Hemodialysis is a specialized treatment that involves the use of a special filter, known as a dialyzer, to aid your kidneys in purifying the blood. The procedure is performed on patients whose kidneys have become dysfunctional due to an underlying disease or chronic injury. The procedure is also used as a part of kidney cancer treatment in Pune.

While you are on hemodialysis there are a lot of things that are to be taken care of, ranging from your daily activity level to your diet. In this blog, we have discussed some major key points related to your diet, that are to be kept in mind if you are going to start on hemodialysis.

• Don't miss out on your daily protein intake - Experts suggest that people who are on hemodialysis need to maintain healthy protein levels as this is crucial for strengthening their muscles and immune system, speeding up the wound healing process and boosting overall health. Hence it is important to eat foods loaded with protein and consume about 8 to 10 ounces of high protein every day. While you are adding protein-rich foods to your grocery list, at the same time it is extremely important to avoid food items like peanut butter, nuts, seeds, as these contain potassium and phosphorus as well.

• Salt intake - Patients who are on hemodialysis need to limit their salt and sodium intake. This is very important to avoid unnecessary blood pressure. Lesser intake of salt also helps to lower fluid weight gain between dialysis sessions. Experts from the top kidney dialysis centre in Punesuggest that this happens because excessive salt intake makes you feel more thirsty and also causes your body to hold on to the fluid. You can always try flavoured herbs and low salt flavour enhancers instead of table salt and keep salt substitutes containing potassium away from your grocery list.

• Add grains, cereals and bread to your diet - Well, this is an option for those who do not need to cut down on their carb intake for managing their weight or blood sugar levels. If you have none of these problems, you can surely add food items from this group to your diet. A lot of patients are recommended to take nearly 6 to 11 servings from this food group. However, it is pertinent to understand that whole grain and high fibre food should be avoided, as these contain phosphorus.

• Cut down on the intake of milk, yoghurt and cheese - Dairy products are rich in phosphorus which is not at all good for patients on hemodialysis. Hence it is important to take these in limited amounts ensuring you do not take excess phosphorus. Make sure you only take half a cup of milk or half a cup of yoghurt in a day. You can also replace these with 1 ounce of cheese. Patients undergoing best hospital in Pune are also recommended to avoid taking dairy products.

• Limit certain fruits and juices - No doubt fruits have tremendous health benefits, but not all of them are good for you. Almost all fruits have some amount of sodium in varying amounts and you strictly need to avoid those that contain high levels of these. You need to avoid fruits like oranges, kiwis, bananas, melons, prunes and nectarines. Instead, you can take apples, berries, cherries, pineapple, pear and watermelon.

• Know the nutritional value of your veggies - Just like some fruits, there are certain veggies that are loaded with potassium. It is important to make sure that you take only 2 to 3 servings of vegetables that have low sodium levels. Eat veggies like broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, eggplant, onion and garlic, and keep potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin, beets, avocado and asparagus out of your list.

In case you have any queries related to your diet, you can always take help from a specialist. If you are planning to go for the procedure, you can find some of the best dialysis centres in Pune. Also, kidney dialysis cost in Pune is also very low, making it an ideal choice for the patients.