"Where ya gonna get the waaaater?"

By TinaMarie Cerreta



Hey there hemodialysis patients!

Yes, this discussion is about fluid intake and fluid restrictions....the bane of my existence! We have a symbiotic love/hate relationship. I don't know about you, but my fluid restriction is 46 fluid ounces per day-maximum. Fluid limits are more personally geared towards the individual, based on what their Dietician and Nephrologist recommend.

It sound like a lot, but when you factor in the rest of the day, you'll see. You can make it work, despite the love-hate-relationship we tend to have with it. When you consider the types of foods your eating that are considered fluid, but solid in most forms, it whittles down the number tremendously.

*A fluid is generally defined as any food or beverage that is liquid at room temperature. This includes obvious drinks, as well as semi-solid foods that melt when they reach body temperature, and foods with very high water content.[1, 2, 3]


Common foods and items that are classified as fluids include:
  • Beverages: Water, coffee, tea, milk, juices, soda, sports drinks, and alcohol.
  • Meltable Foods: Ice cream, sherbet, gelatin (Jell-O), popsicles, and ice chips.
  • Savory Liquids: Broth, bouillon, stews, gravy, and sauces.
  • Soft & Pureed Foods: Yogurt, pudding, milkshakes, custard, sour cream heavy cream, whipped cream and buttermilk.
  • High-Water Fruits & Veggies: Watermelon, grapes, and berries(this is more of a portion control situation).
  • Knowing how to count these items is critical for managing medical dietary requirements like a Full Liquid Diet or a strictly Fluid-Restricted Diet. [1, 2]

  • *To ensure accuracy when cooking or tracking nutrition, you can use the MyFoodData.com Calorie Calculator to look up specific ingredients, or reference a ARS.USDA.GOV(charts and tables) to see exact weight-to-volume ratios.


    • My take on all this:
    In some ways I'm great at watching my sodium. And yet, in other ways, I could use improvement. For example, for breakfast I usually have either a 5.3oz cup of skyr  "yogurt", a 1/4c fresh blueberries(2oz), (+ 1/4c "burl's barley granola"), 2 eggs(4oz) w/fresh veggies(2oz), a 12oz(after adding creamer)cup of coffee, 1/2 fresh pear/apple(2oz) and 1/4c each of 2 types of fresh berries(4oz). 

    That is one of a few breakfast options that I choose. I may have a single serve plain, organic, lower sodium, cup of  oatmeal. I put (4oz) water in it and 1/4c of fresh blueberries. Another day I might have a (1c) bowl of cereal(Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Corn Chex, and(watch your portion control here) Cheerios. There are probably other options, but I like to stick to the basics. You can always add on flavors. (Like fresh strawberries(6=1svg), 1/4c of other assorted fresh berries, or 1/4c fresh diced peaches) 

    Now, that adds up to 31 fl.oz. If you deduct that from the daily 46oz limit I have, that leaves me 15 fluid oz for the rest of the day. I tend to take most of my fluids in the foods I eat. I'm usually still under by the end of the day. This might sound easy, but I have to make sure I don't get dehydrated. And that was just one meal. 

    A tip: write all your food down each day and keep track of what you did eat and what you didn't. I also list whether I attended dialysis or not-it affects my appetite radically.

    That's about enough out of me for one day. Talk to you tomorrow! Have a great weekend and go create a new, delicious and dialysis-friendly meal! You're worth it!
    Tina


    Today's quote: 
    "The optimist expects it to change and the realist adjusts the sails" -John Spence

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