Moderation:

Most foods are fine to eat as long as you don’t consume too much of any given one.

Modification:

Lab results can provide individualized guidelines for your diet that change as your needs change, showing which vitamins and minerals you lack and which you have in excess.

What to eat/what not to eat

No two patients have the same dietary needs, but these guidelines apply generally to all patients:

Fluid Guidelines

Too much fluid can be dangerous for your heart. Patients should consume no more than 32 ounces of fluid per day. Based on urine tests, your care team will provide you with a more specific guideline.

Note: Anything that will melt at room temperature counts as a liquid. That includes ice, popsicles and sorbet.

Keys to Improved Fitness:

Before you start any kind of exercise, talk with your doctor.

Depending on your health, your physician may recommend specific exercises or tailor a program to your needs.

Be sure to stretch your muscles each time before you exercise.

This helps warm up your muscles and circulate blood throughout your body. Even if you don’t have time for cardiovascular exercise on a given day, stretching by itself is a great way to treat your body right.

Exercise several days per week for more than 20 minutes each time.

If that seems like too much, don’t be afraid to start slow and build up to more exercise over time.

Choose activities that you enjoy.

Swimming and biking are fun activities that are also low-impact on your joints. But did you know that walking with friends or pets and even gardening provide great exercise for dialysis patients?

Strength training may be particularly helpful for patients with diabetes.

A few sets of low- weight repetitions several times per week will increase muscle and reduce fat.

With regular exercise, you will: