DIABETES AND KIDNEY DISEASE A CHALLENGING COMBINATION! BY JUNE MARTIN, RD(Spice It Up! Issue Spring 2010)
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs
when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin
(Type 1 diabetes) or the insulin that is produced
cannot be used properly (Type 2 diabetes). Type
2 diabetes is much more common, accounting
for 90% of all cases of diabetes.The World Health
Organization considers diabetes to be a global
epidemic that stems from less physical activity
and a rise in obesity.
Over 3 million Canadians
are living with diabetes
In Canada, diabetes is the leading cause of kidney
disease and cases are expected to increase sharply.
The term “diabetic nephropathy” is used to describe
the damage high blood glucose can do to the tiny
blood vessels in the kidneys. In the early stages of
diabetic kidney disease there are often few or no
symptoms, making it very difficult to detect without
regular screening by a physician. Many people with
diabetes suffer from high blood pressure, which
can also contribute to kidney damage.
Control blood sugar and blood pressure Controlling blood sugar and blood pressure are two
important ways to prevent diabetic nephropathy.
Medication, nutrition and exercise are all important
for preventing and managing the complications of
diabetes. Your healthcare team can help make
sure that all the pieces are in place to assure that
you receive optimal care.
Those of you who are already living with diabetes
and kidney disease are aware of how challenging
it can be to manage both. Many patients who
have been following a diabetic diet for years find it difficult and frustrating to try to adapt to a kidney
diet too.It is important to get the help of a registered
dietitian who can show you how to combine
the two diets and make a single meal plan that
works for you, whether or not you are on dialysis.
Learning how to count carbohydrates is one
of the ways to help make this important transition
much smoother.
Cut back on salt
Cutting back on salt ( sodium ) plays an important
role in the success of both diets. Avoid salty
foods and don’t add salt at the table. Make sure
to avoid any salt substitutes that show Potassium
Chloride on their list of ingredients, and make
sure to look for it on the labels of any foods
listed as “low in salt”.
Choose white bread, pasta and rice
One of the most common questions we hear as
dietitians concerns whole grains! Why is it that a
diabetes diet tells me to eat whole grains while a
kidney diet tells me to eat white bread??? In fact,
while whole grains have more fibre, they also
have more potassium and phosphorus. Research
shows that it is the total amount of carbohydrates
that matters most in controlling blood sugar.
Therefore, choose white bread, white rice and
white pasta in the amounts recommended by
your diabetic diet.
Tips for travel
Managing diabetes becomes even more challenging
for those who must travel to and from dialysis
several times a week. It’s important to always
bring a snack ( try not to go more than 4-6 hours
without eating ) and carry something to treat low
blood sugar. If you are on a fluid-restricted diet, carry hard candy or glucose tablets. Often, people
living with diabetes are taught to treat low blood
sugar with orange juice, but any juice will do!
Ask your dietitian to help you with a meal plan for
both dialysis and non-dialysis days.
It is important to note that the recipes in Spice it up! always include the carbohydrate content and
diabetic food exchanges so that you will know
how to include these foods in your diet.
These recipes show you how to make great
meals that allow you to ontinue eating well on a
diabetic/renal diet.
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs
when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin
(Type 1 diabetes) or the insulin that is produced
cannot be used properly (Type 2 diabetes). Type
2 diabetes is much more common, accounting
for 90% of all cases of diabetes.The World Health
Organization considers diabetes to be a global
epidemic that stems from less physical activity
and a rise in obesity.
Tips for travel
