Proper nutrition should be an integral part of your haemodialysis treatment, helping you to maintain a good nutritional condition and prevent the nutritional complications associated to chronic kidney disease, such as uncontrolled phosphorus and potassium levels, thirst, fluid build-up and the risk of malnutrition. If the patient is diabetic, it is also important to control blood sugar levels.
When starting treatments at the haemodialysis clinic, your nutritionist will draw up an individualised diet plan suited to your clinical, social, and economic situation and your preferences. Like this, you can control and manage what you eat in safety, exchanging foods according to the nutritional equivalents, which the nutritionist will give you, to enhance the variety of your food intake.
As haemodialysis treatment leads to increased energy needs and to some loss of protein, and for your personal comfort, we provide a light refreshment that you can choose at the beginning of each treatment. Your nutritionist will explain to you what your best options are for this snack. Occasionally and during festive periods, we provide a light refreshment based on a theme. Make the most of it!
In many clinical situations in which, for various reasons, you are unable to eat the amount of food required to give you the energy and nutrients that you need, the nutritionist may instruct you to start taking nutritional supplements. These nutritional supplements are provided by the clinic to be taken during the treatment or at your home for the period defined as necessary to re-establish your nutritional status.
An important part of our nutrition is related to our senses: the flavour, the aroma, and the texture of the food. In view of some of the limitations and nutritional care that are necessary, it is even more important that your meals should be pleasurable and appetising. To help you and give you some ideas, please see our social networks, Facebook, and Instagram, for advice, suggestions and recipes especially designed for people in regular haemodialysis programmes.