Renal Diabetic Diet

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies (Low-Sugar!)

Copy of Low Sodium and Potassium Substitutions For Your Holiday Favorites 15 Whether it’s the beginning of the crisp Fall season, or you are just looking for a delicious and fun cookie flavor for any season, or day of the week, pumpkin spice will answer all your cravings! These meringue cookies are a wonderful blend of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and best of all, they are low on sugar!

These pumpkin spice meringue cookies are fun, easy, and have a deep cinnamon and fresh pumpkin flavor. They are light and chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, the best of both worlds for textures! So, keep reading to find out how to make these renal-friendly confections, and why they are a good choice for baked treats for those sticking to a renal or a diabetic diet.

What Are Meringue Cookies?

If you have never heard of a meringue or eaten one and you were to see a picture, you would probably imagine they have a marshmallow-like consistency. While both are delicious, that is actually not at all what a meringue’s texture is like.

This perfect, delicate meringue is chewy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. This simple dessert is usually made with very few ingredients, the main ones being egg whites, an acid like vinegar or cream of tartar, and sugar, which are whipped together to get that pillowy look that we want!

These sweet treats are a popular dessert associated with European countries such as Switzerland and France. In this version, these pumpkin spice meringue cookies will have all of the additional flavors that we love around fall time, pumpkin pie spice.

Do Meringue Cookies Taste Good With Pumpkin Spice?

If you are a fan of pumpkin spice, you likely know that it is a flavor that goes with anything, and these meringue cookies are no exception! Pumpkin spice is a delicious, and every popular, flavor used in many coffee syrups, creamers, and various baked goods.

Since the meringue is a part of the baked good family, pumpkin spice and this traditional French treat will pair beautifully. If you are not familiar with pumpkin spice, it has a flavor similar to pumpkin pie in that it consists of the earthy sweetness that comes from the pumpkin and the various fall time spices we love, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves!

Can I Eat Pumpkin Spice Meringue On a Renal Diet?

As many of you who are cooking for, or are on a renal diet yourselves know, pumpkin can be a high potassium vegetable. However, there are many ways to make the pumpkin spice flavor without the worry of high potassium or high sodium. One way is to buy it from the store. Walmart has an affordable premade pumpkin spice blend that you can find here.

You can also make your own spice blend with freshly ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to add to your meringue mixture! You can omit the use of canned or fresh pumpkin puree if you want to, or you can include a modest ½ cup of canned or fresh pumpkin. Just keep in mind that this will add a significant portion of your potassium into this cookie.

Reasons Pumpkin Meringue Cookies Are Okay for Kidney Disease Patients

These Pumpkin spice meringue cookies are great for those on a renal-friendly diet because they are low in sugar, sodium, and potassium!

While the most potassium-rich part is the optional use of pumpkin puree itself. The other ingredients are simple herbs and spices, that can be found fresh or in-store without added sodium and sugars.

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies (Low-Sugar!)

Print Recipe

Author: MatheaW
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

3 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/3 cup Splenda or other sugar substitute

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pinch of pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 180 degrees Celsius)

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl

3. Beat eggs until frothy

4. Add Splenda and continue beating until stiff peaks form

5. Fold in pumpkin spice and vanilla

6. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet

7. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for about 15 minutes

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving

Keywords: kidney disease diet recipe, recipe for kidney disease, renal diet recipe

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How Do You Know When Meringue Cookies Are Done?

Copy of Low Potassium Substitutes For Your Holiday Favorites 28 The best way to know when your meringue cookies are done is to make sure they are dry all the way through. This means that you should take one out towards the end of the baking time, cut it in half, and check to make sure the inside has cooked fully and the cookie is dry all the way through.

Are Pumpkin Meringues Cookies Chewy?

Pumpkin meringues can be chewy, or they can be crispy throughout, depending on the baking method you use! You can cook them longer on a slightly lower heat to get them fully crispy, or you can cook them at their normal baking temp for a slightly shorter time and check for a chewy but dry center when they are done.

How To Store Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

If you have successfully baked these amazing pumpkin spice meringues then they will last for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, if you store them in the fridge, they can become soft and sticky due to condensation. If you have uncooked batter you wish to use, it can be refrigerated but should be used within 24 hours of making it, as it contains those egg whites.

Can I Freeze Meringue Cookies?

Yes, you can freeze meringue cookies! The baked cookies will keep for up to 2 to 3 months if placed in an airtight container in your freezer. They will just need to be thawed to room temperature, and they will be ready to eat again, though their texture may change slightly and become chewier.

Pumpkin spice meringue cookies are a delicious treat and snack, especially for those eating a renal diet.

If you are looking for a sweet treat that you can enjoy on a renal diet, then these pumpkin desserts are perfect for you. Filled with many flavors that remind us of the holidays or the cooler months, these cookies are easy and, best of all, a healthy alternative to store-bought cookies! These homemade meringue cookies have low sugar, virtually no sodium, and are low in potassium content, making them safe to eat for those with kidney disease.

CKD Diet: Low Potassium Smoothies

By Mathea Ford Leave a Comment

Low Sodium and Potassium Substitutions For Your Holiday Favorites 6 Cooking on a chronic kidney disease diet can seem stressful and quite a chore. Sometimes we just want something simple that still fills us up or gives us a healthy snack. That’s where delicious, fresh, and a healthy smoothie can come in. Smoothies are an easy way to enjoy a snack with quality protein or a breakfast or lunch option on a kidney diet. You can pack a homemade smoothie with many kidney-friendly smoothie options and ingredients and nutrients that are good for you and will give you the energy to get through the day.

Are Smoothies Good for Kidneys?

Smoothies can include many kidney-friendly ingredients that are good for your overall health and a healthy diet. However, it is important to remember that smoothies are a good majority liquid and may not be the best option for substitutes for those on dialysis, as the liquid intake would have to be monitored heavily.

What Kinds of Smoothies Are Good for Kidneys?

Copy of Low Potassium Substitutes For Your Holiday Favorites 23 Many different smoothies can be good for kidneys. It is important to focus on the ingredients, whether they are homemade or store-bought versions. Most of the smoothies should include kidney-friendly fresh fruit like berries, apples, pineapple, etc. But they are also much better for you if you include things like cinnamon, flax seeds, chia seeds, or kale. This adds more fiber and gets you to enjoy your intake of nutritional needs.

High Protein & Low Potassium Smoothie Recipes

Cinnamon Apple Tofu

This may sound a little strange if you are not used to using tofu in many dishes, but tofu is a great ingredient that adds protein to just about anything. It also has the ability to be flavored and blend into whatever spice or ingredients you are pairing it with. This high protein, low potassium smoothie recipe can be created by using this chronic kidney disease friendly recipe, as a base. You should include apples, cinnamon, tofu, dairy-free milk, oats, and any other additions you may want to add. You can sweeten it with honey or maple syrup and have a delicious dessert like a smoothie that is packed with protein.

Peach Protein

This high protein low potassium fruit smoothie recipe is a great one for those really looking for maximum flavor and maximum protein. The Peach High-Protein Fruit Smoothie just calls for powdered egg whites, ice, peaches, and sugar. A very simple smoothie that is delicious and helps you meet your protein goals for the day.

The Best Low Potassium Fruits for Smoothies

Blueberries

These little berries are great for kidney-friendly smoothies because they include antioxidants, are low in sodium, and low in phosphorus. They are less than 150 milligrams of potassium, as well, making them even more kidney-friendly. High in fiber and low in calories, these fresh or frozen blueberries really pack a healthy punch.

Peaches

Peaches are a good addition to low potassium smoothies because they are one of the sweeter, low potassium fruits. They are a better alternative to the common mango which is included in many recipes but is higher in potassium. Peaches are very easy to pair flavors with as they can be sweet, tangy, and tart depending on their ripeness and what flavors you add with them in your smoothies.

Pineapple

If you are on a renal diet and are looking for a good ingredient for your low potassium smoothie recipe, you will be happy to know that pineapples have the lowest potassium of many of the tropical fruits we love. Kiwi and other citrus fruits can contain high potassium, so pineapple will help you achieve that tropical flavor while still being safe on your renal diet.

Cranberries

Many of us know that cranberries are good for things like urinary tract infections and other bladder issues, but are they good for your kidneys as well? The answer is yes! Since the phytonutrients inside the cranberries are what helps to prevent bacteria from building up and causing urinary tract infections, and UTIs and kidney disease frequently go hand in hand, they are very helpful at inhibiting the buildup of those bacteria.

Apples

Apples may not be your first choice when you think of smoothie ingredients, but they are a fruit that has tons of variety, and is low in potassium, sodium, and phosphorus. A very versatile fruit, the apple can be sweet or tart and can help bring a bright flavor to your smoothies. It pairs great with cinnamon, kale, and light fruits like pineapple or peaches.

Which Fruits Have High Potassium?

Avocado

Many healthy dishes and smoothies love to include avocado. While it is a fruit with a great source of healthy fats and proteins, it is also one of the fruits with the highest level of potassium. For one average avocado, there is about 975 milligrams of potassium.

Banana

Bananas are famously a potassium-rich fruit, which means they are not a great option for those looking for a low potassium smoothie. While they have less than the avocado, with about 422 milligrams of potassium in the average banana, it should still be avoided or enjoyed in moderation.

Kiwi

Like many of our tropical fruits, the kiwi is high in potassium and should be avoided. It is also high in oxalate, which can be a concern for those with urinary or kidney stones as it could make that condition worse.

Citrus Fruits

Not all citrus fruits, but some, are high in potassium and should be avoided when you are gathering low potassium smoothie ingredients. Grapefruit, apricots, and oranges are all high in potassium.

Do Premade Smoothies Have Low Potassium?

NovaSource Renal

NovaSource Renal has an entire brand centered around renal safe products and they have many options for low potassium smoothies such as their peaches and cream shake, lime coconut cooler, and their apple cinnamon shake. Explore their recipes here.

Nepro

Nepro focuses mainly on shakes that are safe and healthy supplements for those with chronic kidney disease, but they also have a mixed berry flavor. This flavor can be enjoyed by itself or added to a berry-based smoothie recipe without adding any additional liquid. It is made with carb steady ingredients, so it is a good choice for those with diabetes as well as those on dialysis.

Frozen Fruit Packs

Dole has a few frozen fruit smoothie packs which are great for low potassium smoothie recipes. This one, Veggie Berries ‘n Kale, is especially great for those on a renal diet and includes many of our good kidney ingredients. The pack only has 240 milligrams of potassium in total and is an easy way to start your favorite smoothie without plucking and chopping your ingredients.

Eating low potassium smoothies on a CKD diet makes a delicious and healthy breakfast or lunch.

Smoothies can be a delicious substitute to avoid cooking or when you are in a rush, and with these low potassium smoothie options, you can be sure that you are using healthy and kidney-friendly foods and ingredients as additions to smoothies to make your favorite snack.

Low Potassium Hot & Cold Breakfast Cereals for CKD Patients

By Mathea Ford 6 Comments

Low Potassium Hot & Cold Breakfast Cereals for CKD Patients

Take a sip 1 1 Cereal, hot or cold, is a quick and easy breakfast solution. You can make it, and let’s face it, you can eat it in less than five minutes. Morning cereal is an efficient way to get the nutrients and energy you need to start your day. Unfortunately, many breakfast cereals are high in potassium. If you have chronic kidney disease, it’s important to make sure you’re making smart breakfast choices.

What Breakfast Foods Are Low in Potassium?

You’ll find that cooked rice, grits, and wheat cereals tend to be lower in potassium than other options. Having cereal for breakfast can feel quite satisfying in the morning and can be made sweet or savory depending on your taste. The same is true for corn-based morning hot cereals like grits. Corn Flakes, a cold breakfast cereal, are also an option. And wheat-based cereals like cream of wheat can be tasty. Of course, not all grains are low in potassium or can be included in a balanced renal diet.

What Grains Are Low in Potassium?

Most grains are going to be higher in potassium. Corn and rice, which are the foundation of many hot and cold breakfast cereals, are not grains. However, these grains are low in potassium: Barley, Buckwheat (kasha), Bulgur, and Wheat. The good news is that many breakfast cereals are made from corn, rice, and wheat but potassium isn’t the only ingredient you want to consider if you have CKD, chronic kidney disease.

Which Cold Cereal Properties Are Best for Kidney Disease?

If cold cereal is your go-to breakfast choice, then there are some factors, in addition to potassium, that you’ll want to consider.

How much potassium is too much? Aim to keep the potassium levels under 100mg per cup, according to the Nutrition Facts label. Keeping in mind that your milk choice (and any fruit you add to the cereal) will increase the total potassium intake for your meal. For example, if you add cow’s milk and a banana, you’re consuming your potassium for the entire day in one meal and balancing a healthy diet.

How much phosphorus? When reading cereal labels and looking at potassium content for daily sodium intake, also check to see if the phosphorus content is included. Often, it’s not. You can, however, look at the ingredients and look for words with “Phos” in them. For example, disodium phosphate. While the phosphorus content may not be listed on the food label, when you see a “phos” ingredient in the list, it means added phosphorus which is typically absorbed at a higher rate and should be avoided if possible. Look for the same product / food but without the added phosphorus content.

