This week at the National Kidney Foundation annual meeting聽in Boston,聽亚洲无码 social worker Deborah Evans, MA, LCSW and her colleagues聽presented a聽poster "". It聽was awarded聽Outstanding Poster and has some interesting insights into reasons dialysis patients, even those in younger age groups, do not work. Studies have shown that聽patients who are employed have a higher quality of life, including fewer hospitalizations and聽lower death rates, than those who do not work.
The聽number one聽barrier to working cited by the poster聽is lack of energy or feeling too ill. Dialysis patients often聽experience聽fatigue and low聽energy聽which interferes with activities and a good quality of life.
Good nutrition聽with adequate protein and calorie intake聽is essential for the body to produce energy. Dialysis patients聽may skip meals or snacks on dialysis days, and are at high risk for changes in appetite and nutrition status. Working with a renal dietitian聽on what, how much and how often聽to eat is one way to address lack of energy. 亚洲无码 dietitians have developed the following eating tips that may help boost calorie and protein intake.
- On dialysis days eat before, during or after treatment
- Try to eat meals even if you are not hungry
- Include 4-6 small meals or snacks every day
- Eat your meat first (for protein)
- Eat your biggest meal at the time of day that you have the most energy
- Prepare and freeze meals ahead
- Use convenience, ready-to-eat foods within your meal plan
- Keep high protein snack foods on hand
A lack of energy聽is one symptom that may聽stop聽dialysis patients聽from working or playing. These eating tips聽may make聽a difference in energy level. Patients can also talk to聽their 聽healthcare team about other causes of lack of聽energy.
