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

@rosemarya As a volunteer mentor who has been following this thread for quite a while, you have already seen what we are going through. My strongest suggestion to you is to identify, if possible, the cause(s) of your kidney disease and build your life plan from there. Secondly, read labels and know what you are ingesting--find out what those words you cannot pronounce actually are. And lastly, make sure you can live according to your plan for life. If you cannot see yourself eating this way 10 years from now, you need to do some adjusting.

For instance, my kidney degeneration is caused by oxalates and has been greatly impeded by my adherence to a low oxalate diet. Additionally, I still maintain: 1) a low carbohydrate diet from long-term brittle diabetes; 2) low fat diet after finding out I do not assimilate fats; 3) low dairy diet; and 4) low fiber diet after diagnosis of gastroparesis, gastric retention and rapid transit. There is some crossover between the diets, but as you can imagine my diet is quite limited. However, after six years it has become habitual.

When I look at a recipe or menu I first look to see if it includes anything I cannot eat. With the current emphasis on healthy eating you might think it would be easy, but, here is a list of current popular trends that I cannot use:

any green leafy vegetable (includes spinach, kale, lettuce, etc.)
root vegetables (potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips)
smoothies (dairy base)
nuts (except walnuts)
peanut butter
all berries (except strawberries)
high fiber fruit (apples, pineapple, etc.)
raw vegetables (salads, carrot sticks, celery, radishes, etc.)

Also, in my opinion, sugar is sugar. Honey, agave, cane sugar, stevia, molasses, brown sugar, raw sugar, and whatever other trendy names they are using now; all convert to dextrose, which I count as sugar.

I had to reset my mind about food. I had used it as a socialization tool. Now I have learned to eat for sustenance. If I am not hungry and a meal is not overdue, I don't take a pastry with my coffee just to make the other person/people feel more comfortable. I may have a fruit cup if one is available.

Blessings to you on your journey.

Goodness, Panc, you do have dietary limitations that guide your food choices. Good for you for choosing the goal of nutritious sustenance over the temptations that occur with socialization. I am working to keep as much as possible to my kidney diet and hoping that when next lab test results happen, I'll have been true to my goal as well. I've been moaning my lack of fresh veggies and fruits, relying on frozen and canned. Your report humbles me and makes me more grateful that my diet can encompass more choice. No more whining on my part! Thanks.

@fiesty76 Thank you. I am grateful that I do not have to limit sodium potassium or phosphates as many kidney patients do. When I get desperate I do eat off the naughty list, but make it something that will have a small impact. I use potato chips, crunchy Cheetos, popcorn, ginger cookies, original Cheerios (with rice milk) or vanilla ice cream for my "weak eat" treat.

@fiesty76 and @2011 panc. The coronavirus has thrown a large monkey wrench into my diet. It helps to know I'm not alone. Since my husband has Alzheimer's, food preparation is my sole responsibility. Since I'm also high risk for the virus, I'm dependent on delivery for groceries. Unfortunately, our stores continue short on deliverable items. So, I juggle a kidney/diabetes/IBS diet while trying to find something my husband will eat. But I think we are all tough folks and, with a little cheating, we'll make it. Take care, everyone!

@trishanna I am sorry you are having more trouble with your diets. Looking at your post, I would focus on rice, pasta, canned vegetables and skinless/boneless chicken. You can make many different meals with just those staples.

Here are a couple tricks I have learned about rice, normally high in carbs. Cook up a big kettle using a 3 fluid/1 cup rice. As soon as the rice is done, spread it on a sheet pan or in a cake pan, lay a piece of plastic wrap on the rice (not the pan, directly on the rice) and put it in the refrigerator. Nutritionists have found that this method reduces the glycemic index. Also, check out Ann Burrell's mushroom risotto recipe and tweak it to your taste. I use the method but not her exact ingredients. I love it.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful. I tend to cook larger amounts and refrigerate or freeze excess for another meal later.

During the last several weeks I have been having a difficult time trying to urinate. Has anyone had this who is in Stage 3 ? I have to drink a lot of water in order to urinate a little bit.

My late husband had Alzheimer’s for the last 13 years of his life. He used to love to cook and he ate everything I made for him. As he lay dying, the hospice nurse was with me and he requested his usual breakfast. The nurse said that he could have some water, but he looked at me and asked me to make his favorite breakfast. He was about to go into a coma, but I made him an omelet, orange juice, sausages, bacon, coffee and a croissant. He ate everything and talked a little and then he closed his eyes and went into a coma. He died the next morning. It’s been 11 years and I still miss him every day even though I remarried two years after he died.

Hi panc, I am very new here, this is my first time. So please excuse me if I make some silly mistakes and tell me what I'm doing wrong! I'm so glad that I found this group. It's the first time I'm talking to anybody who is a kidney patient. I feel less lonely and I thank you.

I'm in stage 3 but I don't think my numbers are looking good. I had a telemedicine visit with my nephrologist today who pretty much said not to worry too much about the numbers, same as what he told me previous visit in December. I've only been with him since my first appt in November because I only learned in August that I have kidney disease.

So my egfr dropped 7 points to 31 (was 38 in December) and my creatinine went up. I have been eating mostly according to what I've been reading. A nutritionist visit did not yield much info. I feel so insecure about my diet and my numbers. Really scared. Being able to talk here has been more helpful than anything else during this journey.

I like the helpful list you have included of off limit foods. But I have conflicting info about berries (I do eat blueberries and raspberries), kale (this leafy veg appears on an okay list), I make tuna salad with 1 stalk raw chopped celery and one can goes 5 lunches, and I thought apples and pineapple are okay to eat. Now I'm really worried about my diet. I also have to follow lo carb especially lo sugar, lo fat, lo sodium. (I have had heart attacks and hard to control cholesterol and triglycerides). So now, with the new info from you, I'm so glad that I will have some specific questions for my next nutrition visit.

But I'm concerned about how my nephrologist thinks. (He does have top credentials and he teaches at the university). He seems very relaxed about my numbers, saying that numbers should be looked at as "part of the whole picture" in his words. But since August, my egfr went from 42 to 38 to 31 (3 different blood work dates) and creatinine from 1.32 to 1.44 (missing Dec. number). These number are going in the wrong direction, I thought. Am I all wrong and should just trust what he says?

Thanks and please take care and stay safe, everybody.

Panc, I'm a big self-rewarder for completing dreaded tasks so restricting/eliminating some favorites in the food groups is a challenge. However, I too occasionally celebrate my food restraints by nibbling on a "weak eat" treat.

Jane, what an utterly fine benediction you gave your late husband just before he lapsed into coma! Loving someone and missing them doesn't stop after death. Nor does it detract in anyway from new loves that come our way.