Let’s not forget about sodium. Many hot and cold breakfast cereals are savory dishes and are high in sodium. Fortunately, you can look at the nutrition label and find the sodium content for a sodium solution. Look for cereals that have less than 150 milligrams of sodium per serving and stay away from the salt shaker. The effects of sodium can very negatively impact people with kidney disease and can be a major contributor to worsening symptoms.

When looking at hot breakfast cereals, you should ask yourself the same questions. Look at potassium, phosphorus, and sodium content. And of course, because hot cereal may be your favorite, let’s look at some considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Cereals for Someone with Kidney Disease

Of course, with so many cereal options, it’s common for people to have questions about their favorite cereals. Let’s look at some of those most frequently asked questions regarding hot breakfast cereals.

Is Oatmeal OK For Kidney Disease?

Low Potassium Substitutes For Your Holiday Favorites Oatmeal is a healthy food and high in potassium and generally isn’t recommended for a hot breakfast cereal if you have CKD. However, if you are drinking a low potassium and phosphorus milk alternative (like rice, soy, or almond milk) and very careful about your potassium intake the rest of the day, the occasional bowl of oatmeal shouldn’t be a problem. Keep in mind that the less processed the oat, the better. Instant oatmeal is going to be worse for your kidney health than a steel cut oat.

Is Oatmeal High in Phosphorus?

Yes, Oatmeal can have up to 234 grams per cooked cup. If you’re watching your phosphorus levels daily, the occasional cup of minimally processed oatmeal can be okay.

Is Oatmeal High or Low in Potassium?

Oatmeal is a middle of the road potassium food. It’s okay to have in small amounts, if it is minimally processed (i.e., not instant oats) and is consumed occasionally. A cup of oatmeal can have around 143 mg of potassium.

Is Cream of Wheat Good for Kidney Disease?

If you like hot cereals but don’t feel like grits, congee, or oatmeal is going to be the right choice, cream of wheat may be your solution. One cup of cream of wheat cooked in water has about 32mg of potassium. It’s also low in sodium with just under 6mg. Add a little butter and honey and enjoy.

Is Cream of Wheat High in Phosphorus?

Cream of wheat is also low in phosphorus; the same cup cooked in water has just under 32 mg of phosphorus (the same amount of potassium as well).

If you’re looking for a hot cereal solution, cream of wheat is the better choice over oatmeal. However, if you’re in an early stage of kidney disease and you are good about tracking your potassium and phosphorus intake, a bowl of oatmeal occasionally should be okay.

What Kind of Low Potassium Breakfast Cereals Can You Eat on A Renal Diet?

Before you head to the store, here’s a good list of heart healthy hot and cold low potassium breakfast cereals to consider.

Frosted Mini Wheats

Apple Jacks

Kashi Honey Sunshine

Kashi Blueberry Clusters

Rice Chex

Cream of Wheat, made with water

Cream of Rice, made with water

Cornflakes

Special K Original

Corn Chex

Honeycomb

Honey Roasted Honey Bunches of Oats

Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Kashi Autumn Wheat

Shredded Wheat

Bran Flakes

Kashi Strawberry Fields

Quaker Brown Sugar Oatmeal Squares

Special K Vanilla & Almond

Kix

Kashi Honey Toasted Oats

It’s great to know there are so many breakfast cereals that are low in potassium and phosphorus. Always make sure to read the label and be aware of your potassium consumption and average sodium consumption. Look for sodium levels as well as potassium and phosphorus. And consider the milk or dairy products you’re using with your cereal as well as any toppings. Cereal can be part of a healthy kidney diet with an alternative for family members as well. As with any choice, it’s important to know the facts and to make wise choices for your kidney health.

RDHQ Podcast 109: 3 Ways Inflammation Is Affecting Your Kidneys (Maybe You Don’t Even Know It’s Happening!)

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hello! Hey, it’s Mathea Ford with Renal Diet HQ. Today, I want to talk about three ways that inflammation is affecting your kidneys and you might not even know it.

So, I hope you’re having a great day. A great Tuesday it is and I hope you’ve all been well and I’m sorry that I haven’t been around much we’ve been really super busy.

And I wanted to come to you today and talk about inflammation in your diet and in your body because it’s a really important part of healing from kidney disease and delaying the progression of kidney disease inflammation in your body can affect you whether you’re pre-dialysis or if you’re on dialysis. Even if you’re on dialysis, you can decrease the amount of inflammation that’s in your body that will help you to heal better to feel better to have a lot of just improvement in fatigue and other things so I want to talk about what is inflammation right now.

So, inflammation in your body is probably you can think of it as a strain on your system it is your body trying to react to some sort of aggression against it so to speak. So, if you think about it it’s like if you get a puncture wound if you get a little you know a bee sting or a puncture wound then what happens you get redness, you get swelling, you know, hopefully, you don’t get a reaction but if you do you get heat, you get pain, you have an inflammation point like in one little spot on your body so having that inflammation point you can understand what that means and that is called Acute Inflammation.

So, when you have something happen – you have a cut, you have a scrape, whatever, you have that acutely happen and then that becomes a source where your body sends all these antibodies and all these repairing and clotting factors everything to stop that inflammation. It gets, it gives you some inflammation at that moment but it gets you to stop that intrusion on your body. It sees it as a strain on the system, it sees it as an intrusion. So, think about that as something that’s acute.

But there are two kinds of inflammation you can also have an inflammation that is chronic and that’s what happens a lot of times with chronic kidney disease is you have some chronic sources of inflammation.

So, chronic inflammation is something that can be inside of your body but think about it as a tooth infection. If you had a tooth infection that was not treated it would be red, it would be swollen, it would be painful, you would have some heat, you may have you know heat in that area, you have a fever. That’s a sign of inflammation in your body mounting a reaction to what it feels like is an intrusion whether it be a virus or a bacteria your body is supposed to mount these attacks on inflammatory agents that come into your body it mounts this inflammatory response and it helps you to react to that and then it’s gone. That’s what’s supposed to happen but when you continue to have like say, you have a tooth infection that’s not treated you continue to have that infection over time. It gets into your body your body’s in an aroused state for a period of time. It said that you know gonna react to all that infection and it’s gonna continue to send little warriors into that area but also that infection is getting into your blood it’s going throughout your body that is not a good thing.

So, I just want to talk a little bit about acute versus chronic infection inflammation because chronic inflammation is the issue that you would be concerned with in your body. So, in an acute inflammation just like I said, your body is going to release chemicals protein into that area as a defense and it’s going to work on repairing that tissue or responding to the inflammation. Your body is going to quickly do that and then you know over time, over a couple of days or whatever it will heal. Chronic inflammation is something when you have a low level exposure to an inflammatory agent or an irritant over time that your body cannot get rid of. So, it can’t it’s reacting but it’s not healing so it continues to react which is your normal response but you’re gonna tax your body’s system from reacting to that over and over and over. It can dab damaged tissues it can cause some chronic illnesses.

Chronic inflammation can damage your body because you’re constantly on the state of awareness your body is constantly trying to fight this infection and um or attack and it’s playing a role in autoimmune diseases. If you have an autoimmune disease that’s basically your body’s inflammatory response going against something that should be normal in your body so your body is, unfortunately, attacking itself which if you have an autoimmune disease you know that that’s what’s happening but that’s basically what happens a lot of times in things like rheumatoid arthritis, other things that are associated with inflammation and chronic inflammation are things like heart disease, cancer, diabetic complications.

And so in diabetes, if you think about it um your body is always trying to go to homeostasis so your body is always trying to get to that same level so it’s trying to keep your blood sugar in check, it’s trying to keep your blood pH in check and when your blood sugar is elevated because it’s out of whack with your diabetes if you’re not managing it well or um it’s hard to manage then that can mean that your body is going to react to that and that is constantly happening and it’s constantly putting your body in this inflammation reaction response.

So, and please feel free to put any questions in the comments and I will see them and react to them at the end. I’m gonna have to go on Facebook and look just to make sure that there’s none there but please feel free to ask any questions.

So, I want to talk about the signs that you may have information that you don’t realize is affecting you.

So, one of the big signs of inflammation believe it or not the chronic inflammation the internal inflammation you really can’t see is gut issues. So, having stomach pain, having digestive concerns like gas, diarrhea, constipation those constantly going on that’s a sign that your body is reacting to inflammation and it’s chronic because it’s when your gut. Your gut is one of your biggest immune organs. People don’t realize that 70 or more percent of your immunity in your body it comes from your gut so your gut helps to first of all as a barrier against attacks you know attacks like food so your body reacts to that and it also it acts as that barrier but it also creates immune cells. It creates white cells and it shares them with the body so one of the signs that you’re not doing well with that is when your gut is starting to have issues diarrhea, not digesting well, too slow, too fast causing issues.

Another sign that you might have in inflammation chronic inflammation in your body is dental issues. You’re not flossing, you have infections, your gums are inflamed. If your gums are inflamed it’s probably a good sign that you’re having some inflammation in your body that is affecting you so start trying to take care of that to reduce that inflammation level in your body because of the signs the ways it affects your kidneys. I’m going to talk about a minute but you really have to do your best to try to reduce the amount of inflammation.

Fatigue and sluggishness that is affecting your ability to do your daily activities so you may have low iron totally possible with kidney disease which can give you anemia and make you tired but also you get fatigued from the inflammatory response because your body’s constantly on that hyper reaction.

If you have related conditions like heart disease and diabetes, those are responding to inflammation and they can also be caught you know related to inflammation. So, those two things can cause inflammation so you want to do some things to try to reduce inflammation in your body.

If you have protein urea or edema or hypertension, those are signs of hyper reaction to inf you know the inflammatory response that your body is not doing well. So, protein urea is when you have your kidneys are not basically filtering properly and they’re letting large amounts of protein out through your urine which is not normal and can damage your kidneys further. You also have edema which is fluid retention which means your body is not you know your heart may not be pumping as well and properly to get the fluids back through your body so. And then the last one I want to mention which this has been more than three signs but hopefully forgive me if you have regular joint or muscle aches and headaches if those can’t be attributed to other things they can be related to inflammation so joint pain and stuff is definitely related to inflammation.

So, I want to talk for a minute about ways that can affect your kidneys. These inflammatory responses can lead to having additional toxins in your body so if your kidneys are not filtering properly, you’re going to have additional toxins in your blood like additional Uremic acid. That level again is not at homeostasis it’s a little bit elevated so your body goes into an inflammatory response to try to reduce that. You may be having issues with your kidneys related to inflammation that’s then causing more inflammation because you have this protein uremic acid in your body, in your blood that’s not being removed.

If you have a diet high in refined grains if you’re limiting whole grains, limiting fruits and vegetables like I know a lot of people do with kidney disease because that’s the old way we used to tell people to follow the diet. That’s old dogma. But if you’re following a very low fiber diet, very restrictive on the amounts of vegetables and fruits that you’re eating, and not eating whole grains those can affect your kidneys because those are some things you can do to help your kidneys and I’m going to talk about that tomorrow more extensively but that’s how it can be affecting your kidneys.

Again, the elevated acid levels in your blood. If you have dental issues and you have that chronic inflammation, that chronic inflammation is just going to cause your body to not be able to function as well doing other things because you have that inflammatory response going on that your body is putting a lot of energy to.

Think about it this way your body is responding and it’s used to responding full force against any sort of attack so you get a puncture wound your body goes right there going to attack is going to get it out, protect you so you can survive but what happens is we start having these attacks in our body goes into its normal reaction and it goes all out and it just continues to go all out until it finally continues to wear you down.

The other thing that can affect your kidneys is if you’re taking a lot of medications which I know a lot of people do when they have kidney disease, maybe take in a lot of medications and they have the limited ability, their filter for the kidneys is the liver helps to filter your blood as well and it may not be filtering as well.

So, today, I wanted to talk to you about inflammation and how it’s affecting your body but feel free to join me tomorrow when I’m going to talk about how you can use your diet to improve that so how you can reduce your inflammation using your diet because as a dietitian, I feel like diet is the most important part in this not only doing things to other things to heal your body but the way you eat and the food that you eat can significantly improve your inflammation in your diet. So, I want to talk about that tomorrow.

For now, please go over to the website sign up for the email list, and get our free meal plans.

We have a free week of meal plans so join me over at my website renalditehq.com and I will talk to you tomorrow.

Feel free to leave any comments below the video and questions and I will come back and answer them. Thanks. Talk to you soon

RDHQ Podcast 107: Frequently Asked Questions About My New Love Your Kidneys: Delicious CKD Meal Planning Program

By MatheaW 1 Comment

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I want to talk program Love Your Kidneys Meal Planning. I have some frequently asked questions that I kind of wanted to go through.

I launched my new program and I’m so excited because it’s Meal Planning. When you have kids, how do like work to commit and making it healthy yet delicious and time and it’s going to be a 4-hour program.

