Caribbean: Kidney Diet Basics

Making healthy food choices is important to us all, but it is even more important if you have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Good nutrition gives you energy to do your daily tasks, prevent infection, build muscle, help maintain a healthy weight— and it may keep your kidney disease from getting worse.

Your kidneys help keep the right balance of nutrients and minerals in your body. But if you have kidney disease, your kidneys may not do this job very well. There are five key nutrients you may need to control: Protein, Sodium, Fluid, Potassium, and Phosphorus. Additional handouts will give you more information about each of the key nutrients. Eating the right amount of each of these can help control the buildup of waste and fluid in your blood.

The Caribbean islands are a diverse region located in the Caribbean Sea, home to people from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. For patients with kidney disease living in the Caribbean, understanding how nutrition impacts kidney health is critical. The region includes countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. Each country may have different dietary traditions and access to certain foods, so it's important for patients to work with local healthcare providers to tailor a nutrition plan that supports their kidney health.

• When excessive nutrients, such as those mentioned above build up in your body, they can cause symptoms like swelling (or edema) , high blood pressure, bone disease, and heart problems.
• Everyone may have a different eating plan based on your kidney function, symptoms, and laboratory results.
• Balancing these nutrients can make you feel better.
• Your food choices will depend on your kidney function or dialysis treatment.

It can be hard to get enough calories if you are limiting some foods. Calories are like fuel - they provide your body with the energy you need to live. They help you stay at a healthy body weight, give you energy to do your daily task and help your body use the protein in food to build muscles and tissues. Eating the right amount of calories is important. Talk with your kidney dietitians about ways to add or take away extra calories.

• Coconut cream/milk*
• Oils (avocado, coconut, canola, olive)
• Avocado*
• Butter or margarine
• Shortening
• Ghee
• Meat fat
• Nuts*
• Jamaican ackee*

*High in potassium, consult your registered dietitian for adequate portion size.

*Values approximate based on recipe*

Following a low carbohydrate meal plan and adding these new food choices can be challenging.