Rosalee Brown

This article is in response to a reader who indicated that there are a lot of foods high in potassium. She wanted to know if ackee was one of them and whether it should be avoided in persons with kidney disease.

In response, I would say that many of our favourite foods, here in Jamaica, are very high in potassium. These foods include ackee, callaloo, pumpkin, etcetera. Persons with kidney disease must work closely with a qualified registered dietitian/nutritionist to plan their diets.

Life-threatening incidents

Malnutrition can occur in the course of the condition, in addition to life-threatening incidents, as a result of incorrect food choices. The food restrictions can be overwhelming and must be guided by laboratory findings and the stage of the disease. There should not be an across the board restriction especially because of the implications for malnutrition and a reduced quality of life. The dietitian will guide the patient on food choices, planning of meals, balancing potassium throughout the day and methods to reduce potassium in food, preferred cooking methods and available resources for convenient food choices.

A major cause of renal disease is high blood pressure and diabetes, and persons with these conditions should manage them carefully to avoid kidney disease and other complications. Other persons should practise healthy lifestyle habits which include eating well, exercising, relaxing and frequent health monitoring to prevent the development of these conditions.

Potassium is widely available

Potassium is one of those minerals that occurs in the body and helps with balance. It is mostly found inside cells and has important functions in muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission. The distribution of potassium and the maintenance of blood potassium levels in and out of the cells are beautifully controlled with the involvement of sodium among other electrolytes.

The kidneys play a major role in ensuring that this control is maintained, not only for potassium, but for other electrolytes such as sodium and fluid in general. When the kidneys are not functioning at their optimum, such as in renal disease, control becomes increasingly difficult and the consequences are many, including a suboptimal nutritional state and a threat to life itself.

Nutritional management is designed to prolong and improve the quality of life of a person with kidney disease. This is a team effort and the nutrition specialist works closely with all members of the health-care team to achieve this result.

Potassium is found generally in foods and, therefore, presents a challenge to the person whose kidney has difficulty in balancing this mineral in the body. The nutrition specialist assists these persons, based on the stage of their disease, other medical conditions and their blood potassium levels, to stay within safe limits of consumption to preserve their health and even their life.

Although potassium is present in all foods, it is more concentrated in some more than others, and so serving amounts of these foods are determined to guide the daily intake. Unfortunately, because some foods are highly concentrated, they are best avoided.