Let me tell you a little bit of the course-specific notes right here. This week through Friday, we have something which is $297 one time charge and from February 26 through March 23rd, every week on Wednesdays at 7:00 AM Central. So, the 26th of February, the 4th of March, the 11th of March, 18th of March we’re gonna have calls and those are each week, we have different topics.

The first week is like Meal Planning. Like understanding what those are and then the second week is some things like Meal Patterns. I’m going to give you some meal pattern samples. I’m going to teach you how to cut some foods in your list. I’m going to teach you how to use some lists to kind of how to input some foods just in there and then going to talk about recipes, how to adjust recipes, how to use some standard recipes to adjust their own recipes and then the last week is going to be about how to do Go Forward Meals.

You’re going to be excited, you’re going to get through it to keep it going, how do you bulk food prep, how do you do your grocery shopping to some ideas. Those will be live classes so it’ll be interactive. We’re limited to 20 each course, because I don’t want to overdo it. I don’t have too many… it’s hard to answer questions.

The other thing that is about this is that I’m going to have three days where I do a Question and Answer. Monday the 9th of March, the second week and the third week of March, I’m going to do a question and answer with the group and just go through what questions. What things you know came up for you in the last week, answering those so it’s like getting me live, getting me to answer questions about your kidney disease, questions about your diet.

I’ll be online. It’ll be through a program called Zoom and then all the sudden, you may have questions so you’re expected to attend the classes. One of the things is you’re going to go to the class and you’re going to provide suggestions, provide comments. Let me know what those are and then once you are onboarded, it’ll be available in a members’ area. We’ll have transcripts, closed captioning on it. You’ll be able to submit your questions before the Question and Answer call or on the call for the questions and all individual appointments.

This is going to be a small group work. We’re excited to do it because I want to do this little small group of 20 people. This is a program that I’ve done with other people that I really am excited to see how it can work in kind of the group setting. You’re getting a lot of information. It’s going to be the orders of education and questioning and answer. It’s picking my brain.

Let’s talk about some frequently asked questions. A lot of questions you know “if this is for me?” and my answer is if you have if you’re taking care of someone with kidney disease, this is for you. Whether you were at the patient level or at a family or friend level this is not going to be written at the medical level. I’m going to do my best to answer all the questions you have. I’ll make sure that it’s clear and understandable.

We’ll need to commit to attending the calls. It’s going to be a great opportunity to learn more and get a great meal plan whether you have kidney disease or not. It’s all going to be a cam call in on the calls in audio but the problem is the same calls you’ll need to do a video on your computer as you will need to be able to see the slides as I’m talking to them.

Question and Answer call you can do live call only and again those will be replays. Let’s take it to finish. It starts on February 26th and it ends on March 23rd. During that time and we’re going to have the ability to give feedback that intense like “how do you get through these different tasks?” You need to participate, you need to do the calls. You’re going to buy and then we start next Wednesday.

A week after and we’re going to start and do the program. The promo is just this week. The early bird price is $297 yesterday through Friday at midnight Friday. At midnight is $597 and then the cart closes on the 26th of February when we start our first course. Well, then there’s always an opportunity but I just don’t want you to miss to get it at the discounted rate. We give you value and give you information about like I’ll probably do a tracking form or you can tell me a little bit when kind of where you’re at with your diet and then you’ll have worksheets and stuff working on prior to the course.

Our refund policy is that because it is so it’s affordable for $297. It starts February 26 through March 11. If you’re not happy, if you don’t like it this is something I can’t do, I’ll gladly give you a refund of $197. That does seem like what you’re getting is a lot. What you’re getting it’s 4 live webinars that are in over an hour a week with me you’re going to get printable transcripts, going to get recording over and over, you’re going to get three hours of Question-and-Answer time with me. Which is a wonderful opportunity to talk through kind of where you’re at and what are you having issues with. You’re also going to get lifetime future updates. You’re going to be able to subscribe again; you’re going to be able to participate again. You’re getting so many worksheets, a meal plan and pattern worth $1500, $1800 and you’re getting PDFs that are going to be for tracking your meals, you get PDFs about recipe kind of things and all of that I value it over $600 so this is 80% off, $297 through Friday.

You’re getting a lot. This is an early bird price. This is what it’s going to cost you and you are to participate, you’re going to have lifetime access. Think about contacting me in a month. In a month you’re going to be still where you are. Whether that you’re unhappy with your diet, whether that you seeing progress or not or in a month you can tell me and I’ll have an idea of what you’re going to eat. You can have a meal plan for the week in about 15 minutes and then quickly do a grocery list for the items you’re going to have in your pantry, you can have kind of other things. We’re going to work through all of that and your meal plan and you will be so much better prepared for that.

I can’t imagine if you not doing it. But so, is this another frequently asked question, “is this a replacement for your doctor’s?”

My answer to that is No. Like always it’s not medical advice. This is me walking through a pattern that I’ve used with other people and through and you’re going to make decisions, you’re going to do the changes and I’m going to direct you to view what is the guidelines, what do they say and you’re going to make decisions. I’m not going to write you a meal pattern. I will give you a sample just a start but it’s your responsibility to talk to your providers before changing. It’s either you’re comfortable not comfortable with it.

Starting on February 26th at 6PM so that’s when we’re going to get together. You will get a lot information about that. But that’s when our first live class is going to be. You’re going to have life time access. The courses like early bird price because I’m building it as I go. When you think in the live class and I need to go for it, I’m gonna make the handout for it. It’s one of those things that’s kind of part of this program is understanding kind of what you need and what else you need. But you’re going to have access to the program lifetime.

Another frequently asked question is “how much access do I get to you Mathea?” The answer is you know you’ll have time on each contact. There’ll be a chat where you could ask questions. I will go through call and we’re it’s a recall so there’ll be one that’s a teaching call and you’ll have some time for some questions and then they’ll be one a few days later where you can have implemented what we talked’s about and you could do question and answer and talk through kind of what changes you want to make, what you know maybe I didn’t explain it right. I may need to understand it a little better. That’s always helpful to me too.

Those are views that people have asked me. Last question for pricing and how do you sign up?

You go to renaldiethq.com/lyk Love Your Kidneys and my program is called Love Your Kidneys CKD Meal Planning. The early bird is going to end Friday at midnight. Prices to change then and I think you get just a ton of value and I’m so excited to work with you with those small groups and work together with program and improve your health in 30 days. I love to hear these “I lost about 30 pounds this last year doing these stuff” that’s so exciting for me because you know more about it and help you to do those things, you learn how to manage your meals and how to manage your day and how to plan ahead and just kind of get it together with your meal planning.

So really exciting and I hope you have a chance to go look over the Sales page if there are any questions you have, any other FAQs and I look forward to talking to you again soon! Thanks!

RDHQ Podcast 106: What I Learned From My Family Member Having Kidney Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi everyone! Its Mathea Ford, Registered Dietitian and creator of the Love Your Kidneys. It was just a CKD Meal Planning course. Today, I wanted to talk about what I learned from my family member having kidney disease and if you’ve ever heard my story you know that that family member to my mom.

I want to talk through a little bit about what that experience was like of her having kidney disease and kind of how its shaped what I do today. How I eventually made kidney disease the work that I do every day?

I’m a registered and licensed Dietitian which just means that I went to school and attended college did an internship and passed a national registration exam all about how to have food and nutrition works in your body and how your body responds to food. I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for over 22 years and I passed my exam in ’97 and so for the last nine years, I focus really solely on kidney disease and that is because of a few things that happened in my family and made me realize how big of a need this was.

It all started with my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 chronic kidney disease. I was working at a hospital as the food service kitchen manager. I loved writing menus, I loved making recipes, I loved somewhat doing the nutritional analysis although that’s not my favorite. I liked testing recipes though. I made menus for all the diets, I knew how to cook on a large scale so I worked at the local Veterans Hospital. We had over 100 inpatients probably 300 and we would cook meals you know three times a day for them and so I knew a lot about how to make a recipe that would feed a lot of people.

I enjoy making food that is great and healthy and tastes good and you might think that hospital food tastes bad or you may have seen the hospital foods going to taste bad but I personally was impassioned to make the food as good as I could so I never accepted that it had to taste bad. It was always my best effort to make it taste good. That’s where it all started. She got diagnosed and I knew very little specifically about kidney disease. As a dietitian you learned kind of a broad brush of a lot of things and then most of the time you become kind of specialized and I had specialized into the bulk food kitchen feeding and doing a lot of management if you’ve ever been in a management position you know that a lot of it is people time. I spent a lot of time doing that but once my mom had kidney disease I knew she needed my help.

I’ve told you before that I do work, my dad lives with us and my mom lives locally and I help them both as much as I can but one of the things that happened is I realized you know “hey! I didn’t know that much about kidney disease” so I started to spend a lot of time researching and learning more about it and the restrictions on how to manage the disease and that’s where I started to realize that there was something wrong. I used a lot of “Don’t” list like don’t eat all these foods on this list and I found it frustrating because instead of starting from that place of “yes, I can have this or yes I can try this,” I was always starting with no and many of the food portions of the recipes that we found that seemed to be good were too big so it was really a need to cut them down or have leftovers and my mom hated wasting food she lived by herself and she was really just cooking for herself and she hated wasting food and having either a bunch of leftovers are just not having the right proportion make for one person or two people.

I was stressed out because I didn’t know at the time what dietary changes need to be made to help the most. I’m very much from the point of “what can I do that will make the biggest difference?” With you know what effort can I make that’ll make the biggest difference. We both who my mom and me we’re both frustrated and tired and exhausted and just overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information but lack of direction that we found that we were able to get you know you can…

Everybody’s got a lot of a little bit of stuff in a little bit of direction but there was nothing that was clear that like this is what you need to do next and I’m sure you can relate to that. I’m sure you’ve experienced that yourself so I’m not telling you anything you don’t know.

Most of the recommendations that we could find at the time nine years ago were to cut out all the fruits and vegetables with high amounts of potassium and to reduce salt intake while I still agree today with the recommendation to reduce salt intake, I don’t agree with the recommendation to cut out all the good food. But when we did it, that left us very bland very gray meals to eat – corn, rice, chicken – you know just the bland and while she does love baked chicken it got old quickly.

The biggest thing was we were afraid to make a mistake. We didn’t know if you know she ate too many tomatoes was that going to be the thing that pushed her over the edge and make her condition worse and I was beside myself I was trying away and count and measure and read and looking everywhere. I started to look a little bit in some different places into health and diet recommendations in different areas to see you know how I could make those work for her.

Even though I’m trained in Nutrition, I struggled with this. I was able to make the changes to improve her health finally by looking into other areas to looking at better patterns, better ways to kind of get her diabetes under control and keep everything manageable and we did try lots of things and I know that that’s not any different from you I know you can relate you’ve probably tried a lot of different things. I know it’s hard to make a choice when it’s like you’re afraid of food it’s like you’re afraid of “what is this food going to do? This suddenly, I mean I’m told and should I eat it or not?” and I did figure it out and I know you can too I’m not special I’m not different and as a matter of fact I started probably in a lot of ways in a very similar situation to you it’s just that I had the knowledge to kind of take it and weed out what was not working. I want to show you how I made the changes that make life easier to handle and manage her diet.

I do teach this to people, I teach it all the time, I talk about it all the time and I do have a program coming out on February 17th. It’s called Love Your Kidneys. Let’s just CKD meal planning and if you want to know more about it I have a guide book that kind of goes through the steps if you go to renaldietHQ.com/mpckd and that’ll put you on the waitlist but it’ll also give you the information about the course.

Kind of a little preview talking through like what I did, what I change and how it’s changed. But this class is going to be… so it opens on February 17th. You can purchase it and then starting on February 26th, we’re going to do an hour to an hour and a half every week a different training, different module to learn about what changes to make, what to do that week and I also have three days where I’m going to have Question and Answer for an hour to an hour and a half specifically about what you’re doing that day or that week and and those all will be live and recorded.

I’ll give you the chance to adjust to what you need but it’ll also give you the chance to get specific answers and know kind of where we’re going with it make sure that you’re on track. I’m excited to bring that to you. I’ve worked this out. I’ve worked out this method and my goal is that at the end of the program that you’ll be confident in planning meals, putting meals together that work for your diet.

At the end of the time I want you to be able to say “okay, I can make a meal plan in 15 minutes a week. I know what to do I know what to change.” Recipes, meal plans, meal grocery lists, all that stuff. We’re going to talk about all of it. We’re going to talk about how I tweaked our process and what you can do to improve your process and then how you can go forward.

How do you adjust and how do you change? That’s my goal at the end of the program. If you want to head on over to there and grab the waitlist, it’s going to have a guide book that talks about the four ways, the four steps to progress and improving your diet.

Thanks guys! I really love talking to you. Let me know what you have questions about and be looking for another email from me. I will be talking about the special opening on February 17th and what that’s going to involve. So, I’ll talk soon.

