— Dt. Sharan Sodhi, Consultant Dietitian at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and Founder of R.O.S.H. (Care that Never Quits)
When Kidney function is normal, the kidneys remove extra water as urine and it passes out of the body. But, in CRF, the urine output drops so that rigid control of fluid intake is necessary (varying from patient to patient) to prevent water retention in the body and puffiness around the eyes, ankles, fingers, increased weight and high blood pressure.
It may also lead to breathlessness as the lungs can become filled with the extra water.
Anything liquid at room temperature is considered as fluid, e.g. tea, coffee, milk, buttermilk, fruit juices, ice-cream, soups, soft drinks, thin dals, water, ice etc.
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Stay out of the hot temperature when you feel hot, otherwise, you may be tempted to take a drink.
Fluid control is often more difficult for patients during the summer. One very helpful way to control thirst is to limit one’s salt intake. It also helps to reduce high blood pressure and swelling.
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Patients should be reminded of the hidden fluid in food such as watermelon, jelly, soups, gravies etc.
A simple way of fluid management is to fill a water jug with a prescribed amount of water in the morning and when one consumed any liquid like tea, coffee, thin Dal, Ice-cream etc. One should discard an equal amount of water from the water jug. If one wants to drink water, one ought to drink from that same jug. Continue this for 24 hours. The next day again fills the water jug and repeats the same.
