The summer heat means increased thirst, which is a challenge for anyone with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis treatment who needs to restrict their fluid intake. A diet that includes low-sodium foods can help reduce thirst, so here is a list.
8 low-sodium foods to reduce thirst:
1. Low-potassium fruits eaten fresh or frozen and chopped. Try frozen grapes, pear slices, or a well-chilled peeled apple, or a handful of frozen red berries.
2. Lemon or lime slices added to ice water. The acidity of lemon or lime stimulates saliva, which helps relieve dry mouth.
3. Cold, crunchy, low-potassium vegetables. Try very thin, fresh slices of cucumber, carrot, celery, or radish.
4. Fresh mint. The flavor of mint added to salads, drinks, or other dishes refreshes the mouth, as do sugar-free mint-flavored mints or candies.
5. Sour candies/sweets. Not everyone feels the same way, but eating sour candies actually activates the salivary glands, moistening the mouth almost immediately. You should choose options without added sugar.
6. Gelatin. Eat small spoonfuls of flavored gelatin, as it lasts longer than a sip of water. Make gelatin with twice the usual concentration and eat it as if it were a solid snack, never forgetting that it also counts as liquid in the total daily allowance.
7. Cold soup. Prepare a cold soup low in sodium and potassium to nourish and refresh you from the inside out.
8. Flavored ice. Make ice by freezing lemonade made with peel, juice (without pulp or carbonation), or tea/infusion in an ice cube tray. Suck or chew on a cube slowly to quench your thirst without drinking.