RDHQ Podcast 103: Chat with Nataliia about RenalMate and Kidney Disease

By MatheaW

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Mathea Ford: Hi there! It’s Mathea Ford with Renal Diet HQ and today I’m here with Nataliia Karpenko. We’re going talk today a little bit about RenalMate as you may remember I am an advisory board member with RenalMate and Natalia is the CEO and creator and she’s like the inspiration behind a lot of things. She’s always coming up with great ideas and why don’t you tell us how you got how you came up with RenalMate? And what it is?

Nataliia Karpenko: Yeah. Hi to everyone! Today, we are at ISN, a Medical Society of Nephrology event in Washington DC. It’s Kidney Week 2019. It’s the opening day so it’s really important to be here with Ms. Mathea Ford and thank you Mathea for this occasion. I just really think that it is so important to know why people have that passion for renal space and for nephrology.

I’m a former kidney patient. And beside this, I worked in a Technology Innovations Corporate Values. From the professional side, many people in the United States are dealing with chronic illness and they are overstressed, knew so little about diet and then you go to renal disease and you go to nephrology and you then realized that it is exponentially higher in terms of the amount of adherence and amount of comprehensive compliance patients have to have but sometimes Education is not there with education that is fully understood by patients as well as necessary simple work that will allow patients to feel empowered to start moving, to feel empowered to know that they can change, that they can improve their quality of life.

Since, I was very passionate about my personal craft, looking at that and say, “When I was a child and given is my kidney condition, what would become better?” And I certainly knew that it could be done in better ways that my family would recede back to education. How we can work on effective ways of improving the quality of the diet, improving the quality of life management, and luckily, it is the technology. Yeah. These days, there are so many ways how we can improve the quality of vitals management. Where some medical team would be on board knowing what’s happening to patients with remote monitoring well designed in one side, patients will be able to manage their rate and blood pressure and the medical team could be informed if there are any abnormalities happening to patients.

There is a lot of value in it in passion, science-based approach, expertise, and technology together to really create something innovative but valuable for patients.

Mathea Ford: Yeah. I think it’s what you mentioned is the kidney disease is really a hard diet to follow but it’s got so many other layers that we don’t even realize. You know, there’s the family dynamic, there’s the diet, there’s the medications. Everything changes with kidney disease and putting that all together can be hard. So, we’re here at ASN this week because we have a program called LEP. It was Life Enhancement Program. It’s like a coaching program for kidney patients and we’ve done it a couple of times and we’re presenting to the Nephrology Conference about the outcomes and stuff but what this is is RenalMate is an app and we’re working on building it to make it so it’s helpful to people who have kidney disease regardless of the stage and try to focus on the different areas of kidney disease.

If you’re CKD 3 or CKD 4, before you get on dialysis, then it helps you to understand what is important at that phase because as your phase goes along, as you go along different things become important. You may have different medications, you may change, you’re looking at your labs, you’re you know you may have to have surgical prevention, surgical procedures done.

All those things so you had the passion because you’re a kidney patient and you love technology and so Nataliia is out in San Francisco and she’s around all the technology stuff so I guess that’s why you decided to do an app.

Nataliia Karpenko: That’s kind of easy, right? Yeah! You know, right. My first degree was Computer Science and then I continued with some Corporate Development and I was always fascinated how can technology and innovations can address those necessary gaps that prevented and hide the you know, adoption or deliverance of value. So, what they see what is really important. Building LEP, we took into consideration that it’s a patient-centric approach, so the patients are involved in the design. We are not only working with patients who are participating in the program but patience involved and every staff design as a program and improving modules.

Working it as on the curriculum working it as on the content and guys, to tell you truth, the biggest part that I see was some renal education. Very often, you have to have level of Ph.D. level education to really understand the literature and we see that our patients want to have more pleasant experiences in education, interacting with the coaches and want to have more positive attitude toward their life instead of going back to school. We are taking a different approach. Yeah. And that’s why it was such a great pleasure working with Mathea Ford and her experience because she’s been in different groups of renal dietitians.

One of the various ways of managing her RD live. You know, that has been very valuable to work with someone so close who understands how to convey and how to bring the necessary content in the proper ways that patients can understand and willing to take more time eventually to learn more about it. It’s good that it will be broken into smaller pieces and to make sure that you remember what is potassium, what is phosphorus, how much of this I can take in my lunch meal, what in my dinner meal? So, that very important that engagement with Renal Diet HQ has been excellent and we are looking forward for future collaborations.

Mathea Ford: Yeah and well and what I love about it is that there’s not it’s there’s so much more potential to talk to people when you’re using an app that somebody can have on their phones. A lot of people have smartphones, a lot of people have the ability to get this information and we can target it at a level where you can understand it and what I always forget sometimes is that I can give you all the information. I can overload you with tons of information about changing your diet but really what are you wanting to do right now? What do you think is most important? What are you most worried about? What is your lab that was worrisome? So, giving you that access to that information about and making some goals around that which is what the LEP program was is making some goals. So, what is it that you want to change?

What do you want to have at the end? And then what type of goals do you want to have that will bring you the results that you desire because your doctor can want for you to lose 50 pounds and maybe you want to have a better you want to live longer to be there with your grandchildren. Honestly, both of those are probably getting you to the same place but if you want to do it because you want to do it for your grandchildren and stuff, we want to find ways to help you meet that goal and have that why. The deeper why they want to do it.

I’m so excited to be here and I just wanted to spend a few minutes and let you guys meet Nataliia because I think she’s brilliant and she really has… she loves collaborating and so anyway I’ll talk to you guys later have a good day! Bye!

RDHQ Podcast 101: 5 Handy Tips For Eating To Remember When You Have Kidney Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi there! It’s Mathea Ford with Renal Diet HQ and today I wanted to do a live and talk to you about some handy tips for eating to remember when you have chronic kidney disease and I’m going to go over five tips that I have for you but I want to remind you that it’s really important to try to manage some of your eating and to do it kind of slowly not like pull off the band-aid kind of quickly.

When you try to follow a kidney-friendly diet, it isn’t always just as simple as like eating the healthiest options because sometimes your seemingly ingredients that are good for you can have high levels of phosphorous and if you’re worried about phosphorus, if your lab levels show that you have high levels of phosphorous, then those can be bad decisions or you know maybe something you should choose less often or potassium amounts. If you’re worried about your potassium and your potassium levels are high, then you certainly should manage the amount of potassium that you eat. Not everyone has to limit their phosphorus or potassium so don’t just automatically reduce that or don’t automatically change that.

The things that we know that you should change that would be the most helpful when you have chronic kidney disease are eating less sodium and eating lower amounts of protein. Those help with your creatinine and other levels in your body. These five tips should help you remember what to eat when you’re kind of making that choice.

Number one: Back away from Beige. If you’re worried about potassium you need to choose things that are not whole as much whole grain. Now, I for one want you to eat some whole grains because I know they’re healthy for you. You need the fiber, you need the extra that’s got extra vitamins and nutrients in it but you need to watch out for eating too much whole grain.

Now, in the US, I don’t know that that’s a huge problem but you can get fiber in other ways as well. You can get it from vegetables, you can get your oatmeal or other like hot cereals but just watch out for those like whole-grain bread and brown rice if you’re worried about potassium.

If you’re not worried about it you certainly should steer towards those things because they have more fiber and more natural vitamins and minerals that are very helpful to you and healthy for your heart.

Number two: If you are concerned about phosphorus you probably want to switch out your dairy. If you have high levels of phosphorus. If you’re in late stage 4 or early stage 5 or on dialysis, you’re probably going to switch out your milk to something that is more has less phosphorous like unflavored rice milk and it’s really something that you probably would want to do as you moved towards later stages of kidney disease but not when you’re in stage 3 and stage 4 kidney disease you can still drink regular milk. You just still need to pay attention to the amount of protein that’s in regular milk because 8 ounce glass of regular milk has as much protein as an ounce of meat or poultry so you have to balance that when you’re trying to control the amount of protein that you’re eating.

Number 3: Red is best when it comes to fruit. This one’s really kind of easy for you. A handy rule of thumb for choosing fruits is to generally stick with the red options like red berries, strawberries apples, watermelon. Yellow fruits like bananas or orange like oranges can be higher in potassium and so people tend to steer away from those. I always think of it as a great balance between how many you… Balance.

Eating a little bit of some is not going to be a bad thing. Eating too much is going to be what’s going to cause the problem. If you find yourself overly eating you know bananas every afternoon, you might want to balance that out with eating some berries or some apples that can or grapes that are also healthy, also have fruit, have fruit or fiber and yet are not as high in potassium.

Fourth: Opt for the least salty meats. Most fresh meat isn’t too salty, just really need to watch what you’re putting on it. You know if you’re using like a rub or marinade, make sure you don’t have extra salt in that. You can read the label and look at the ingredients list but think of your meat options in terms of how much salt. You have your higher salt things or more processed foods like your hotdogs, your deli meats.

You might steer clear of bacon or eat less bacon or sausage because it’s not only high in sodium but it can be high in fat and so you want to manage how much of that you’re getting but think of eating less salty meat so don’t be adding salt to meat and use more fresh cuts or frozen. You know you could have frozen chicken breasts when you thought it’s like it’s fresh and as long as it hasn’t been injected with extra salt, sodium preservatives then you can feel pretty healthy eating that.

And number five: Portion control counts. Now, when you’re thinking about managing your chronic kidney disease the things you want to look at are protein and sodium. I’ve already said that but when you read the label, it’s going to quote to you based on what the amount of the serving is so you want to know how much that is but if you want some general guidelines you’ve probably heard this before but I’ll repeat it. A three-ounce portion of meat which most people can eat between 3 and 9 ounces of meat a day is the size of the palm of your hand and about you know that thick or the size of a deck of cards. It doesn’t seem very big and you should definitely fill your plate with those vegetables and fruits and grains that allow you to feel full but aren’t overdoing it with the protein.

I want to think about cheese. Some people like to eat little cubes of cheese as a snack or whatever so about one cube is usually about an ounce the size of a dice that you can roll. And most juice portions are four ounces and the fat portion is typically like the amount on your thumb – that thumb pad. So, if you think about you know a portion of butter or margarine that’s what you would think of it as.

Overall I wanted to just remind you that there are some ways that you can make kind of some healthier choices in the minute. If you’re at a restaurant and you’re looking at a salad, if it comes with you know apples and some walnuts and chicken breast that’s not fried that’s going to be a healthy choice and then look at some oil and vinegar or vinaigrette type dressings.

You want to try to manage how much protein you’re eating and how much salt you’re eating by choosing less salty meats, less processed foods, watch out for those red items and the bananas and the oranges eating a little less often. And when you’re transitioning it’s easy to have kind of these guidelines.

I also want to remind you that as time goes on you’ll find your balance where you want to how much you can eat and I don’t want you to go overboard so I want you to kind of slowly start to incorporate more healthy things and get rid of those things that seem to be less healthy for you based on your lab results.

If you’re interested in learning more about like understanding your kidney test results, understanding what your labs are you can go to RenalDietHQ.com and click on the Understanding Your Kidney Test Results menu item and that’s where you can find out more information about the course that I have about understanding your kidney test results and it tells you what it goes over there but it goes over all these different labs that you might be concerned about when you first find out you have kidney disease and I’ll also put a link to that below this video.

Thanks for listening today and I’ll talk to you soon!

RDHQ Podcast 95: 5 Foods to Remove from your Kitchen Following a Kidney Disease Diagnosis

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi! This is Mathea Ford with Renal Diet HQ. I wanted today to talk about five things to remove from your kitchen following a kidney disease diagnosis.

Now, there’s a lot to learn about a renal diet and I want to talk today about some major changes, major things you can do right after you find out that you have kidney disease to help you transition easier. If you’ve recently found that you have kidney disease and you need to do a renal diet then there’s a lot to learn.

There’s a lot of yes/no foods, can/can’t and I’m not big on yes and no foods but I am big on kind of some major changes that you’re going to need to make look going forward to improve your health. One of the easiest first things you can do is remove some of these big offenders from your diet starting out.

Let’s start out talking about canned soups number one. Canned soups so canned soups are basically liquid salt and you should really try to make your own soups. I have a lot of recipes for soups on renaldiethq.com. On the right hand side you can see all the recipes and there are several different soups in there but really you can do your best to make your own broth and then try to make your own soups with that broth to improve your health and those are easy because even though they’re inexpensive they’re really just salt they’re not a whole lot of nutritional value.

Number two would be processed meats. Things like canned meats like spam, hot dogs, cured meats like pepperoni or prosciutto. Now, fresh meats like chicken or fish sometimes deli meats you can get lower sodium. Deli meats so you might look into that and you can also do like some look at some of the cans like canned chicken it may have lower sodium you may be able to find the lower sodium version of that but if you really can just cook a chicken breast. Chop it up and make your own little chicken salad or something that’ll be real easy but just watch out for the canned process meats and in general highly processed foods you’re going to want to look at the amount of salt that’s contained in them because you’re trying really to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.

