Health

How to Protect Your Kidneys This Summer

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An incredible 33% of adult Americans are at risk of developing kidney disease which, when it reaches stage five (also called end-stage renal disease), requires regular dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant for survival.

The good news is, there is a lot you can do to prevent kidney disease from developing in the first place. Most of these lifestyle changes are especially doable in the summer, when the days are longer and it’s easier to spend time outdoors.

Here are our top five ways to protect your kidneys this summer:

1. Cook at home. Eating at home is one of the best ways to ensure you’re eating kidney-healthy food. While restaurant and some fast food establishments may seem healthy, most meals out are packed with salt—not good for the kidneys. If you cook at home, you can control the amount of sodium you consume (aim for 2,000mg or less a day) and thus keep your kidneys healthy. Remember, it’s not the salt shaker that’s usually the problem—it’s pre-packaged, processed, and restaurant foods that are loaded with salt, with many meals exceeding the entire daily sodium limit. Cook at home and flavor foods with spices and herbs instead of salt.

 

2. Exercise every day. Exercise is so important for kidney health. Even a little bit every day will make a big difference in your health and how you feel. If you haven’t exercised regularly, make sure to build up slowly. Start by walking,  stretching or lifting light weights. Gardening or taking an online yoga class are also great ways to work exercise into your daily routine. Make it a social outing as well by inviting friends over to walk around your neighborhood, or join a tennis or pickleball club. It’s never too late to learn a new sport! Working exercise into your day helps boost your mood and keep your kidneys healthy.

 

3. Stop smoking. Smoking can lead to many health problems, including chronic kidney disease. Smoking causes damage to your heart and blood vessels, which in turn leads to decreased blood flow to the kidneys. If this happens over time, it could cause irreversible damage to your kidneys. Quitting can be challenging but there are a number of resources available that can help. Help keep your kidneys healthy—talk to your doctor to help create a plan to stop smoking.

 

4. Manage blood pressure and diabetes. High blood pressure and diabetes are the two leading causes of chronic kidney disease. Controlling your blood pressure and managing your blood sugar are key to keeping your kidneys healthy. Keeping your blood pressure in the range set by your doctor, and keeping your blood sugar levels in your target range as much as possible, can help prevent damage to the kidneys.Talk to your doctor to make sure your diet and lifestyle choices and/or medication is helping you do this.

 

5. Reduce stress. Stress has a huge impact on our lives and our health. Research shows that spending time with people in the community helps lower stress, as does exercising, getting enough sleep, practicing breathing and meditation, and laughing. Lower your stress levels by spending time outside, joining a community group, spending time with family and friends, and focusing on living life in the moment.

 

That’s it—our five tips for promoting kidney health this summer. How do you plan to keep your kidneys healthy this summer? What lifestyle tips do you have? Let us know on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

 

 

The incredible impact nutritional supplements can have on people with kidney disease

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Each year, donations and financial support received at our Gift of Life helps us provide nutritional supplements for patients who can’t afford them and will truly benefit from them. These patients may be struggling with food insecurities, are recovering from surgeries or illnesses, or need extra calories to maintain their nutrition health.

Our dietitians have several options for patients that qualify: Nepro, Boost, LPS (liquid protein supplement), protein bars, and protein powders. Each of these nutritional supplements help patients get the calories, protein and nutrients they need to heal and survive. Our patients have expressed great gratitude for having these available. Here are words of appreciation from just a few of them:

• A 90-year-old veteran of the three military branches had been underweight and was not able to make a meal before coming to dialysis. Jennifer, his dietitian, started him on Nepro every day to increase calories. She says: “He has gained three kilograms and is now having an English muffin with peanut butter, with his morning coffee. It has stimulated his appetite and his energy levels. He is still able to walk himself to and from his dialysis chair, which has been an encouragement to younger patients.”

• Kathryn, one of our dietitians, recalls how grateful one of her patients that lives in a nursing facility was to get protein bars. “I had tried getting the facility to provide the bars for her, but that wasn’t an option. She is appreciative of all we do to help her.”

• Lilly, another one of our dietitians, remembers how some Nepro and Boost supplements provided by PSKC helped a patient get through these hard times. “I have a patient who recently had hip surgery and has been dealing with the pain, which affects her appetite a lot. She has so many medical bills in the past few months, and she is not able to afford any protein supplements.”

