It depends on how much exercise you get, but here is a reputable site for more info: This one is for athletes, but you can adjust the amounts for weight and the amount of exercise you get: http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/caryn/protein.html The last line in the info is the best advice for your friend: "If you crave protein, are injured or sick, or think you need more protein than what's recommended, increase your intake of beans and rice, lean beef, milk, and yogurt. It's a much healthier (and cheaper) way to get extra protein. You can meet your protein needs - it's just a matter of figuring out your individual needs and tailoring your diet as such. Good Luck!" Here is a link that might be useful: Rice University Informational Site

Be careful with cracker and bread selections - there are a lot of them that contain peanut oil. Due to the nature of nut allergies - some people can have life-threatening reactions to just a minute amount - I have personally opted to eliminate all forms of peanuts and tree nuts (these are two different allergies) from my home. My son has multiple food allergies - we aren't sure about nuts as he has so far never encountered them - but his doctor has adviced us to keeep him clear of them until he is older. Anyway, recently I made a cheesecake with a pecan crust... Those pecans crumbled everywhere. Then I ran my food processor (which I had chopped the nuts in) and the cheesecake pan through the dishwasher and had little pieces of pecans stuck inside my son's drinking cups (the little non-spill valve). That is when I decided - for me - it was just easier to avoid nuts completely than to work around them and try to keep them clean and separate. To someone with severe nut allergies, even the residue oils from nuts can cause a life-threatening reaction. That said - Duckie's advice regarding 'hidden' allergens is excellent - if you decide to make something with nuts, make it obvious! And do keep all your cooking and serving utensils super clean. Lactose intolerant - they can generally take med prior to eating to control the majority of that problem. Processed foods are awful about having hidden milk protiens - especially deli meats, prepared meatballs, crackers, etc. (I cannot find a single ground meat product that my son can eat as they all have "natural flavors," "carmel coloring," etc. that can mean they contain a dairy product.) Vegetarian - depends on the type. Vegan means no dairy or eggs, which can be difficult to work around. However, if they are lacto-ovo vegetarian, that just means no meat so your cheese platter and dips are fine. I wouldn't go to the bother of doing ingredient list, but would perhaps make simple signs, like Almond Cookies, Beef and Pork Meatballs, Rum Cake, etc. - just enough to let people know in general what is in the food. If all else - do ask them. I would love it if someone asked me what my son could or could not eat, rather than them inviting us over for pizza and having nothing for him to eat! Also, if they ask if they can bring something, allow them to as they will likely bring something they can eat. (Rant: My FIL and his wife recently invited us over for supper... I kept offering to bring something - they kept refusing. Mind you, they know about my son's food allergies. Luckily, I did take food for him to eat. But do you realize how hard it is to keep a one year old out of pizza?! He didn't want the food we took him so the whole evening was a battle getting him to eat his 'safe' food and keeping him out of the pizza. Now we are invited over for a pizza party at Christmas time... I don't know what we will do.) Best wishes on your party. ~ Suzie

Here's another canine renal diet from my clinical nutrition textbook, based on an 18 kg dog: 237g cooked white rice 78g cooked regular beef (not lowfat) 20g boiled egg 50g white bread 3g vegetable oil 1.5g calcium carbonate 0.5g iodized salt 1 adult vitamin per day This is a reduced protein (21%), phosphorus restricted (0.22%) diet, appropriate for early renal failure. Sounds a lot like the one you already found. Dr. Pitcarin's for dogs is: 1/4# hamburger (not lowfat) 2 3/4# cooked white enriched rice 2 large beaten whole raw eggs 1/4 cup cooked carrots 2 tablespoons cold-pressed safflower, soy, or corn oil 1 slightly rounded teaspoon eggshell powder 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt 20 milligrams vitamin B complex 1000 milligrams vitamin C optional- 1/2-1 clove minced garlic Mix and serve raw if accepted. Or mix everything except the vitamins together and bake 20 minutes in a moderate oven and wait until it cools to mix in the vitamins. Occasionally substitute 1-3 teaspoons liver for part of the meat. Will feed a 40# dog for 1 day. Provides slightly less protein (17%) 25% fat, and 55% carbs, low phosphorus. If you can calculate recipe nutrients or have a program that can do that, here are the recommendations from my clinical nutrition book for dogs with early renal disease: Phosphorus: 0.15-0.3% dry matter Protein:Sodium: Potassium recommendations vary based on individual- some animals especially cats become hypokalemic, whereas dog may become hyperkalemic. If Taco has normal potassium levels now, try to feed the same amount but make sure you monitor her renal profile including potassium on a regular basis so adjustments can be made. omega 6: omega 3 fatty acid ration There has been considerable debate on when to restrict dietary protein in dogs with renal disease, and by how much. I would definately have the urinalysis done on Taco to determine if she has proteinuria. If so, she needs more restricted protein than if not. However, the protein in either case should be high quality and easily digestible, like the eggs and hamburger meat, not plant-based which is harder to digest. My personal belief is that you should restrict the protein as little as necessary and monitor the pet to see how the diet is working. If you switch diets and the BUN (especially sensitive to dietary changes) goes up, may have to reduce the protein a little bit and recheck. The appropriate protein level will vary among individuals and by the stage of renal disease. You have to adjust as needed. It is not 100% true that there are no meds to help with kidney disease. Any medications are based upon the symptoms of each individual pet, and applied on an as-needed basis. For example, if Taco is protienuric, an ACE inhibitor such as Enalapril may be beneficial. Secondary hyperparathyroidism may require more restricted phosphorus or phosphorus binders. Anemia may require erythropoietin. If she is dehydrated and cannot drink enough water to compensate, she may need subcutaneous fluid maintenance. If she has GI signs such as vomiting or nausea, then histamine blockers (cimetidine) or proton-pump inhibitors (omeprazole) may help. If she develops hypertension, the ACE inhibitor may help but if that is not enough then can add calcium channel blockers. Proteinuria is managed through the diet. Keep in mind that you can only safely restrict the protien by so much, since protein is required for a healthy immune system. Also at some point, restricting the protein more can contribute to worsening protein-losing nephropathy, which is definately not wanted. Chronic renal disease affects pretty much the entire body. But quality of life and survival can be enhanced by careful frequent monitoring (I'd do blood pressure, CBC, renal chemistries every 3-6 months depending on progression of signs) and appropriate treatment of signs as they occur. It is not easy nor inexpensive, but I think it's worth it to keep on top of things. The single most important thing to be careful about, as others have alluded to, is water. Even a short episode of dehydration in a pet with kidney disease can be devestating and send the animal over the edge and into failure. Second most important thing is to make sure she eats well. Eating doggie junk food is preferred over anorexia, even in animals with kidney disease. The best thing though, as always, is the easiest- provide lots of love and attention as you already do. Good luck.

If I crave something sweet...I eat whatever it is that I am craving (thinking) about. I just don't eat a lot of it. I have lost weight lately...past year....and did that by not dieting. I eat whatever I can think of that sounds good....but I don't eat a lot of anything. About half of what I would normally eat. From here on out, I eat whatever I want. We stayed several weeks following the flood, with a lady who is anorexic. She ate one or two bites, every other day. She is skin and bones but has an unrealistic view of herself and thinks she is fat. She thinks anyone who eats like a "normal" person is a "hog". I told her, at my age...what do I have to look forward to? Dying? I'm going to eat any danged thing I want, and as much as I want. I have found though that I feel better eating less....so I have cut down on portion size. Love that picture, Nicole! You looked fabulous, and I am sure you still do.