Post Kidney Transplant Guide: Foods You Need To Avoid

Undergoing a complex procedure like kidney transplant is definitely not a small thing. The whole process can be quite overwhelming for anyone; however, we cannot simply ignore the benefits and how the procedure has helped to save hundreds and thousands of lives over the years. A kidney transplant involves the replacement of the diseased and dysfunctional kidneys of a patient, suffering from end-stage renal failure, with a healthy kidney taken from a living or deceased donor. Experts specialising in kidney transplant in India suggest that it is not only the surgery that counts but also what follows. The surgical procedure is followed by long months of rehabilitation during which the patient's focus should be on making some healthy lifestyle and dietary changes as these will aid the process of recovery. 

It is pertinent to understand that our diet plays a major role in determining our course of recovery after a kidney transplant. Whatever we eat, affects our body as a whole and this includes our kidneys. A balanced and nutritious diet is important as it will not only help you keep your weight other check but also keep problems like hypertension and high blood sugar levels at bay. 

Best kidney doctors in Delhi usually recommend certain guidelines to patients who have undergone a kidney transplant. While you may be asked to increase the intake of certain foods, there are others that you might strictly need to avoid. In this blog, we have specifically highlighted the food items that you need to avoid after your kidney transplant. 

Why is it important to avoid certain foods? 

Following a kidney transplant, the patient is required to take some special medicines known as immunosuppressants. Also known as anti-rejection medicines, these are extremely important as they help to significantly alleviate the risks of organ rejection, which is a common complication associated with any kind of organ transplant, including a kidney transplant. Immunosuppressants target the patient's immune system and, as the name suggests, suppress it, such that it does not try to target the transplanted kidney. Since the overall immune system is targeted in the process, the patient becomes much more vulnerable to infections. As such, you have to be very careful when it comes to your diet as a dietary habit, too, can add to the risks of infection. 

• Make sure that you handle your food safely and wash your hands after touching raw chicken, eggs or other unwashed vegetables. 

• If you are eating out, make sure that your food does not contain any unhealthy ingredient that can interfere with your normal healing process. 

• Refrain from eating certain high-risk foods and give utmost priority to hygiene. 

Some patients may also be required to take steroids after their kidney transplant. These are also associated with certain manageable side effects that include:

• Increase appetite which leads to unwanted weight gain

• Elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels

• Raised blood sugar levels

• Excessive salt and fluid retention

• Unexplained breakdown of muscles and bone tissue

In order to manage all these side effects, it is important to resort to healthy dietary habits and watch your portion size. You can also concert dietitians from the best hospital in India to help you to figure out a proper diet plan as per your specific needs. 

Foods you need to avoid:

It is highly recommended to refrain from eating the following food products

• Raw undercooked meat, fish and poultry

• Unpasteurized dairy products like milk cheese and yoghurt

• Undercooked eggs or egg products

• Certain truths like grapefruit and pomegranate as well as their juices

• Unwashed fruits and vegetables

• Sprouts like alfalfa