Saint Patrick's Day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. The day is often spent with family and friends in jolly celebration, eating, and drinking. Parades and parties are all around, and Irish pubs have standing room only. Often, if Saint Patrick's Day falls on a weekday, you will find that the celebrations continue into the weekend. While the vast majority of Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients do not drink, especially not enough to become inebriated, they still must be on alert to remain healthy and uninjured during the festivities. The following tips will help Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients have a fun and exciting Saint Patrick's Day/Weekend while remaining safe:
1. Be extra cautious on the roads. Family Watchdog noted, "Just because you are a safe and sober driver doesn’t mean other people are. "A disproportionate amount of traffic accidents on St. Patrick’s Day are caused by people driving under the influence. Even if you are not planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, police urge drivers to be aware and to avoid distraction while behind the wheel, since others on the road may be impaired. Whether you are driving or just crossing the street on foot, keep your awareness levels high. Notify authorities if anyone is driving erratically or appears to be driving under the influence. Also, be sure to order your Fistula Protector Wristband to protector your Dialysis Access in the case of an emergency (click here).
2. Where's the beef? Try to avoid corned beef because it has over 900 milligrams of sodium per three (3) ounce serving. Clearly, that is a lot. If you are thinking, "Well, it is Saint Patrick's Day. You have to have beef and cabbage." We get it. Try having a hearty beef stew with cabbage (click here for recipe). Also, other good alternatives to corned beef are fresh brisket without curing seasoning, roast lamb, salmon or Shepherd’s pie.
3. If you plan a traditional Irish potato dish like Potatoes O ‘Brien, Colcannon (a cabbage and potato dish), or plain old Mash (mashed potatoes), you can reduce potassium in the potatoes by double boiling them. Moreover, by soaking the potatoes Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis patients can limit potassium. If you must eat potatoes, then try your best to limit it to one serving.
4. Save your vegetable choices for the day of your celebration meal and watch portions in order to prevent potassium overload. Click here for daily recommended potassium intake for Dialysis patients. Consider attempting to keep count of potassium intake so you do not over do it which can cause high potassium (Hyperkalemia) and lead to dangerous, and possibly deadly, changes in heart rhythm.
5. DaVita Healthcare Partners, Inc. reported, "If you include beer, make it a root beer." Chronic Kidney Disease and especially Dialysis patients should really avoid drinking alcohol. Most beers, for instance, including traditional Irish beers contain almost 100 mg potassium and 140 mg phosphorus for 12 ounces. If you are considering drinking during Saint Patrick's Day or over the weekend, KidneyBuzz.com strongly encourages you to discuss this with your Nephrologist first.
6. Closely monitor your fluid intake because during periods of celebration many patients can get carried away and then have to suffer from fluid overload. What's more, look for Renal and Diabetic tailored dishes daily at the KidneyBuzz.com Impact Meals section (100s of recipes). Click here.
Recommended Reading: Tricks for Chronic Kidney Disease Patients to Eat and Enjoy July 4th
Saint Patrick's Day calls for fun with friends, a heap of green, and a healthy dose of responsibility. With that formula and the above tips, you can make the festive occasion a greater and safer event for you and your loved ones. Share how you are planning on spending your Saint Patrick's Day with the over 37,000 Friends who have liked KidneyBuzz.com on Facebook (click here). While you are there, be sure to click the Like Button so you do not miss any of the updates. Also, KidneyBuzz.com has reached over 1,200,000 individual viewers in the past 12 months -- rapidly becoming one of the leading go-to resources in the Chronic Kidney Disease Community. Visit us every day for the latest breaking news and information which teaches those with Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, Kidney Transplant, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure how to better manage and improve their lives.