Number three tomato sauces. I’m not a never tomato person. I know there’s a lot of people that say “you know oh! I can’t eat tomatoes” but in the beginning trying to improve your diet things that are tomato sauces can be high in salt and they can be high in potassium so things like ketchup as well as pasta sauces. Things like marinara you may want to eat less of or use a little less of. I also like so if you’re using marinara on a spaghetti, for example, you can do like a butter sauce or a lemon sauce maybe a little higher in fat than the tomato sauce which you can make it lower sodium.

I’m seeing a question about what about pickles? Can I find no sodium pickles?

No. Maybe I have never seen lower sodium pickles but I’ve honestly never looked for them but basically, the process of creating pickles is using a salt brine so it’s definitely never going to be that you’re going to find no salt pickles but cucumbers which is what pickles are made of are perfect. Raw cucumbers chop them up, salt you know put them in a little soak them in a little vinegar and they’re really good but in general, you might have to look to see if they have any no salt pickles. I haven’t heard low sodium pickles I’ve never looked for those.

Number four instant ramen. A lot of times it’s inexpensive and easy to make things like instant ramen and noodles are generally kidney-friendly. You usually can eat those just fine but the flavor packet in any of those pre-prepared pasta dishes are going to be really high in sodium just like all the processed foods that I was talking about. So, you might try cooking your ramen noodles and maybe putting like a light vinaigrette on them you could make your own.

We talked about that a couple of weeks ago. Making your own salad dressings with oil and vinegar and a little bit of different spices. You can do that or you can just pick like a balsamic vinaigrette or something like that but to put on your ramen noodles they can be a little high in fat but you’re just really trying to reduce the amount of sodium. You also may start with just regular noodles like some egg noodles or something like that.

Potato chips. They’re high in salt and they’re kind of a double whammy because they can be high in fat, high in salt and even a third thing they can be high in potassium if you need to limit potassium. Again, not everybody needs to limit potassium but they can be high in salt and everybody needs to limit salt so you might try to see if you can find some low sodium or unsalted tortilla chips or make some of your own pita chips at home or tortilla chips at your home and tortilla chips are going to be corn tortilla chips so those are usually going to be okay when it comes to potassium.

And I just want to remind you that a renal diet doesn’t mean giving up everything that you love, it’s definitely not more about moderation, more about limiting portions so if you want a little tomato sauce you can have a little just don’t eat as much as you may be used to definitely moderating the sodium. And you want to remove some of the biggest offenders like I just talked about so try to work through that.

Donor coordinator.

So, are you on dialysis? You are told you need to lose a little weight because your BMI was a little high told to start this diet.

Losing weight is a little different than just removing these items but really losing weight is about deciding what you’re kind of going to eat for the day so in some times we tell people to write down what you ate and then to follow that and look at it and count your calories and stuff.

I kind of take the approach where you plan your day. So, you’re going to look at your day and you’re going to say “okay, today I am going to eat breakfast this item, these items. Lunch these items. Dinner, these items. I don’t think you need to plan out a whole week. I think you really need to do it one day at a time either first thing in the morning or at night before you go to bed and look at “okay, tomorrow morning for breakfast I’m going to have X. I’m going to have an egg and you know a piece of toast with a little bit of butter. And so you would start doing that and then basically, you’re planning a good meal. It doesn’t have to be perfect because it takes just baby steps to lose weight so start that and try to plan your day ahead of time and then as you get better at that you start to see portion sizes and then you start to see “okay, I need to get a little lower this or look at a little lower fat” and so you can try to do some of those things. So, I would encourage you to do that. If you’re thinking about losing weight is to plan your day one day at a time a little bit ahead.

You’re not on dialysis but you’re looking ahead thinking about a transplant and you want to lose a little weight which is totally completely fine and then with exercise just work it in there when you can and whatever your doctor says is appropriate but you may be able to do a little bit of exercise if you can’t go outside because it’s super hot right now especially here in Oklahoma. Then you may want to do some chair exercise or arm you know exercise where you can get that activity going.

I want to say thanks and I don’t want you to give up all the foods you love but I do want you to pay attention to kind of lower sodium, lower potassium, and help and really the sodium is going help you with a lot of things. Thanks for sticking with me today. Talk soon!

RDHQ Podcast 94: Condiments Do’s and Don’ts

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I want to talk to you about Condiment Do’s and Don’ts. So, if you started on a renal diet you may have found out that it can be sometimes bland or taste bland without the salt that you’re used to possibly eating.

Don’t think it has to be bland. There are ways that you can add flavor and one of those ways is through using condiments. Condiments are things like ketchup, mustard, mayo, spices, blends – all those things. So, I want to take a few minutes and talk to you about different do’s and don’ts for condiments so I want you to create delicious food but I want you to be healthy at the same time.

Condiments can be sneaky. Sometimes they can put you off track because you may not realize some of the things that are in the condiments so learn the basics do’s and don’ts and I’m going to help you with that to spice up your next meal.

One of the things you can do is to always check the sodium. Check the amount of sodium, look at the label, read the labels, see what it says amount of sodium. Sodium can be sneaky in these products so you may think of things like soy sauce or things that you know are salty but there’s other things like barbecue sauce can have a decent amount of salt in it; ketchup can have a decent amount of salt, it can also have a decent amount of sugar in it so just make sure that you’re paying attention to how much sodium is in there and when you read a food label its per serving so make sure you’re looking at the serving size that’s at the top of that Nutrition Facts label it says serving maybe one teaspoon. Make sure that you know you know that you’re getting just that amount. So, don’t.

Aside from a do let’s talk about a don’t. So, don’t assume that low fat or low calorie is better. Actually, in a lot of ways the regular stuff if you just use a smaller amount can taste just as good. Low-calorie versions of sauces and condiments like mayonnaise are higher in sodium a lot of the times. Obviously, you’re gonna read the label but be sure to check the label. Low fat a lot of times they’ll replace with salt or other things that may not be as healthy for you so always look at the label. If you want to have a little bit of mayo, read the Mayo for regular Mayo. Use a smaller amount it’s probably more flavorful.

Salt taste I know can be really strong so just make sure that when you’re using it that you’re paying attention to the amount that you’re eating and then over time it’ll go away but you’re just going to have to work through those few maybe weeks while your sodium taste buds flavors go away and you start to be able to taste those other delicious flavors that are in a lot of foods that salt may have covered up.

Back to a Do, do try a seasoning blend instead of a sauce. A lot of times sauces will have sodium, extra fat, those types of things but seasoning and you may know you can go over to Nickanny’s Kitchen nickannyskitchen.com. I have three or four seasonings over there that are salt free and make great additions to any meal but any seasoning just make sure when you read it you read the label again looking for salt so you can find some low sodium seasonings. You can use them as a dry rub so putting it directly on like your chicken or your fish. You can mix it with a little bit of lemon juice or oil or vinegar and make a little marinade with that flavoring and then add it to the sauce you know when you’re cooking cook it in there. So, use seasonings and sauces.

Sometimes if you can do that but just make sure you’re reading their labels for those because a lot of seasonings have salt in them too. So, Don’t, don’t use tomato-based sauces very often. Tomatoes can be high in potassium and that’s one of the things that as you advance in kidney disease, you’re gonna essentially have issues with. So, just watch the amount of tomato-based sauces that you use and if you are using one just use a little less or thin it out with a little bit of a white sauce or a little bit of broth maybe some vegetarian broth that’s salt free that you want so it’s not as high in potassium.

Do go for fresh. I love fresh herbs. I love using fresh cilantro, fresh basil. They’re absolutely salt-free and they’re very flavorful. You use a little bit more just because the fresh like when it’s dried the flavor is more concentrated but it’s also lost some of those extra that makes the fresh taste so much better so freshly chopped or ground herbs will be better than you know potentially getting some salt and dried flakes in a jar but you can add more flavor to foods. I love pizza with you know basil leaf on it. I love to put basil in a lot of things because I love that flavor.

Think about if you love those flavors like rosemary, basil, cilantro. Those are delicious and you can make, you can chop them up and make dressings in the same way I told you just to make a marinade. You can chop up the herbs really fine add a little bit of oil, add a little bit of vinegar, mix it up and use that on your salad or on your chicken for like a nice delicious sauce. As long as it’s not like the marinade you need to cook or discard it doesn’t it shouldn’t have touched the raw meat but it can make a deliciously flavorful sauce to add on to your meat or your vegetables to be just extra delicious.

The last don’t is don’t lose your imagination. Don’t stop thinking about different ways. Don’t stop trying new foods. If being on a renal diet shouldn’t mean you have a bland diet, it shouldn’t mean it’s boring. Think about some of those “approved seasonings” like cayenne pepper which is really strong, you just need a little bit, basil, ginger, mustard powder, onion powder, fresh garlic. Those are all great things to put into dishes. I know I talked to a lot of you and a lot of people love onion and garlic. I do have a toasted onion seasoning at nickannyskitchen.com but you can dice up onions and that can be a seasoning for your burger for example or to add to your food. So, don’t forget to try new things, try fresh, try non-salted. Let that sodium flavor kind of take.

Use some other sauces that or other seasonings that can replace that a little bit of salty flavor and work through that period of time when you crave that salt and you miss it but you’ll be much healthier on the other side.

RDHQ Podcast 93: Easy Renal Diet Swaps

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Hi guys! It’s Mathea Ford with Renal Diet Headquarters and today I wanted to take a minute and talk about something a little different than I’ve been talking about recently. I want to talk about Easy Renal Diet Swaps.

If you’re new to kidney disease or you’ve had kidney disease for a while but you are kind of bogged down with similar foods, I want to talk about some things that maybe you could swap out that might give you some ideas to try new things. I’m always about trying new things, getting new foods. So, today I wanted to go over some easy renal diet swaps.

First of all, you probably notice if you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease that it’s overwhelming to be diagnosed with kidney disease. Any treatment that you might need. There are changes to your lifestyle that you have to adjust to. Going to maybe more doctor’s appointments, definitely changing your diet, adjusting, talking to
your family about it. All those things come about and today I wanted to give you some quick ideas to change your swap out some things in your diet.

Swap number one is dressings and marinades. So, think about how easy it is to make some of your own dressings because a lot of times when you buy like a standard dressing it’s going to be really high in sodium and that’s one of those things that you really want to eliminate from your diet so I would encourage you to either look for some recipes online or I have on the website renaldietHQ.com, search for Zestify recipes or at the top of the page it says recipes, there are several salads and they have a salad dressing that’s in them. But a lot of times vinegar and oil, some herbs and seasonings that you can get from like nickannyskitchen.com. Those can all make your salad dressing flavorful without all the salt that’s in a regular store-bought salad dressing.

That’s one change and I honestly think they taste a lot better because you can flavor them specific to that salad or mix that you’re using and a lot of times, salad dressings can be used as marinades so you might mix up some vinegar and oil and a few seasonings then marinate your meat or chicken or poultry in it.

Swap number two is grains. So, there are so many options out there when it comes to grains and more than just white rice and more than just plain pasta because those can be if you’re especially if you’re diabetic it may be something that you’re not as interested in eating as much of. So, when it comes to grains, there are things like
couscous and bulgur, you can test out a few find your favorite when it comes down to both taste and texture. You may even make some vegetarian. I have a vegetarian broth recipe on my website and you can use that vegetarian broth which is flavorful to cook your grains and that will make them even more flavorful.

If you’re looking at high phosphorus you may want to eliminate the brown rice or brown whole-grain bread but just think about looking at some different types of grains that you might want to use instead of I understand a lot of people want to get rid of potatoes because of potassium.

Number three: soft drinks. So, you might like all different kinds of soft drinks, you may like water. I drink a lot of water. The one thing you want to avoid with kidney disease is the higher phosphorus ones and the higher phosphorus ones are the dark sodas. So, things like Dr. Pepper, Cola, Pepsi you want to try to drink clear soft drinks and lower phosphorus or potassium ones. Or, you could even go to https://sodapopcraft.com and make your own soft drinks at home. These are usually much healthier than the ones you buy in stores.

If you’re like a diabetic and you want to adjust your blood sugar, say you’ve got a low blood sugar then one of the things you can do is obviously a lot of people go “oh orange juice” but orange juice might be high in potassium for you if you have renal diet so you may want to drink cranberry juice or like it clear like a sprite or clear soda to get less potassium in your diet but still affect that low blood sugar and you may even try some fun things like spiced apple cider or homemade iced tea. A lot of bottled iced teas tend to have a lot of phosphorus in them so an about a homemade iced tea like a Sun tea would be perfect.

Number four: fruits. So, swap out some fruits. As a general rule of thumb, you try to stay away you know obviously I’m not an all-or-nothing person I believe you can have all foods but if you’re looking for some swaps, you might want to try to stay away from yellow or orange fruits like bananas, citrus, honeydew and aim for red or green fruits like grapes and apples and berries those are all perfect foods.

Maybe once a week if you wanted some oranges or a banana, half a banana that’d be great but then the other days maybe you select things like grapes and strawberries. I’m not saying you should eliminate them I’m just saying maybe swap some out. And then so, those are the four renal diet swaps I had for you today that I wanted to talk
about.

