One of the best ways to help your dietitian recommend changes in your diet is by describing what you usually eat.  This will give them information they can use to advise changes, including specific additions you need to make to improve your diet. Your dietitian will be able to recommend specific additions to your diet, as well as ways of eating foods you like in a healthier way. One important topic to discuss with a dietitian is any eating preferences you have.  For instance, if you don’t eat meat, other forms of protein become especially important. Your dietitian will help you identify high quality non-meat proteins.  When selecting meat substitutes such as soy-based foods, be sure to choose options that are not too high in potassium, sodium, or phosphorus. While specific nutritional drinks for those undergoing dialysis can be helpful, only rely on these as a significant component of your diet under the guidance of a dietitian. Meanwhile, protein bars can be helpful meal replacements, but should not make up the majority of your diet. If you are on dialysis and selecting protein bars, choose those that have more than 15 grams of protein but less than 150 mg phosphorus and under 200 mg of both potassium and sodium. Depending on your overall health and nutrition, you may need to take nutritional supplements. The need to do so, as well as the type of supplement you should take, will vary depending on your diet and health.  As such, follow the guidance of your dietitian in particular. Simply ask something like, “Is there any specific nutritional supplement I should be taking considering my current nutritional levels?” Many of the questions your dietitian will ask you are meant to help them identify potential barriers that may be preventing you from getting adequate nutrition. More to the point, your dietitian will recommend different courses of action based on the specific reasons you may not be getting enough protein. Maintaining a healthy diet requires a bit of planning, especially if you are receiving dialysis treatment or have other health complications.  Even a very simple food plan can help you ensure you’re eating enough of what you need.  Aside from specific hints about what and how to eat, ask for advice regarding how to maintain healthier dietary behavior. At a minimum, develop and maintain a food plan to help make sure you eat protein with every meal. With the guidance of a dietitian, you may need to increase your caloric intake to help your body use the extra protein you’re eating. Your dietitian might even recommend using more butter while cooking, or putting more dressing on your salads. Many dairy products, including milk, contain too much potassium and phosphorus for those on dialysis who have low albumin.  As such, these are not recommended sources of fats.

Summary: Tell your dietitian about the food you enjoy. Talk to your dietitian about meat substitutes. Consider nutritional drinks and protein bars. Ask your dietitian about other nutritional supplements. Be honest with your dietitian. Develop a food plan together. Boost caloric intake with fats and sugars.


This is a great time to have a chat with one of your friends or your boyfriend or girlfriend.  Because you’re home alone, you won’t have to worry about other people listening in on your conversation. If you can’t call or text a friend, spend some time writing a long letter or email to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. When you’re home alone, you have full control over the remote and can watch whatever you’d like.  Try watching a new TV show or YouTube channel. Because you’re alone, you can flip channels and change videos, and no one will get annoyed. Or watch a movie! Turn on your music player and speakers and listen to your favorite music.   Because you’re alone no one will judge you for your taste in music or ask you to turn down a song. Take the time to listen to an entire album all the way through. Dance a little, if you want. Being home alone is the ideal time to play games for as long as you want. Play on whatever console you have, whether it’s a PC, Wii, Playstation, Nintendo or Xbox.   You could also download and play games on your smartphone, if you don’t have a games console. Being home alone is also a good time to play interactive online games with a headset. Play some online games, surf your favorite websites, and check all your social media. The internet is a great space to have fun alone.  Let yourself get lost in one train of thought. Spend time really researching something you’ve been interested in for a while but can’t seem to find the time to read about. with abandon. Just let yourself loose. Do all those moves you love to do but would never do while somebody else was watching.   Dancing is a lot of fun and also good exercise. Look up videos of different popular dances online, and try to learn one. Being creative increases your self awareness, gives you a sense of accomplishment, and helps to pass the time. It can also relax you and be a form of meditation. Feel free to paint, draw a picture, sketch, make a comic strip, sculpt, or come up with your own expressive outlet. your heart out while you have the house to yourself. You can sing as loudly as you want to all your favorite tunes.  Don’t worry about whether or not you have a good voice. Simply let yourself have fun singing to your music. This is a great time to experiment with hairstyles or outfits you’re not sure if you’d want to wear in public.  Put your hair up in a crazy new style, straighten it, or curl it. Wear your make up differently, and try new colors. Layer clothing items you wouldn’t normally wear together.
Summary: Call, video message, or text a friend. Watch your favorite TV shows. Listen to music as loud as you like. Play some video games. Spend time online. Dance Create some artwork. Sing Experiment with your look while you have time to yourself.