The PKD Diet & Travel

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This is definitely NOT part of the PKD diet. But when in Argentina... well, sometimes you have to make do like the Argentinians!

Typically, our weekend posts have been the place for us to discuss eating on the road and some of our favorite hostel recipes. They should be easy to make, healthy with only a few ingredients, and made in a short amount of time.

But in honor of National Kidney Month and following up on my prior post about my Kidney Disease and its role in framing my perspective on travel, I’d like to focus on 3 of my favorite foods that are easy to make on the road and that are recommended in the diet for kidney diseases.

Traveling in foreign countries presents its own challenges with diet. Eating fresh produce is not recommended in many countries due to bacteria (and its ability to cause debilitating food poisoning), while cooking in a hostel usually means only having the barest of cooking utensils on hand.

Assuming you are a star PKD patient and follow the strict recommended diet back in the states, you might find yourself slipping when presented with the juiciest of steaks in Argentina or the chance to eat Guinea Pig in Peru.

You have to try everything once... right?

But don’t despair, check out these three easy meals that are easy to make and not on the PKD diet’s naughty list:

1. Egg White Omelet with Asparagus and Goat Cheese – Healthy for anyone. Egg whites are obviously an animal product so not the best if you are on a strict vegan diet. Feel free to add in some veggies, just be sure to cook them all first to make sure you kill any lingering foreign bacteria. Sidenote: Cheese is not the best, but I find sprinkling a little on top just takes the Omelet to a whole new level. You can’t always be perfect!
2. Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers – A hit at many a superbowl party… and such an easy snack to make. Tons of variation available as you can stuff these bad boys with anything you want on the approved list. Throw in a little low-sodium chicken broth to bind the stuffing and bake at 400 degrees until done.
3. Quinoa Stif Fry – Being in the heart of Quinoa country (Bolivia and Peru) makes this an easy option. Quinoa is a legendary grain that has all of the essential amino acids… great if you’re trying to avoid meat and still need some protein. Pan fry some veggies while the Quinoa is cooking and be sure to add some spices for flavor.

While we are at it, let’s check a quick list of some foods to avoid if you have PKD:

1. Coffee
2. Chocolate
3. Alcohol
4. Pizza
5. Pasta
6. Cola
7. Hamburger
8. Curry Food
9. Fast Food
10. Highly Processed Food

Raise your hand if you have PKD and eat these… raise your hand if you have PKD and have eaten all of these in one day.

OK… me too.

While sometimes eliminating all of the bad stuff can be difficult, don’t get discouraged when you don’t eat what is strictly recommended for PKD. The key is to eliminate as many naughty foods as possible while also adding as many recommended foods as you can.

Eating healthy while traveling and dealing with PKD is always a balancing act. Hopefully your scale tips more often than not to the nice side rather than the naughty.

So what are some of your favorite recipes that are good for PKD? Are they easy to make? Please share and let us all know what a great chef you are!