Renal diets don’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t mean you have to eat all these special foods you slowly but surely change your diet over time and improve your diet over time. You can make those swaps and start to adjust and it’ll make it more likely that you’ll stick to the new plan so if you’re like “I don’t, I can’t” you know “I don’t eat as many potatoes. I’m getting tired of rice.” Try out some bulgur, try out some quinoa, try out some
of those other things and see if you like them.

Be wary though, sometimes those come prepackaged and you just want to look at the amount of sodium that’s in them but for the most part, these are very delicious ways to change out some different foods. So change out dressings and marinades, look at the grains, look at the soft drinks and look at the fruits that you’re eating.

That’s all I’ve got for today. If you want to get a free Kidney Disease meal plan, head on over to renaldiethq.com and I have a
free seven dinner meals for you and you just have to sign up for the email list at the top of the page. Just indicate which type of renal diet you’re on – dialysis, diabetes or just pre-dialysis – and we’ll get you one right over.

RDHQ Podcast 92: How Chronic Kidney Disease has Changed my Life {My Story}

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi there! This is Mathea Ford, the creator of Understanding Your Kidney Test Results course and today I want to tell you a little bit about me. If you have been with me for a while you may know some of this stuff but I’m a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and I’m licensed in the state of Oklahoma which just like your doctor you get a license when your Registered Dietitian and I also have a Masters in Business Administration. I have always enjoyed the business side of being a Clinical Dietitian. I’ve also taught classes at the college level to new RDs or to people who are training to become a dietitian and I’m the owner of renaldiethq.com. I’m an advisory board member for the company RenalMate and I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for 22 years plus and working mainly in the foodservice and clinical sides but mostly in hospitals so I understand food a whole lot. And I want to talk to you a little bit about what made me realize that I needed to create this Understanding Kidney Test Results course because with the information that I have about kidney disease tests, what I’ve learned.

When I worked in the hospital, I worked in foodservice. I managed the menus and I really enjoyed creating great recipes. I worked with a lot of people. I always tried to make their diet healthier but tasty and I never really worked with them a lot to understand why the food that they ate was so important. You might understand that now because you’ve done research but the food that you eat makes a big difference in your kidney disease outcomes. But there are some things that you may not understand why but you just follow them because you read the information.

So, when I was in private practice, I’m working with people individually and I get lots of individual emails every week from people asking questions about their lives and wanting to know if they’re in stage 3 or stage 4 and how fast their kidney disease will progress, do they need to worry about dialysis, should they eat this food or that food and I realized a lot of those questions were answers that I had but they weren’t readily available online because it does take some interpretation. It takes some explanation of the way things work and why these labs are valid, why they mean certain things to change and those are things you get when you’re a Registered Dietitian.

When you learn about labs, when you learn about the biochemical processes in people’s bodies. And I always found it a challenge because even my own mom would ask me these questions and want to know more about her labs and what they could be and I could tell her on an individual basis what that means and if you came to see me individually you would pay to see a dietitian and I would go over your labs and talk to you but you wouldn’t necessarily have the individual knowledge of why. You might understand what and you might understand what next, you wouldn’t necessarily understand why and how to change.

I would have explained to you how to change but then the next time you get labs then you would need to come back to see me again and have me explain how those worked that time. And it can get really frustrating because sometimes the answer you might get from a doctor or a nurse. All they do is hand you a sheet of paper especially if they don’t know in detail about the clinic about the chronic kidney disease diet. They would hand you the paper that says you know “Eat this, don’t eat this!” You really just have to you know it’s kind of a list of products or a list of foods that you can or can’t eat so they rarely ever give you the can list don’t they because that’s a lot bigger
but they give you this list of foods you can’t eat. They don’t explain why and you follow it for a while but it’s hard to follow overtime because you don’t always know why and to me that’s a big important thing like why does this affect my kidneys? Why your kidneys do things with certain medications? Do you want this line to go up or go down so when you’re looking at trends over time?

When you’re looking at if you’re eGFR gets higher say goes from 45 to 50 that’s a good thing but if your potassium does the same that’s not a good thing. So, what is it that you’re looking at with trends and what is it that it should be and I’m not necessarily special because I have the knowledge. These are things that you learn in college and you learn as a dietitian and overtime talking to so many people you start to see trends and understand how they change but I know what those labs mean and then the information that’s what I want to share with you because you can understand and even if you don’t understand all the science and the chemical reactions behind it, you can
understand enough to know this is a good thing and this is a bad thing and this is what I need to do next to change. And I’m glad to help you by sharing this Understanding your Kidney Test Results course.

It’s going to be a simple walkthrough of the different labs that you have in different modules. So, it’s Module 1 is you know basic kidney labs and then Module 2 is looking at different areas in those and Module 3 is talking about bone disease and Module 4 talks about what are the kidney labs that you need to worry about with you’re related to conditions if you have diabetes or anything related to that.

Once you’ve watched these you can come back and watch them again they’re yours forever and you’ll not be so anxious and nervous and overwhelmed about your kidney disease because you’ll know what you need to do so you’ll know if my eGFR is a 45 that means this and these are the steps that I should take. But not only that, you won’t have just part of the picture you’ll know that your eGFR is just one piece of the puzzle and what other labs do you need to understand to know how fast your kidney disease is progressing. You won’t be overwhelmed.

If you’re interested in learning more about my course the Understanding your Kidney Test Results, I would love for you to head on over to renaldietHQ.com/waitlist-for-uktr Understanding Kidney Test Results (UKTR). You’ll get on the waitlist and I’ll put that in the comments below and I’m hosting a webinar all about this course and about the 4 Phase Method for Improving your Kidney Test Results on August the 1st 2019. I’d love it if you
join me there.

If you sign up for the waitlist I’ll be emailing out in the next couple days a link that you can sign up for the webinar and even if you don’t if you’re not able to make it to the webinar at that time then you will be able to see the replay. So, you can watch later and see and understand what the course is going to be about and understanding some about your labs and if you’re on dialysis, how this is important and all the different labs and not into everything related to kidney disease.

Diabetes is related to kidney disease, blood pressure is related to kidney disease, cholesterol is related to kidney disease. All those things put them together and how they mesh to make you healthy or what you want them to do overtime. And that way when you get your lab test results you’ll know and you’ll be able to go home look it up and then at that point you can call your doctor say “I see that this is trending down or I see that this is trending up that’s a good or a bad thing? What steps can we do? Is there any medications I need to change?” that type of thing and then you’re with your doctor making those important health decisions about yourself.

I want to thank you for joining me today and I will talk to you soon. I look forward to August 1st. Get on the waitlist and I will send you the email to sign up for the webinar. A webinar is just like a training maybe last an hour long and I’ll talk through all the things and like I said you can watch the replay if you don’t make it to the webinar.

Thanks! Talk soon!

RDHQ Podcast 91: What if it works? My thoughts on your future.

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi! This is Mathea Ford, the creator of the Understanding Your Kidney Test Results course and today I want to talk about some of the things you might be struggling with my thoughts are I hear from a lot of people that they’re overwhelmed about being having chronic kidney disease or in stage renal disease and on top of that they really don’t understand what their doctor means when they’re talking about their labs so they might tell me “I’m an eGFR of 46 but they don’t know what that means and they don’t even know what questions to ask so they just kind of let their doctor explain and then take it in and go back home and then what happens?

You experience frustration, you’re spending a lot of time looking for answers trying to understand what those labs means so you have the normal range on your paper you know you look at your lab results and it says phosphorus or potassium is 3.5 to 5 that’s the normal range but maybe you don’t know what to do to make sure that it stays in the normal range and you don’t know what to do if it goes out of the normal range and maybe you don’t want to wait until your doctor tells you “Hey! You’re high on your potassium this is what you need to do!” You’d rather do some preventive things. So, you get anxiety when you’re thinking about getting your labs drawn because you don’t know what to do to help it or make it better and you’re even maybe a little anxious because you don’t want to go on dialysis, you don’t want to advance your kidney disease or if you’re on dialysis you want to do everything you can to make it the best possible.

Then you look online, you bring home your lab, you look online, you look around you don’t find anything that tells you more than like normal ranges or maybe you’re not 100% sure about the source of the information if it does tell you what else to do like drink green smoothies. You’re wondering how do they know that. So, you really don’t know what to do next. That’s the big thing like even if you understood “Okay, I’m in the normal range. I’m doing
good. Done this for a while. I’m in the normal range.” You don’t understand what that means or had to interpret it. So, you really don’t know what to do next if you think that it’s at all possible to change it like you’re like “okay, I don’t want to be on stage … I don’t want to advance my stage of kidney disease.” You call your doctor “what do I
do?”

You might get a sheet of paper, you might get a callback, you get a list of foods not to eat and that doesn’t tell you why and it’s hard to go outside of that list of restrictions and if you listen to me much and you know what I say, I don’t like restrictions, I like to think about what you can do, what you can have, what you can eat not necessarily like “don’t eat all these things” because then that’s all you think about and you don’t ever get to where what you can do.

If you have a goal of you know not advancing your kidney disease, making the changes you need to make, well, let’s talk for a minute about what it could be like if you did understand what your lab results were. What types of things affect your lab results and then you could eventually go back to your doctor and improve your health? What if you were to able to look at your lab results even when they just handed to them to you right there in the doctor’s office and understand and ask targeted and specific questions like related to your medications or foods you eat because you know that’s what affects your labs.

You’re not going to diagnose yourself, you’re not going to change anything without asking your doctor but you’re going to go in and ask your doctor he’s or she is going to be sitting there across from you. You’re going to know you got your CBC and all those hemoglobin numbers and you know they drew those labs and then you go into the office and you’re like “Okay, this is the hemoglobin is at the bottom into the range what can I do to help that?” Then your doctor can give you the answers you want and help and you would participate in your health care because you understood how does this medication affect this lab? How does this medication affect my blood pressure? Those types of things.

Why am I taking this medication? You would understand that some of those medications can interact and change your lab values cause you should retain more potassium or lose more potassium. So, you would understand what change. You would be able to get those answers from your physician and most of all if you understood what your kidney disease is how it’s progressing and what labs tell you if it’s progressing faster or slower instead of just looking at the eGFR, you could do know what to do next to change most of what’s going on with you and know how it’s progressing. You might be concerned, you might be scared, you might have anxiety about dialysis or kidney failure getting worse and what if you knew what to change to slow it down or if you needed to change anything to slow down. Maybe, if you’re of a certain age and your eGFR is a certain number that’s just normal but you get worried and concerned but you couldn’t have a few other tests and understand that “Hey! This is normal. I’m doing okay. It’s not progressing. I need to eat a healthier diet but I don’t necessarily need to worry about it so much.”

See this yourself in that situation where you go into the doctor’s office you had your lab drawn a couple days ago and they hand you the lab test results and you know what you’re looking at and you know your history and whether that number is improved or not so you have your documentation, you understand what it means, you can ask specifically your doctor “why did this increase? What medications affect this lab?” And you can change or understand how you’re taking your medications or what you’re eating and what might need to change. You put
yourself in that situation where you’re empowered to ask the right questions and be an advocate for your healthcare and that’s what I want for you.

So, I’m creating a course called Understanding Your Kidney Test Results and it’s about more than labs but for the most part, it’s about knowing what each of your labs means and then the other test that you might get done while you have kidney disease. It’s about understanding those and even some for diabetes and heart disease so you know that when you get your lab test results you can look it up in this course see what it means and know it’s you know these are the next things to do to keep it in line or these are the things to do to bring it back down instead of randomly making changes or just making blanket changes or looking at list of restrictions you can understand deeper than that level. You can see how it’s affected and whether you’re confident, how you can do something what’s next and that depends on this course will teach you about how to advocate for yourself and how to improve your lab results.

I want you to head on over if you’re interested in learning more you go over to renaldietHQ.com/waitlist-for-uktr

Head on over there, grab that there’s a little information about some of the kidney test results stuff and you can learn more.

RDHQ Podcast 90: Why You Should Always Read Your Labs Before You Go To Your Doctor

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Hi there! This is Mathea Ford, the creator of the Understanding Your Kidney Test Results course and today I want to talk to you about something that is really important to me. I want to talk about something that I suddenly realized was happening when I with… to a lot of people with kidney disease. It’s something that’s really holding you back and really keeping you from being able to move forward or understand your labs better and what to do next.

So it’s the idea that you can read your labs and know what they mean or asking your doctor what they mean is going to somehow tell you what to do next perhaps your doctor even never told you that you had kidney disease and you find out by looking at your labs and you wondered what to do and so you started googling. So what
happens is you go you find your labs and you realize that they say that your eGFR is high or low and it’s out of whack and all of a sudden you start googling and looking around and your doctor never even mentioned it to you or they tell your eGFR is high but they don’t tell you what to do next.

So, you don’t know how to address that so again start googling and you may find the information you may not find reputable good information or you may not. So, you know what your labs are and you know what is a normal range because a lot of times on the paperwork it will show you the normal range. The normal range might be for potassium, for example, like three point five to five and so you’re in that normal range but do you know what to do with that knowledge on how to change?

