Pendharkar devises balanced feed for kidney patients

Nagpur: Diet is one of the oldest treatments of chronic kidney disease and it has been classically considered to be the mainstay of its management. Protein-restricted diets have been used to treat renal failure. But, many patients land up taking no proteins and excessive carbohydrates, said nutritionist at CIIMS Hospital Jayashree Pendharkar, who has devised balanced nutritional feed for such patients, with the support of CIIMS director Dr Lokendra Singh.
The creatinine levels go up in kidney patients and protein intake should be reduced to minimum 25 grams of good protein everyday through diet.
“However, most kidney patients eat snacks such as vada sambar and other food outside the hospital. I have seen dialysis centres feeding rasgullas to patients. I don’t know how they can come to such conclusions. We cannot control renal failure, but we can keep it stable. If not looked after, wasting of muscles can take place,” said Pendharkar.
The feeds have only 25-30 gram proteins with minerals and vitamins. Quantity of potassium and sodium are also maintained to suit the patients’ needs. The feed can be taken everyday and other patients too can consume the feed by adding milk powder to it.
Several kinds of millets such as kodo, kuti, bajra, jowar and ragi have been used to derive the feeds. Millets have been neglected in several homes but are nutritionally rich, said Pendharkar, adding that 2018 has been called ‘Year of Millets’.
“For degenerative diseases, correcting foods is the only answer. However, since many kidney patients can’t compromise on taste, we have also derived recipes by modifying usual food dishes through value addition and making it nutritionally balanced. And we have not been brought up on oats and its likes, so how can we expect patients to make sudden changes in their diets,” asked Pendharkar.
Pendharkar advises patients to eat maximum foods in its original form. Refining food turns it into junk.
When we don’t refine rice, it is a rich source of B vitamins, mainly required for digestion and function of brain. Proteins also have vitamin A precursor. An egg has Vitamin A which helps metabolize protein in egg white,
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