A big thank you to all donors who have helped fund our nutrition supplement program! Your support has a major impact on the patients we serve.

March is National Kidney Month! See 7 simple ways to keep your kidneys healthy.

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March is National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day is March 10, making this the perfect time to raise awareness about the role your kidneys play. Kidneys are such vital organs — they help rid your body of waste, control your blood pressure, balance electrolytes, and produce red blood cells, among many other things. When your kidneys fail, they can’t perform these essential functions, and you must undergo regular dialysis treatments or have a kidney transplant. The good news is, making simple lifestyle changes can help you avoid kidney problems and keep your kidneys healthy.

1. Watch your blood pressure. Work with your doctor to keep your blood pressure under control — high blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease.

2. Manage your blood sugar. Diabetes is another leading cause of CKD. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to many other problems as well, like heart disease, blood vessel disease, loss of limbs and blindness. If you have diabetes, make sure to control your blood sugar.

3. Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk for kidney problems, as well as heart disease. Work with your doctor to find ways to help you quit smoking.

4. Exercise regularly. Exercise has so many benefits — it improves your mood, helps you maintain a healthy weight and helps controls your blood pressure. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day.

5. Follow a low sodium diet. Foods high in salt make your kidneys work extra hard. Try to avoid this by keeping your sodium intake to less than 2,000 milligrams per day. Cook at home whenever possible, as restaurant meals and ready meals from grocery stores are usually very high in salt.

6. Avoid over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. If you have CKD, avoid anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen, Advil and Motrin. Even if your kidneys are currently healthy, make sure to only use these medications minimally. Speak to your doctor if you plan to use these medications on a regular basis, as your kidney function should be checked first.

7. Ask your doctor for simple tests to check your kidney function. Simple blood and urine tests can be done to check your kidneys. Ask your doctor to check your kidney function at your next appointment.

Knowledge is power — take our risk quiz now to see if you’re at risk for chronic kidney disease.

If kidney disease runs in your family, or you have high blood pressure or diabetes, learn more about getting tested for kidney disease.

And make sure to follow us on on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for more tips on how to keep your kidneys healthy!

Raise awareness of kidney health on March 12, World Kidney Day

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Kidney health for everyone, everywhere is the theme of this year’s World Kidney Day, celebrated March 12 and a chance for all of us to remind ourselves of just how important these bean-shaped organs are.

 

What your kidneys do

Kidneys filter blood and remove waste. They also balance electrolytes, control blood pressure, produce red blood cells and help you maintain healthy bones, among other things.

One fifth of the blood pumped by your heart goes to the kidneys, where it is processed and filtered. Excess water, salt, minerals and waste are sent to the bladder as urine and ‘clean’ blood is returned to circulation. It takes just five minutes for all of your blood to be filtered by the kidney which means in 24 hours, your kidneys will filter all of your blood 288 times!

Most people are born with two kidneys, although you need just one functioning kidney to live a normal, healthy life.

How to keep your kidneys healthy

The good news is, you can do a lot to help your kidneys stay healthy.

1. Eat less salt. Foods high in salt make your kidneys work harder. Try to keep your sodium intake to less than 2,000 milligrams per day. Eat out less (restaurant meals are loaded with salt) and instead, cook from scratch at home.

2. Watch your blood pressure. High blood pressure causes kidney disease. Manage your blood pressure and get it checked regularly.

3. If you have diabetes, control your blood sugars. For more than 40 percent of people with kidney failure, diabetes is the cause. Uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to heart disease, blood vessel disease, loss of limbs and blindness.

4. Stop smoking. Smoking greatly increases your risk for all kidney-related problems, including heart disease.

5. Exercise regularly. Work with your doctor to create an exercise plan that works for you. Exercising on a regular basis and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep your kidneys healthy.

Get your kidneys checked

Simple urine and blood tests can check your kidney function. Ask your doctor at your next check-up. Catching kidney disease early is key, as you might be able to slow it down with simple lifestyle changes.

If you’re at risk for kidney disease, or it runs in your family, don’t wait – make an appointment to get tested today.

Help us spread the word about kidney disease – join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Keep cool when it’s hot: tips for dialysis patients

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When you’re on dialysis, it can be difficult to manage your fluid intake and when it’s hot out, that becomes an even bigger challenge. It’s good to have a list of ways to keep cool on those hot summer days so you’re not tempted to go over your fluid limit. Below are some of our favorite ways to keep cool without gulping down more drinks.

