Did you know?
“What can I eat?” is one of the most common questions that people who have had a kidney transplant will ask. The good news is that the strict diet you had to follow before a transplant is no longer needed.
There can be a few challenges though. These include managing food safety; drinking lots of fluid; preventing weight gain; and managing diabetes. This page will explain some of these challenges in more detail and give you some suggestions about how to manage them and stay healthy.
- Around one in every three people who have a kidney transplant will develop diabetes.
- Most people will gain 4-8kg in weight after a transplant. Gaining more than this is a problem and can increase the chance of you developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
How am I doing?
- Remember to check off the medications you take every day. You can use a diary or your cell phone reminder function to help you remember when to take your medications.
- If you develop diabetes, keep track of your blood sugar levels in a log book. Measure your glucose levels in the morning before you eat, and show this logbook to your doctor and or dietitian to help them manage any fluctuations.
What can I do?
Manage food safety: Immediately after a transplant you must be very strict about food hygiene. If you were to get food poisoning after a transplant, you can become very sick, and this can put you and your new kidney at risk. Remember: once you are settled on a stable medication regimen with your doctor, you will be able to manage your diet without too many restrictions.To help you stay well:
- Wash your hands every time before you eat.
- Keep your fridge temperature below 5 degrees Celsius.
- Cook food properly. Ensure meat is cooked all the way through and no longer pink.
- Be cautious when eating out and avoid buffets and smorgasbords where food may have been on display and sitting for a long time. Instead choose freshly cooked food.
- Avoid eating pre-prepared/packaged salads and prepackaged cold sliced meats such as ham, salami, cabanossi.
- Avoid raw meat and fish, they could have dangerous pathogens in them that can affect someone who is immunosuppressed.
- Use different utensils for tasting and mixing foods
Drink lots of fluid
You will be asked to drink lots of water and fluids after a transplant (minimum 2L/day, plus fruits/vegetables).
- Keep a water bottle with you at all times.
- Drink a generous amount every time you take your medications.
- Drink water instead of juice, sodas or sports drinks.
- To keep track of your water intake, set a timer to go off each hour while you are awake and drink some water at this time.
Manage your Weight
To help you manage your weight:
- Exercise every day – walking is a great start and if you own a step counter aim for 10,000 steps each day. Remember any type of exercise is great – especially if it gets you puffing.
- Enjoy two pieces of fruit each day and eat vegetables freely. This gives you lots of fibre and can help with weight loss.
- Eat no more than a palm sized piece of meat / chicken/ fish / turkey or fish each day. You can spread this amount over several meals if you like. If you are vegetarian you can substitute legumes, tofu, nuts or eggs instead, you can also see a dietitian to give you individualised guidance about eating after transplant.
- Cut the fat off any meat you eat and don’t eat the skin on chicken.
- Limit the amount of fat you use when cooking and when preparing foods. Use olive oil when possible.
- Limit pizza, hamburgers, fries, crisps, butter, coconut oil, lard, and shortening.
- Limit snacking on processed foods that are high in fat and sugar like biscuits, cakes, candies, pastries, pies and chocolates.
- Suggestion: Fill half the plate with vegies or salad, use wholemeal or wholegrain breads, pasta and grains and have a small piece of protein.
- Practice good sleep – getting enough high-quality sleep will help regulate appetite, hunger and fullness cues, also help relieve stress.
How can I do it?
- You might feel overwhelmed or confused at times. Visit a dietitian (renal dietician, if available) or talk to your nephrologist about how you can get help to put together a meal plan to suit you and your health needs.
- Keep track of your weight by stepping on the scales once in a while.
- Set a reminder to exercise every day – even 10 minutes of walking will have a positive impact on your health.
More Information
This section was written by Dr Kelly Lambert (Adv APD, PhD; Academic Program Director Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Medicine; Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Australia).And reviewed by Chantal Bémeur (Professeure agrégée, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal); Lloyd Mangahas (Kinesiologist); Manuel Escoto (Patient, Family, Donor Partnerships & Education Manager; Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program-CDTRP); AND by our research team.
References
- Association of British Clinical Diabetologist and Renal Association Guidelines on the detection and management of diabetes post solid organ transplantation (2020). Available from: https://ukkidney.org/health-professionals/guidelines/endorsed-guidelines
- Nolte Fong, JV and Moore L (2018) “Nutrition Trends in Kidney Transplant Recipients: the Importance of Dietary Monitoring and Need for Evidence-Based Recommendations.” Frontiers in Medicine 5 302. 31 Oct. 2018, doi:10.3389/fmed.2018.00302
- Ikizler TA, Burrowes JD, Byham Gray LD et al (2020) KDOQI Nutrition in CKD Guideline Work Group. KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD: 2020 Update. American Journal of Kidney Diseases; 76 (3)(Suppl1 ): S1-S107