salad and 1 bone of ribs.

@domonick1 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

We all agree [I bet!] that diet and Chronic Kidney Disease can be a tough road. I hope you are getting enough protein in your diet daily. Did you sit and enjoy that potato salad and beans? Then fill yourself up with acceptable salad greens! Getting involved in conversations and memories at a family reunion could help take the focus off the diminished plateful of foods, right?!
Ginger