Diet
Plant Based Alkaline Diet
Neutral Protein 0.6 grams/kilogram
1200 mg sodium
3 Liters water or twice your daily output
The PKD Diet
PKD Diet is a neutral protein alkaline plant based diet. It is low in salt and allows for sufficient water intake to shut down vasopressin. It also keeps a cystic body well flushed. We have gathered our mutual dietary experiences in maintaining alkalinity and enhancing the health of cystic kidneys, cystic liver, and cystic organs. Changes are made as more dietary information readily becomes available. Should you find it difficult to eat only plant based foods, limit animal products to occasional broths, lamb, flat white fish, soft white cheese, cottage cheese, egg yolk, keeping quantities to less than 3 ounces per day and no more frequently than twice a week. Some better protein choices are available.
Plant Based Alkaline Diet
Enjoy eating foods that grow from plants of the earth – like fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries
and grains. This is a whole foods plant based vegan alkaline diet geared toward PKD kidney health and PLD
liver health. Cooking all food yourself from locally grown in season produce goes a long way to maintaining the
health of cystic organs. It excludes:
caffeine
concentrated sugars
nightshades
soy
starfruit
wheat
yeast
alcohol
Neutral Protein 0.6 grams/kilogram
Protein in is equal to protein out. Calculate your daily protein. 3 ounces of fish is about the size of a deck of cards. 1 ounce of cheese is equal to one dice. Protein is set individually to maintain a neutral protein balance between 0.6 grams – 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Protein quantities from certain foods has been compiled into a chart by a fellow PKD'r. Some protein foods from a plant based diet are: spelt [the highest amount of protein among grains], cabbage juice, carrot juice, corn, chia seed, and of course nuts, beans, legumes, grains, and seeds. Soak nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and grains prior to cooking to diminish their phytic acid content. By preparing food in this fashion, foods become alkaline and more digestible.
1200 mg sodium
Sodium or salt intake is limited to 1/8 teaspoon per day or a 1200 mg sodium diet. Many have tried Himalayan pink crystal salt and have experienced no rise in their blood pressure when using small quantities (1200 mg) of this salt. Recently there has been some conflicting information about Himalayan salt; our experience is that it is beneficial. If you have had a transplant, these individuals must restrict all salt or they swell.3 Liters water or twice your daily output
Drinking enough water, to raise serum osmolality just above that of urine shuts down vasopressin, similar to the still-in-clinical-trials experimental drug, tolvaptan.
Below are some files for additional information; a few iPhone/iPad apps are included. One surprise was the amount of fat in a food court hot dog = 28 grams of fat; a slice of pizza = 38 grams of fat.