One of the biggest parts of being diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease is having to change the way I eat and figuring out my new diet. As a disclaimer, this post will be about my personal journey with food, diet, and CKD. Please do your own research when it comes to what you can and can not eat if you also have been diagnosed with it. I have found that different people can eat different things based on their numbers, what their doctors have said, and their own health history.
Figuring Out My New Diet
When I first knew that my eGFR numbers meant I had kidney disease, I started researching what that mean for my diet. I knew I would have to make some changes. There were the big ones such as no more dark sodas, which meant saying goodbye to my beloved Diet Dr. Pepper, and eating lower sodium foods. I wasn’t one to put extra salt on most of my foods but I knew I would have to change some of my eating habits.
I also know I couldn’t change everything at once. I knew that it would take some time so I slowly started the journey of figuring out my new diet. At first, I dropped things that were obvious no-nos such as hotdogs, and anything pre-packaged and processed. That seemed to be the easier part.
I also started reading labels. How much sodium was in my cereal? In a bagel? In my meal at Chipotle? And that was eye opening. Chipotle has so much sodium in it. When I was looking for information on it, I found Reddit posts about how much sodium they put in most of their foods. I realized that Chipotle, my previous comfort food, was no longer going to be an option for me on my new diet.
Cutting Back On Soda
Oh man, this is going to be hard. It’s definitely a journey. And will take time to get to where I need to be.
Next, I started cutting back on the soda. I then got to where I had cut out the dark sodas 100% and I started ordering Spite and 7up but I am not that huge of a fan of those drinks expect maybe on an airplane. So after a few weeks I realized I needed to stick to mostly water.
As I started reading more labels, looking up more foods, and trying to figure out what I can actually eat, I have found myself feeling pretty sad about it at times. Going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do however, going out to eat and trying to eat this way is so very difficult.
Remembering Why I Now Have to Eat This Way
The one thing that I know will help me the most on this journey and sticking with my new diet is knowing that if I eat well, my kidneys will have a better chance, and that means I will have a better chance of living a longer life. It also is a good way to drop some of my bad eating habits, lose weight, and just become a healthier person.
I also know that I am still learning and figuring out new ways to eat. That I might make some mistakes, but it is all apart of the journey. I will have to give up things I never thought I could, and that can be empowering.
Yes, Chipotle has too much sodium, and I have to stay away from things everyone else around me won’t have to, but I will be able to figure out the best way forward with my eating.