INTRODUCTION

        The food we eat is metabolized and utilized by our body and in the process waste product are produced. Kidneys play a major role in getting rid of these waste products. Besides this, the Kidneys regulate the amount of water in our body and the concentration of various chemicals in it within a very narrow range. Obviously, when the ability of the kidneys to function normally is impaired, there ability to excrete waste products and regulate body water and its composition is impaired. This makes it very important to modify the diet.

        The principle of dietary modification should be to minimise the accumulation of waste products and alteration in volume and composition of body water. Dietary modification also has an important role in slowing down the rate at which kidney function is going down in patients with chronic renal (kidney) failure. The most important fact is that beneficial effects of dietary modification in retarding the rate of decline in kidney function is when the kidney function is minimally impaired. Unfortunately, this aspect is not well appreciated by most patients and serious attempt of dietary modification is made only when the kidney function is too impaired – a stage at which not much can be achieved with stringent dietary restriction. It is equally important to ensure that dietary modification dose not lead to starvation and a sate of malnutrition – an important complication of chronic renal failure.

        This handbook will help you to understand about principles of dietary modification in chronic renal failure. It will also provide you with the nutritive value of commonly used food and snack items to help you in planning your diet. Finally, it provides regional diet plans with options and different recipes to make your food enjoyable.