1. Freeze fruit⁠ — like strawberries, raspberries or blackberries ⁠— to suck on when you’re thirsty.

2. Measure out your daily water limit and pour it into an ice cube tray. (Ice cubes last longer than sips of water.)

3. Stay in air-conditioned places like malls or grocery stores.

4. Take a cool bath or shower and let your hair air dry instead of using a hairdryer.

5. Cool a washcloth and drape it over your forehead, then sit in front of a fan.

6. Wear lightweight clothing.

7. If you have diabetes, pay close attention to your blood sugar as high blood glucose can make you extra thirsty.

8. Avoid spicy foods.

9. Stay away from strenuous activity so as not to dehydrate your body further.

10. Suck on a lemon or lime to quench your thirst.

How do you stay cool during the hot summer days? We’d love to hear your creative ideas! Share your tips with us via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Love your kidneys!

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Make simple changes for kidney health

February is all about love and this year, it’s time to spread that love to your kidneys. The truth is, they need it! Kidney disease is serious and one in three adult Americans is at risk for it. When your kidneys fail, you need regular dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant to survive. The good news is, there are many things you can do right now to prevent kidney disease from happening. Follow the tips below to spread the love to your kidneys and help keep them healthy.

1. Follow a low-sodium diet. Eating foods high in sodium can increase your blood pressure and make your kidneys (and your heart) work harder. Keep your sodium intake under 2,000 milligrams a day. Avoid fast foods and packaged foods, and limit eating out as restaurant meals can be full of sodium. Cook at home, choose fresh fruits and vegetables to snack on and flavor foods with spices instead of salt. Check out our tasty low-sodium recipes and work with your dietitian or doctor on a complete meal plan.

2. Monitor your blood pressure. High blood pressure can impact arteries around your heart, making them weak and unable to deliver enough blood to your kidneys. Keep your blood pressure in check to help keep your arteries strong.

3. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help you control blood pressure, lose weight, get stronger and sleep better. It can also greatly improve your mood. Start slowly and work up to 30 minutes a day. Check out more fitness tips and work with your doctor to create an exercise plan that’s right for you.

4. Quit smoking. Smoking can slow the blood flow to your kidneys. If you smoke, work with your doctor on a plan to cut back and work towards quitting altogether. Visit smokefree.gov for tips and more information.

5. Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels in your kidneys. Keep your blood sugar at the level your doctor recommends to prevent kidney damage.

Now’s the time to focus on yourself and your health. Don’t put it off! Follow the tips above for a healthier you and let us know how it’s going – share with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Five tips for kidney patients this holiday season

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If you have kidney disease, you’ve likely changed your diet to keep healthy. Following the kidney diet can be tough anytime of the year but especially challenging during the holidays, when parties and events, complete with platters of tempting, non-kidney-friendly food, are ever present. Don’t let this keep you away from enjoying fun times with your loved ones this holiday season! Here are five tips for surviving holiday parties and gatherings while sticking to the kidney-healthy diet:

1. Eat beforehand. Don’t show up to a party with an empty stomach. It’s so much harder to stick to your diet when your stomach is rumbling! Eating beforehand will help you avoid temptation and give you more time to focus on why you’re really there—to enjoy good company during the holidays.

2. Offer to bring a kidney-friendly dish. Yes, this means you’re not off the hook for cooking, but it also means you’re guaranteed to have something kidney-friendly to munch on wherever you go. Plus, you’ll be able to introduce other party-goers to a low-salt, kidney-healthy meal, something that’s good for just about everybody! Check out our kidney-friendly recipes if you’re looking for a dish to make.

3. Avoid processed foods, including processed meats. Processed food equals high salt, a definite no. Steer clear of these items; choose low-sodium proteins and fresh foods instead.

4. Control your portions. Have your eye on some tasty treats but know they aren’t particularly kidney-friendly? Have just a taste to satisfy your craving, then use your willpower to move on.

5. Plan an active gathering. If you’re hosting, plan an activity instead of centering the party around food. Going for a walk or a short hike, will take the focus off food and get those endorphins going, leaving everyone feeling good about getting some exercise during the long winter months. Playing board games and family sports is also a nice way to spend quality time and make memories not centered on eating.

You don’t have to avoid holiday parties just because there may be foods you can’t eat. Follow the tips above and you’ll be setting yourself up for a great time with family and friends!

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