So maybe your EGFR is high and you google and you find out that means for a kidney diet that you should restrict protein and salts and maybe even these this information says you should also restrict protein and potassium. I mean protein, phosphorus, and potassium but for a regular kidney patient, it’s typically only the protein and the salt that you have to worry about but a lot of people restrict potassium because they don’t know if they should or not. They don’t know if their labs are okay or not so I understand why people believe that just knowing and they’re
like make a few changes or maybe they make a ton of changes and then you don’t know really what was important or what might have worked so I’m actually a believer in making the least restrictive diet if possible because it will get more restrictive and it will change over time but it’s valuable to adjust your protein intake based on the stage of kidney failure you’re in for sure but it’s a little bit of a misnomer to not realize that there’s more depth to that
that there are other labs that should be taken or there are other ways to know whether you’re processing or progressing quickly and your kidney disease is getting worse or you can slow down kidney disease.

There are some other labs that maybe your doctor didn’t even measure that would tell you “hey! this means it’s progressing quickly we need to make more changes” or maybe they didn’t measure your potassium and phosphorus and you don’t know what you should do but that’s why so many people start restricting every single thing. They limit their diet, they excessively limit their diet. They end up with a diet that’s hard to follow and hard to tolerate and they might get upset or frustrated so you find out you have a 45 eGFR but you don’t know if it’s
progressing quickly or not so you suddenly switch and change everything you stop eating salt, you cut out protein, and unfortunately, I’ve heard from several people that their doctors just told them to eat no protein and while it
seems like doing a little bit of a change would be good and a whole lot would be even better the truth of the matter is that if you limit your protein if you cut out completely all your protein you’re going to put yourself in worse shape and you potentially are going to be sicker and then you’re not gonna be able to recover because your body uses proteins for tons of things in your body.

So, a lot of times there’s an optimum range and that can be as you get your labs it can adjust and as you progress or don’t progress with kidney disease you find out how much the improvement you can make but your doctors don’t know a lot about nutrition that’s what dietitians are for.

Dietitians understand the value of how your food is in your body and what kind of reactions that are going to affect. Not that doctors don’t know but they a lot of times have very limited education in nutrition. So, what you really should do is understand all the labs and the whole picture and really being able to know that just one lab
being out of whack; how to adjust that or adjust your diet or know what you should even ask your doctor to about your medications so I’m never going to tell you to change medications but I am going to point out to you that there are certain medications that can affect certain labs and that is why you should talk to your doctor and say “is this the right medication? Is this affecting my kidney disease? Is it time to go to a nephrologist?” That type of thing “how quickly is my disease progressing?”

There are certain labs that will tell you that and that allows you to be an advocate for yourself and for you to be in control of your health in a lot more positive ways than just waiting for the next lab or just waiting to get on dialysis because it’s really important that you do everything you can even once you’ve found out you have kidney disease you may have found out you have kidney disease and at that point you’ve lost a lot of capacity but your kidneys are remarkable and if you can do certain things to change that lowering your protein, lower your sodium and adjusting based on the other labs you really can do things to help your diet and help your kidneys slow down the progression of kidney disease.

What I teach people as a Registered Dietitian and a person that’s knowledgeable about nutrition’s effects on your labs and other things that affect your labs is that the best way to review your labs is to look at them over a period of time. So, ask your doctor the right questions and you can get clear answers. So, when you look at your eGFR, it’s really a trend so one measurement of eGFR might be the next measurement might be over 60 and the next measurement then comes back as 45. If you look at that trend you realize okay overall it’s going down. That’s a signal there are some other labs you want to look at is that going up or going down and when you put that all together and then you talk to your doctor in and you know to ask them specifically about labs – specific things – and how your medications might affect that, how your diet can affect that then you understand the whole picture. You understand what you can do to slow down the progression of kidney disease when you understand your kidney test results and that’s not just your labs it’s also your weight, it’s also your diabetes which is labs and other things and then also blood pressure so it’s understanding all those things and what they mean and what is actually the expectation at different stages.

So, actually you may not know this but when you’re diabetic if your diabetes suddenly starts getting better without you doing anything that’s a sign that your kidney disease is progressing because your kidneys are interrelated so close together that your kidneys actually help how much insulin you removed from your body so at some point in your kidney disease if your insulin is not able to be removed from your body it’s going to continue to work longer and that’s gonna cause your blood sugars may be to go down but that’s an indication that your kidneys are not working properly. So knowing… Okay this is what this means is important, you may just thought “oh hey! Look amazingly my diabetes got better!” But that’s really not what it maybe did get better but that’s not a positive thing at that point.

So, in the meantime, before I’ve got some more to talk to you about related to this but I want you to
head on over and get on the waitlist and get my informational packet about the process to go through and understand your labs and that’s gonna be at renaldiethq.com/waitlist-for-uktr Understanding Kidney Test Results. That’s the course I’m working on and that’s what I want to talk to you more about.

GAM: Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Wraps

By MatheaW 1 Comment

Recipe Card powered by

Healthy and delicious, the spice used in this recipe is the Garlic and More spice. It’s Salt Free, Gluten Free, no GMOs, non-irradiated and guaranteed fresh.

You may get this recipe by logging in to https://www.nickannyskitchen.com. You may also check to the website to find more spices that we have available or just click on the Get Recipe button below.

How to Build Your Own Meal Plan for Chronic Kidney Disease

By MatheaW 1 Comment

One of the very best tools for sticking to a new or restrictive diet is meal planning. Meal planning can help to take all the guesswork out of figuring out a new diet and starting healthy habits. With just a little bit of work put in at the beginning of each week, you can save time, money, and a whole lot of hassle.

Resolve

The first part of meal planning is making the decision to really give it a try. This seems obvious, but you really have to resolve to make your meal plan and actually go through with it. If you aren’t resolved to truly follow through, you could be setting yourself up for failure.

Take Time to Research

If you are starting a new diet, you may still be unsure about what foods you should eat, and therefore you likely don’t even know where to start to build a meal plan. A little bit of research can go a long way in this case. Research recipes that fit into your diet plan, but also aren’t too complicated. Start with simple recipes with few ingredients, and then move to more complicated recipes as you get more comfortable with your prescribed foods.

Make a List

Use your recipes to decide which meals you would like to eat for the next few days up to a week. Make sure you plan for all meals and snacks as well. Write your meal plan out on a calendar. Then, using your plan, write out a list of ingredients you need to prepare each of these meals.

Go Shopping

Use your list to do your grocery shopping. Having all of your ingredients and items needed will help you adhere to your plan.

Do Your Prep Work

Another simple task that can help make your meal plan easier to follow is to do as much prep work ahead of time as possible. This could mean chopping veggies, measuring out ingredients, or putting meats in the marinade. The goal is to make each meal as simple as possible. Some of this prep work can be done at the beginning of the week, and some may be best done the night before.

Stick To It

When you first begin a new diet or try anything new such as meal planning, it can be all too easy to fall back into old routines. Give yourself a trial period- such as two weeks to a month- to put real effort into this new meal planning routine. At first, it may seem tedious or even boring to have everything all planned out for you, but over a short amount of time you will notice how much easier it is to stick to your new diet, and also how much easier even the busiest of days can be.

Meal planning is an excellent way to get used to a new diet, especially one that is restrictive for health reasons. Simply follow the steps until it becomes second nature. You can share your meal plan with your nutritionist or health care provider if you have any questions about how your plan works for your health conditions.

Can I Eat Peanut Butter on a Renal Diet?

By MatheaW 2 Comments

Peanut butter is a delicious food that many people enjoy on bread, crackers, or just on a spoon straight from the jar. Because it is loaded with protein, some see it as a healthy choice for a snack or even part of a meal – for regular adults. However, if you have been given a renal diet, is it still safe to eat peanut butter?

Let’s find out!

Nutritional Information for Peanut Butter

A serving of peanut butter has about 200 calories, depending on the brand. This may seem high, but the fiber and protein content help offset the calories since they keep your full longer. You could even call peanut butter a useful weight loss food!

Peanut butter also has a variety of nutritious ingredients, including Vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamin B6. Studies have shown that regularly consuming peanut butter can help reduce the chance of heart disease and diabetes.

Dangers of Eating Peanut Butter on a Renal Diet

Your dietary restrictions that come with your chronic kidney disease diagnosis will help you determine whether or not you can enjoy peanut butter. Because it is high in potassium and phosphorus, it isn’t a healthy choice for all patients.

However, if you eat peanut butter in moderation, it should be okay. You can use it as an occasional alternative to meat. Just be careful of the nutrition facts when purchasing your peanut butter as well as portioning it out for your meal.

Also, you want to monitor the sodium content of the peanut butter you choose. Not all are created equal, and you can actually find “low sodium” or “no salt added” varieties in the supermarket to help with that restriction.

Peanut butter may be even more acceptable for a dialysis diet, since those patients will need to increase their protein intake. Again, moderation is still important!

Alternatives to Peanut Butter for a Renal Diet

If you are wary of the potassium and phosphorus content of peanut butter, there are some healthy substitutions you can make for the food. Spread jam, jelly, or honey on your bread as they tend to have less phosphorus. Just make sure the sugar content isn’t too crazy!

If you MUST have peanut butter with your renal diet, you can also take a phosphate binder when eating the food. This will reduce the absorption of phosphorus by the body.

The binders carry the phosphorus through your digestive system where it will come out in your stool – rather than getting into your bloodstream and making your kidneys work overtime to filter all of the excess.

As you can see, peanut butter could be a safe alternative to eating meat. However, it may be too high in phosphorus and potassium for some CKD patients. Speak with your doctor or dietician about eating peanut butter with your renal diet, and always exhibit proper portion control with the food!

Tips for Meal Prepping on a Renal Diet

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

When you have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, it is vital that you follow the renal diet given to you. If not, you risk your kidney health as well as your overall wellbeing.

Following your renal diet properly helps to lessen the deterioration of your kidney function. It can also help you reduce your risk for other complications, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.

Why Meal Prepping is Beneficial for a Renal Diet

By taking the time to prep for your meals, you will be able to make more educated choices. Researching and planning is important to ensure you don’t go over your dietary restrictions for you CKD.

Meal prepping also ensures you continue eating healthy, no matter how busy life gets. When you have meals prepped ahead of time, you know what you are eating, no matter your schedule. This eliminates the urge to hit up that fast food drive-thru on your way home after a crazy day!

Tips for Meal Planning on a Renal Diet

The following tips are useful for anyone following a renal diet. Your stage of CKD or your restrictions doesn’t matter, as anyone with CKD will benefit from following this advice!

Make sure you understand your dietary restrictions.

You MUST know what you can and cannot eat on your renal diet. You should also know your limits for things like protein, sodium, phosphorus, and potassium. Knowing and understanding your diet ensures you only eat foods that will benefit your body.

If there is any doubt about your renal diet, reach out to your doctor or a registered dietician. These people should help clear up any confusion as well as give you advice on sticking to your renal diet for optimal health when you have chronic kidney disease.

Planning comes before the prep.

Before you begin to get food ready for your renal diet meals, you want to plan out your week. Decide what you can eat, and only stock your fridge and pantry with those items. The less temptations for unhealthy foods in your home, the more you will stick to your renal diet.

Also, it’s a good idea to search for renal diet recipes. Find new foods to try or healthy substitutes for old favorites. Having some variety prevents renal diet burnout…and the chances of you consuming the wrong foods!

Create a renal diet friendly shopping list.

Never venture to the supermarket for renal diet meal prep without a list. Having no real direction when you step into the grocery store is just a disaster waiting to happen! Instead, arm yourself with a list that is cultivated from the research and recipes you found during the planning stage.

Make sure you stick to this shopping list. Since you have researched the best foods for CKD, it is important you only buy these foods.

Have the right meal prep tools on hand.

Once you are home with your groceries, it’s time to get to the meal prep portion of your renal diet activities. You will want to make sure your kitchen is equipped with the right tools for meal prepping. Have your cookbooks or printed recipes out and ready to follow.

Also, have some plastic food containers on hand so you properly store your snacks or the meals you make.

Don’t forget portion control!

Portion control is an essential part of following your renal diet. With so many limitations for the average CKD patient, you want to make sure you aren’t consuming too much of certain nutrients.

For example, it’s common for those with chronic kidney disease to have a limit on their protein intake. This is because protein is difficult for the kidneys to remove from the bloodstream. By limiting this nutrient, you have less excess that your kidneys have to filter.

It’s important that you familiarize yourself with proper portions for the foods you commonly eat. When making a new recipe, check the serving size and quantity so you know how to divide the dish up during meal prep.

Find better ways to flavor your food

You will likely be required to limit your sodium intake once you are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Since sodium assists with fluid retention in the body, you want to cut it out of your diet as much as possible.

Instead, go for flavorful options that don’t contain a ton of sodium.

If you just can’t put down the common sauces like ketchup or soy sauce, opt for low-sodium varieties to still meet your dietary restrictions.

Use fresh or dried herbs to season your foods…they can be just a delicious as sodium without all the extra danger!

