About Us

Irish Kidney Diet is the brain child of a small group of Dietitians from the Renal Interest Group of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute. The vision behind the website was to create a patient education website covering all aspects of the kidney diet (also called the Renal Diet) for people with chronic kidney disease and their Carers. Our ultimate aims were, to help our kidney patients and their Carers to understand the kidney diet better, to help them to explore new avenues with regard to cooking on a kidney diet and to improve the food choices and variety available to them.
Work commenced on the project in 2014 following the provision of an education bursary to the Renal Interest Group from Shire Medical.

What is a Dietitian?

A Dietitian is a health professional who has a Bachelor’s degree specialising in foods and nutrition, as well as a period of practical training in a hospital and a community setting. It takes at least four years of full-time study at a university to qualify as a Dietitian.  Many Dietitians further their knowledge by pursuing a master’s or Doctoral degree. Dietitians apply the science of nutrition to promote health, treat and prevent malnutrition and provide therapeutic dietary guidelines for patients, clients and the public in health and illness.

The title “Registered Dietitian” and “Dietitian” is protected by law so that only qualified practitioners who have met the required education qualifications and continue to maintain their knowledge and skills through continuing professional development, can use that title. CORU is responsible for regulation of health and social care professions under the Health and Social Care Professional’s Act, 2005, in Ireland.  Dietitians have public protection as their mandate. Dietitians are held accountable for their conduct and the care they provide both through the regulation process and also through membership of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI). All members of The INDI are bound to comply with the code of ethics and professional practice

The term Nutritionist is not protected by law so people with different levels of training and knowledge can call themselves a “Nutritionist”.

For more information please visit www.indi.ie

Our Sponsors

We would like to sincerely thank our sponsors ‘Shire Medical’ for the education bursary provided to the Renal Interest Group for the development of this website

Nutritional Analysis

The McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods book series, the 6^th Summary Edition and supplements was the primary source of data. Where UK data was not available, we used the USDA nutrient database www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search.

Recipe Analysis was performed utilising the same methodology as utilised in the Renal Interest Group project ‘Truly Tasty’. Truly Tasty is a cookery book for people with kidney disease and their carers to utilise whilst entertaining. More information may be found at www.trulytasty.ie

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their help, generosity and guidance in the development of this website:

• Our families for supporting us throughout this project and taking care of our little ones whilst we worked.
• Ms Louise Reynolds, INDI PRO
• Ms Valerie Twomey, Editor of Truly Tasty
• Ms Sarah Louise Killeen, Dietitian
• Ms Joanne O’ Brien, Applejack Marketing
• Mr. Gordon Stewart
• 2015 Renal Interest Group Executive (Barbara Gillman, Fiona Byrne and Oonagh Smith)
• Beaumont Hospital, for giving us permission to use the video clips

Irish Kidney Diet Team

Theresa Rennick

Senior Kidney (Renal) Dietitian, Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore

Qualifying from Trinity College Dublin / Dublin Institute of Technology in 2001 with a BSc (Hons) in Human Nutrition and Dietetics, I initially worked in the areas of care of the elderly, diabetes and general medicine before moving into the field of nephrology in 2005.

I am the current lead of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetics (INDI) Renal Interest Group and have a special interest in the development of evidence based patient education resources. I have experience working across all areas of nephrology and acknowledge the challenge a Kidney (Renal) diet can place on patients and their carers. However, I have also witnessed the benefits a well balanced Kidney diet can provide for patients and this encourages me to continue to strive to educate and support patients to achieve their nutrition goals.

I hope that the Irish Kidney Diet website will help you to meet your nutritional goals whilst consuming tasty nourishing food.

Bernice Moore

Senior Kidney (Renal) Dietitian, Beaumont Hospital

After graduating from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in 2002 I began working as a locum dietitian before commencing in Beaumont Hosptital in late 2002.

I have been working as a Kidney (Renal) dieititan there for the past 12 years covering all areas of kidney disease. Being a member of the dietitians ‘Renal Interest Group’ of the ‘Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute’ over the years has allowed me become involved with many renal nutrition projects.

I realise that following a kidney (renal) diet can be very demanding for patients and their families and am always keen to explore new ways that can help patients manage this day to day.

I hope the Irish kidney diet website provides some fresh ideas for patients and families and also helps to make cooking food on a renal diet a little easier.

Pauline Connolly

Senior Kidney (Renal) Dietitian,

Cavan and Monaghan Hospital

After graduating from the University of Ulster in 1998, I completed a number of locums in Dublin teaching hospitals, prior to securing a position in the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght. I gained experience in Age Related Health Care, Haematology, Vascular Surgery and Oncology. I made the transition to the Cavan & Monaghan Hospital Group in 2005, where I have been working as Renal Dietitian for the last 9 years.

I am a member of the Renal Interest group of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute. This allows me liaise with my renal colleagues and participate in project developments.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working as part of this amazing team of Dietitians in the development of this education tool – it has proved to be a real learning curve! I hope renal patients and their families enjoy this website as much as I have enjoyed taking part in its development.

Jean Savage,

Renal Dietitian,

Tallaght Hospital

Within my role as a Renal Dietitian I see patients receiving haemodialysis, and patients with chronic kidney disease. I am extremely aware that the renal diet places challenging restrictions on adults with kidney disease, and requires planning, imagination and practical ideas. It is not a simple process to switch from a normal diet with no limitations to one with many, and patients often struggle to inject a little variety into their day to day renal diet.

I hope that the Irish Kidney diet website will inspire and motivate the renal community to enjoy great tasting food while staying within their dietary guidelines.

Orla Power,

Renal Dietitian,

St Vincents University Hospital

After graduating from DIT/Trinity College Dublin in 1995 I worked as a locum Dietitian in St James Hospital Dublin before going to the UK in 1996. I worked in University Hospitals in Cardiff and Birmingham mainly in Nutrition Support roles and a research post in London. I returned to Ireland in 1999 initially to St James hospital and then to St Vincents University Hospital in 2000. I worked as a Dietitian on the National Liver Transplant Unit until 2007.

I took up post as a Renal Dietitian in St Vincent’s University Hospital in 2008 and have been in this post since. I have learned a lot myself from working on this project with the “Renal Interest Group” and it has given me better insight into the challenges that patients face daily trying to plan suitable meals.

I hope this website will help to empower all those living with kidney disease to make well informed decisions for themselves on diet and lifestyle issues from day to day as they live their lives.

Celene Sands

Senior Dietitian, Mayo University Hospital

I graduated from the University of Ulster in 1998. I worked in England until 2001 before returning to Ireland to start work in Mayo University Hospital where I have worked ever since covering renal dialysis as well as a range of other specialities.

I am very aware of how restrictive the renal diet can be, and am pleased to have been involved in this project. I hope it will provide guidance and inspiration to renal patients and their families on how to manage the renal diet.

Grainne Corrigan

Dietitian, Beaumont Hospital

I graduated from DIT / TCD course in 2008 and commenced working in Beaumont in June 2008 where I have worked in areas including Gastroenterology, Oncology, Nephrology and Surgery.

I hope you find this website useful in the daily management of your kidney care.