Photo: United Dialysis Center
In patients with renal failure, fluid intake should be focused and should not be taken in excess. Kidney patients can not urinate in large numbers as a healthy person. Therefore, if the water is taken to much, it is easy to accumulate in the body, causing swelling all over the body, especially in the ankle down.
Swollen feet that was extent will affect the quality of life of patients. They can not walk well because their feet hurt. Patients undergoing dialysis are those who desperately need to keep their water intake because they can not pee in the proper amount.
Usually, the doctor will prescribe how many milliliters of drinkable water for patients to prevent swelling. There are patients who can take only 1000 ml, there were only 800 ml per day. Patients and caregivers need to know how much should be taken so that patients do not become dehydrated (lack of water in the body) and not too much water.
Ensuring water taken adequate and not excessive for the patient is a challenge because of the weather in our country, Malaysia is hot. Here are tips to make sure drinking water is not more than the recommended physicians.
1. Set up a special bottle for a day
For example, if patients can only drink 1 liter a day, prepare a 1 liter size bottles of mineral water contains mineral water. Patients can only drink water from the bottle only.
Should patients be sipping soup or porridge, pour water into the bowl of special bottles as soup / porridge that patients want to live then discard the water. After that, then fill the bowl with soup / porridge. How this is to measure the amount of water taken from the soup / porridge.
Similarly, if the patient wants to feel flavored drink, pour into cups as much as you want to drink. In this way, patients can ensure that every incoming water in the body is determined by the size.
The food comes from the water like jelly, ice cream, ice (such as Air Batu Campur) should be taken into account as well as the amount of water you drink in a day. Therefore, patients should show restraint when eating such foods.
2. Reduce sweet drinks
Normally, patients with kidney failure also have diabetes. Therefore, it is important for patients not to take some sugar to control of blood sugar levels.
In terms of control of water, drinking the sweet water is not recommended because of the sweet water would only cause the patient to become more thirsty and will drink more and more. Instead, drink plain water only. That's much better.
Among the foods that can lead to thirst:
- Burger
- French fries
- Fried chicken
- Carbonated drinks
3. Cut down on foods high salt content
It is common knowledge that eating foods high salt contents will cause thirst. So cut down on foods high in salt content and MSG like:
Preserved foods: salted fish, salted, dried squid, dried shrimp, shrimp paste, citrus fruit / vegetable
Canned or bottled foods: sardines, instant mushroom soup
Food package: Crackers, chips, instant noodles.
Additional flavors: Cubes seasoning MSG, MSG powder, soy sauce, tomato sauce, bean paste.
Gravy and side dishes of any food a little salty
Moreover, fried foods and too dry can also cause thirst. Do not eat too much.
4. Fill ice inside mouth if they are worn during summer
Hot weather will cause tongue feels dry and easy to wear. Therefore, tips to reduce thirst without drinking to excess is to chew pieces of ice. However, make sure the ice is taken not too much because it is water.
Another tip is to chew gum or smell / feel the sour fruit such as lime to activate the salivary glands in the mouth. In this way, the thirst will be slightly reduced due to a wet tongue.
5. Reduce the activities below the sun
If the patient wants to do an activities like farming, make sure it is done during hot weather for example in the early morning. Likewise if you want to exercise.
Exercising in the house under the ceiling is better for them because not a lot of water is lost through perspiration. Work out in the sun will cause the patient to sweating a lot and easy to feel thirsty.
Patients are strongly encouraged to do light exercise to improve blood circulation and heart health.
