What Should Patients with Kidney Disease Do to Improve Anemia?

People who have both anemia and kidney disease are at higher risk for stroke, heart failure, and even death. Diabetes raises the risk. While your kidney care team is responsible for providing you with the care you need, it is up to you to follow through with treatments, take medicines as they are ordered and eat a balanced diet. You are the only one who knows how you feel and what questions you have. Ask questions, share any concerns you may have and make sure that you understand all of the care you are receiving. Know what your lab results mean and how often you should have them, what foods you should eat, understand all of your medicines including side effects, and ask questions about anything that doesn’t seem right.

Eating a healthy diet can help treat and even prevent anemia. Your body absorbs iron best from meats such as beef and fish. Eating certain vegetables can help you get even more iron out of these foods. Foods high in vitamin C can help your body absorb iron better.

Some foods including coffee, tea, egg whites, and milk block the absorption of iron. Foods high in fiber and proteins made from soy can also affect how well we can absorb iron. Try to avoid these when eating foods rich in iron.