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Wellness Article: Embrace the Joy of the Holiday Season

By Gregory Wisont, PhD, MPH, RD, CD

The holidays are a time to indulge in celebration, love, and delicious food. Yet for people with kidney disease, managing a kidney-friendly meal plan during the holiday season may seem stressful. However, if you take a moment to think about your health goals before the holidays, and remember the basics, you’ll see that there’s nothing to be concerned over...you got this!

Fill Up on the Good Stuff

Start Smart: Begin with kidney-friendly foods like salads with low-potassium vegetables (e.g., lettuce, cabbage, cucumber) dressed with olive oil and vinegar. Choosing nutritious appetizers prevents being tempted by less healthy options.

Load Your Plate Wisely: Complement main dishes with sides rich in nutrients but low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Consider cauliflower rice, roasted bell peppers, or green beans as delightful dishes.

Include Probiotic-Rich Foods: Fermented foods like yogurt (in moderation and mindful of sugar content) can support digestive health, an important part to managing kidney issues.

Mind Your Mealtime

Structured Meals: Maintain regular mealtimes to curb unplanned snacking, which can lead to increased intake of high-sodium or high-phosphorus foods common during the holidays.

Balanced Portions: Employ the plate method for portion control—half of your plate for low-potassium veggies, a quarter of your plate for lean protein like grilled chicken or turkey without skin, and the remaining quarter of your plate for grains.

Light Desserts: Opt for desserts low in potassium such as apple pie (without too much sugar) or shortbread cookies. Limit portions to enjoy the taste without harming your health.

Savor Each Bite

Mindful Eating: Slow down to truly enjoy each bite and let your body signal when it’s full. This mindful practice helps avoid overeating.

Flavoring: Use herbs and spices (e.g., rosemary, thyme, sage) instead of salt to enhance flavors in your dishes, keeping sodium intake low and meals exciting.

Hydration Awareness: Monitor fluid intake throughout the day to avoid drinking too much, especially if on a fluid-restricted diet. Include small sips between bites rather than large volumes at once.

Your Nutritional Needs Matter

Personalized Choices: Understand that your nutritional focus depends on your stage of kidney disease. Work with your healthcare provider and/or kidney dietitian to make a tailored plan for managing which nutrients are most important for you to monitor to achieve your health goals – sodium, sugar, protein, potassium, or/and phosphorus. For example, if you are on dialysis, limiting protein may not be a priority, but limiting potassium and phosphorus is very important. In contrast, if you have early-stage kidney disease and are not on dialysis, then focusing on potassium and protein may be more important for your overall health.

Sodium Management: Sodium is always important to manage because of its strong link with blood pressure. Avoid high-sodium seasonings and processed foods, especially pre-cooked meats like ham, sausage, and bacon. Choose white meat from the turkey and remember to remove the skin. Spatchcocking a turkey (cutting out the breastbone and pressing it flat) helps it stay moist without brining. Use fresh ingredients and prepare home-cooked meals as much as possible to control sodium levels. When possible, bring your own kidney-friendly dish to the party!

Potassium Choices: If you need to limit the potassium in your diet, the recommended vegetables to consume are carrots, green beans, corn, cauliflower, cabbage, peppers, lettuce, zucchini, and summer squash.

Bring your own: The best way to ensure you are getting a safe, healthy meal is to bring your own dish to the party – a good idea especially when you are unsure about what foods will be served.

Reading Labels: As often as possible, choose foods with sodium content lower than calorie content. Familiarize yourself with ingredient labels to avoid hidden sources of sodium potassium and phosphorus. When meeting friends and family for meals out, looking up the menu beforehand helps make a healthy choice easier. Remember, most salt comes from sauces, gravies, and dressing, so be sure to ask if you can have those items served on the side so you can control how much is added to your food.

Stay Active and Joyful

Staying healthy is not just about eating; it’s about moving too! Remember to do an extra activity each day over the holidays to help your body stay in sync even with the added holiday foods. 

Walk It Off: Incorporating walking before or after meals stimulates digestion and helps maintain physical fitness, balancing holiday treats. Grab family or friends and do something extra – like a walk around the kitchen, around the house, or around the park.

Interactive Festivities: Engage in fun activities that include family and friends, such as a dance-off in your living room or a gentle yoga session.

Consistency Over Intensity: Focus on maintaining a consistent routine of physical activity rather than high intensity, which can be challenging to manage during the holidays.

Let This Season Be One of Warmth, Cheer, and Health

The holidays hold an abundance of joy, warmth, and time with loved ones. While embracing the spirit, remember kidney-friendly strategies will support your well-being, allowing you to partake in the festivities with peace of mind. For additional guidance, refer to resources like the AAKP’s Nutrition Counter, Understanding the Food Nutrition Facts Label, and AAKP Delicious! Kidney-friendly recipes! Incorporating these strategies over the holidays can help navigate the complexities of holiday eating with more confidence, supporting celebrations that are as healthy as they are joyful.

Gregory Wisont is a renal dietitian at Northwest Kidney Centers in Seattle, WA. He is passionate about helping patients optimize their diets to improve their health and postpone dialysis. Greg received a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Illinois, where he studied the impact of specific amino acids on muscle metabolism. He also received a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington and is licensed as a Registered Dietitian. In addition to his work with patients with chronic kidney disease, Greg has worked with patients receiving kidney dialysis and with patients challenged by eating disorders. Greg is an active member of the National Kidney Foundation, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is chair of the local CRN chapter (PNW-CRN). In his spare time, Greg enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and swimming.

AAKP’s Nutrition Resources

AAKP’s Nutrition Counter:
https://bit.ly/AAKPNutritionCounter

Understanding the Food Nutrition Facts Label: https://bit.ly/AAKPfoodfactslabel

AAKP Delicious! Kidney-friendly recipes: https://bit.ly/AAKPrecipes