Renal Friendly Meal Delivery
Meals providing nutritional support to help manage kidney disease
According to the National Kidney Foundation, 30 million American adults have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). It’s a condition that damages your kidneys, preventing them from removing toxins in your body. The buildup of waste in your blood can make you feel sick and lead to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, anemia, weak bones and nerve damage. Kidney disease also increases your risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
There is no cure for chronic kidney disease, but with early detection, it can be treated to prevent the condition from worsening. Treating and managing chronic kidney disease does require you to follow a special diet, with specific requirements on your daily intake of protein, potassium, phosphorus and sodium.
Mom’s Meals recognizes the challenges for those with kidney disease and has developed menu options with fully-prepared meals you can choose from based on the dietary recommendations associated with your particular stage of kidney disease.
What can I eat if I have kidney disease?
Every person’s situation is different. There will be individuals who struggle with high potassium or phosphorus, necessitating a strict diet, while others will have looser restrictions. Ultimately, your personal nutrition needs will come from your attending renal dietitian and/or physician.
Protein helps with healing wounds, maintaining strength, fighting infections and preserving good overall health. But if kidney function is impaired, breaking down protein into energy becomes more difficult, especially for those with Stage 3 or 4 CKD who are not on dialysis. Those individuals willl be advised to limit their protein intake to avoid further damaging their kidneys, whereas individuals who are on dialysis are encouraged to eat more foods that are high in protein, such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish and eggs to account for the protein loss from dialysis.
Potassium is necessary to the function of nerves, heart and other muscles. The potassium levels in your blood can rise when your kidneys are not working properly, leading to muscle and nerve weakness or heart palpitations. This is why individuals with CKD are instructed to limit their potassium intake and avoid products that are high in potassium, including tomato products, oranges and orange juice, cooked spinach, dried fruit and potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Phosphorus is an essential mineral to building strong bones, but high levels can inflict damage on your body and lead to the hardening of blood vessels and organs, weakening of bones, poor wound healing and chronic pain. Since CKD makes it difficult for your kidneys to remove phosphorus, it is recommended that you monitor the amount of phosphorus you consume. Dairy products, processed meats, dried beans and lentils and bran are all high in phosphorus.
What is a renal-friendly meal?
Each of the renal-friendly menu options from Mom’s Meals contains less than 700 mg of sodium, 833 mg or less of potassium, and 330 mg or less of phosphorus.
The meals are tailored to meet the needs of individuals with Stage 5 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and who are on hemodialysis, but the menu can also be appropriate for those with Stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease due to their less restrictive dietary requirements.
If you are a self-pay customer or caregiver interested in our renal-friendly meals, click here to order or contact us for more information. If you are or think you may be eligible to receive meals through a government program or health plan, contact your area agency on aging or health care provider for more information.