Dried herbs can be added to many recipes for extra flavor. Or, you can top your dish with fresh herbs to change up the taste a bit.

Some flavorings you can try when on a renal diet include:

Lemon
Lime
Bay leaf
Oregano
Parsley
Balsamic vinegar
Peppercorn
Dill

Prep meals on weekends – so you don’t make bad choices

For those with busy schedules, meal prepping is best when done in advance. Spend a day on the weekend to create and portion meals for your week. This is where those storage containers come in handy!

There are many meals you can freeze ahead of time, reheating them once you are ready to eat. So, on busy nights, you can grab something from the freezer and enjoy it without standing over the stove for an hour.

This may be where you find the most benefit of meal prepping on your renal diet. By having healthy choices on hand, you are much less likely to make the wrong decision.

Foods that are Great for Meal Prepping

Some foods are easier to keep for a week or so than others. When meal prepping in advance, you want to choose those that will not go bad before you can enjoy them.

When meal prepping, consider using the following foods:

Beans and lentils
Ground meat
Eggs
Brown rice
Pasta
Carrots
Cauliflower
Kale
Beets
Apples
Bananas

Meal prep will make your life on a renal diet so much easier. When you plan out your meals and know what you are going to eat, you won’t find it that difficult to follow your dietary restrictions for CKD. You can sign up for more tips through the buttons below.

Renal Diabetic Diet: The 3 Ways To Control It Better

By MatheaW 1 Comment

As a person in need of a renal diabetic diet, It’s important to realize that a lot of the people experiencing a stage of kidney failure, whether it’s stage 1 kidney disease up to stage 5 kidney disease, are also diabetics.

The best selling meal plan I have is the one that combines renal (Kidney disease) with diabetes (called a renal diabetic diet) to control for both protein and carbohydrate. If you are looking for a meal pattern for the entire day and 7 new meals a week, look no further – read about it on our information page.

But, I also know that a lot of people just plain don’t understand diabetes in the first place, then you add kidney disease and it’s an overwhelming task to manage a renal diabetic diet.

It’s a well known fact that diabetes results in all kinds of problems in your body, from eye damage to nerve damage to kidney damage. All of this is a result of having too much sugar in your blood and not using it properly. Over time, the sugar attached to cells that it’s not supposed to and causes those cells to not work the way they are supposed to.

For example, in your kidneys you have a very thin layer of cells that filter your blood to remove the waste products and create urine. As your kidneys start to fail, you lose some of this capacity. And kidneys fail at the blood vessel level – known as capillaries – because they are vulnerable. You can live fairly well and not realize you have kidney disease until you only have 30% of the function of your kidneys left. You can limit further damage by following a renal diabetic diet plan. But most people on dialysis will tell you how important kidney function is and how it feels to lose it. Not the end of the world, but difficult to say the least.

The best thing to do when you know you are starting to develop kidney problems due to your diabetes is to start tightly managing your diabetes as part of your renal diabetic diet plan.

1. This means, you should start taking your blood sugars more often. Know what it is when you wake up and after meals (most people take it 1 hour after they start eating – not after they finish). Track these numbers by writing them down. Once you have a week’s worth of tracking and documenting, as well as making sure that you are taking your medication properly, then you need to discuss with your doctor what methods you can use to control your blood sugars better. Following a renal diabetic diet will mean that you have to track and document to make sure you are on track.

2. You can learn what foods are high in carbohydrate – and low in fiber – and limit your intake of them. It’s vitally important to understand that eating foods that are high in fiber can help you tremendously when controlling your renal diabetic diet. The fiber slows your absorption of sugar from the foods that you eat, and allows your body more time to respond. So things like sugary colas and fruit juice should be gone from your diet. You may believe that you need them to manage your blood sugars (oh, if I get too low) but the best thing to do for that is to eat a fruit or 1/2 a sandwich and wait 15-20 minutes. Your body will take the sugar from these foods and manage better than if you shocked it with a can of sugar. And even better, make sure that you eat your planned meals on time and in the right amounts.

I believe that one of the best ways to control blood sugars is through a significant reduction in the simple sugar and low fiber foods that you eat. Aside from just not eating too much, you can feel fuller by managing your meals throughout the day.

3. Finally, exercise. I am aware that you may have a heart condition or limitation otherwise. Ask your doctor, but I have seen plenty of people do chair aerobics and other sitting type exercises that improve their muscle strength and aerobic capacity. Check a video out from the library if you don’t have anything that you feel you can do. Yoga is a great exercise and you don’t realize how much it helps with strength and aerobic capacity. If you can’t do yoga, find some thing that you can do. It’s vital to your survival. And, it burns calories so you can lower your blood sugar levels at the same time which helps control your renal diabetic diet. Voila!

I know it’s a long post, but a key ingredient in helping out your kidneys to reduce the risk of being put on dialysis is to manage your diabetes. Control your blood sugars. Eat high fiber types of carbohydrates – learn about whole grains and eat more of them. Eat whole fruit instead of fruit juices. It all adds up to a healthier lifestyle for your management of a renal diabetic diet.

If you’re still not sure what to eat or need some meal ideas, look no further. We will give you a meal pattern for the entire day and 7 new meals a week. Read about it on our information page.

Renal Diabetic Diet: The 3 Ways To Control It Better

What Not To Eat and Drink with Renal Disease

By MatheaW 3 Comments

Food and drink restrictions are not fun to talk about, but they are an important part of living as healthily as possible when you have chronic health conditions. Health issues such as renal disease are so greatly affected by what you eat that dietary changes are the number one treatment plan.

Diet is so important to renal disease that you can actually slow or stop the progression of kidney failure simply by maintaining a strict diet. You can ultimately avoid dialysis or ever needing a kidney transplant. In order to maintain the best diet, however, you must be very aware of your dietary restrictions.

Your diet may or may not have the same necessary restrictions, so it is important to talk to your doctor about your specific condition. For example, you might not have any protein restrictions, which is typically only an issue for very late stage kidney failure patients. Everyone is different, and therefore dietary needs may be different as well.

Sodium — Sodium is one of the most dangerous food ingredients, especially for renal disease patients. Because your kidneys are not able to filter out excess waste, sodium can build up in your system and cause a lot of problems. Swelling, edema, high blood pressure, and many more serious issues can all arise due to excess sodium in your body. So it is very important that you are strict about sodium restrictions in your diet.

Sugar — Kidney disease and diabetes are highly connected health conditions. This is because kidney disease can cause insulin resistance. Too much sugar in your blood is not only difficult for kidneys to process, but high blood sugar is a whole list of other complications and dangers. If you have kidney disease but do not have diabetes, you should still be very careful about your sugar intake.

Meat — Diets that are high in high protein animal products, specifically meats, are more likely to cause kidney problems. Meat has a lot of byproducts that can be difficult for lower functioning kidneys to process. For this reason, it is recommended that kidney disease patients should eat a diet that is primarily plant based with only lean proteins.

Dairy — Similar to meat products, dairy creates excess byproducts that are hard to your body to process. Dairy especially is known to create an increase in calcium production, which is not good for renal disease patients. Excess calcium can create problems such as kidney stones.

Soda – Soda Pop is probably one of the worst things anyone can consume, even if they are perfectly healthy. Soda is full of sugar, artificial sweeteners, chemicals, and preservatives. There is nothing about soda that is good for you, and it should be avoided at all costs if you have kidney disease.

These are all foods that should be only eaten in moderation for people with normal diets, so it is understandable why they would be on a restricted list for renal disease patients. This list might seem very restrictive and you might be wondering what you can eat, but be sure that there are plenty of foods and beverages you can enjoy on a renal friendly diet. Eating a healthy diet can help you to avoid dialysis and live a longer, healthier, more comfortable life.

Get started on meal planning with a simple kidney diet starter kit here: https://www.renaldiethq.com/kidney-diet-starter-kit/

How are Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetes Linked?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Every health issue and condition comes with its own set of symptoms. They can cause fatigue, dizziness, pain, and a host of other issues. Some chronic health conditions can actually cause other major health issues in turn. Diabetes, for example, can actually lead to chronic kidney disease.

Many people have chronic kidney disease and diabetes. It is most likely that they were diabetics before they developed renal disease. Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects the entire body. Every system of the body, especially the kidneys, is affected by high blood sugar levels as well as many other byproducts of diabetes.

In bad cases, or when left untreated, diabetes can lead to kidney failure.

How It Happens

It may seem that kidney disease and diabetes are just too different for one to be caused by the other. The truth, however, is diabetes and kidney disease is strongly linked, which is why it is so common for diabetics to also deal with kidney disease. It is important to remember that all of the systems of the body are connected to one another.

Diabetes does a lot of damage to your entire body. Increased blood sugars create extra work for the kidneys, which are responsible for filtering the blood. This creates a lot of extra work and stress for the kidneys, which will begin to loose function and shut down over time.

The Damage

• Urinary Problems: High blood sugar levels in the urine create a popular breeding ground for bacteria. Bladder infections ultimately end up as kidney infections and can become extremely painful and dangerous.

• Nerve Damage: One common symptom of diabetes is nerve damage. This nerve damage affects your entire body, especially where urinary retention is concerned. Retaining all that urine can create a backup situation, which can hurt the kidneys further.

• Blood Vessels: Diabetes also causes damage to small blood vessels all over your body, including your kidneys. This damage makes it even more difficult to filter the blood, which causes waste buildup.

Every system of the body is connected, especially through the blood. Blood flows through every inch of your body, from your brain all the way down to your toes. Diabetes affects the blood, its composition as well as how and where it flows. Seeing as it is the kidney’s job to filter that very same blood, it is no wonder that these two conditions are so very connected.

According to the National Kidney Foundation between 30 and 40 percent of people with diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease in their lifetime. This is not a small number, and establishes kidney disease and renal failure as very real dangers of diabetes.

As with most chronic health conditions, chronic kidney disease can be diagnosed and treated in the very early stages with simple screenings. Make sure to follow up with your doctor and regular exams consistently. It is also important to follow a healthy diet and exercise program that has been cleared by your physician. These simple steps can help you both diagnose and treat diabetes with chronic kidney disease. For more information on a renal diabetes diet, click here.

Weekly Meal Planning for CKD

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Eating can seem like a challenge when you have health related dietary restrictions to consider. Your diet truly affects so much of your overall health when you are living with a chronic health condition such as chronic kidney disease. You need to do whatever you can to stick to your prescribed diet plan. Putting together weekly meal plans can make your life a lot easier.

How a Meal Plan Can Help You

Meal plans are a truly useful tool for any diet, especially when you are following a particular diet for chronic health conditions. With chronic kidney disease, you have to cut out certain things such as sodium, potassium, and possibly even excess fluids from your diet. Meal planning can make this much easier.

Meal planning takes out the guess work of your everyday eating schedule. Instead of just making choices as they come, you can plan your meals in advance so you don’t have to worry about the day to day decision making. This not only makes your day easier, it also helps ensure that you are making the best decisions possible. After all, if you know what you are going to eat and have it prepared already, you are a lot less likely to make poor decisions. [Read more…] about Weekly Meal Planning for CKD

Find Secrets To Flavorful Pre-Dialysis Meal Plans

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

When you are a renal patient, it is important to keep your diet controlled. Natural ingredients and additives like phosphorus, potassium, and especially sodium can be extremely harmful. The main reason for this is that it is the kidney’s main function to flush out excess waste and other deposits. When the kidneys are not functioning properly they are unable to flush out the extras, causing damage and pain.

A lot of people automatically assume that meal plans for people with renal failure, or really any other chronic health problem, have to be bland and boring. The fact is, however, that there are flavorful solutions that can suit the needs of a pre-dialysis meal plan. There are so many options available to you to make all of your meals taste so amazing, you won’t even miss the added salt and fat.

Here are some secrets to flavorful pre-dialysis meal plans:

Herbs

Using fresh herbs when cooking can give your meals a huge boost. No only do they make foods tastes good, but the depth of flavor is truly unmatched.

Dry herbs are absolutely acceptable, but use fresh whenever possible. You can find many fresh herbs in your grocer’s produce section, and dried herbs in the spice aisle. Growing your own herb garden is an easy, fun, and creative way to always have the herbs you need on hand.

Flavorful Secret: Each herb has a very specific taste, so you can experiment with combining them to create perfect flavor matches. For example, rosemary and thyme meld together perfectly to create a match that is perfect for poultry and fish dishes.

Salt Free Spices

In the spice aisle, look for “salt free” spices such as the popular brand Mrs. Dash. These are easy to use, flavorful spice mixes that give you a huge boost of flavor without the added sodium that you truthfully don’t need to make delicious dishes.

Flavorful Secret: Look for any brand’s version of salt free “table spice”. This zesty mixture gives you a pop of flavor and just enough heat to tantalize your taste buds. Even better, this mix works great on just about any dish you use it for, it is so versatile.

Lemon Juice

A lesser known trick of the trade is simply using lemon juice to flavor your foods. This is a surprisingly perfect solution for dishes that you think need salt. The acidity of the lemon juice adds a bright flavor and completely diminishes the need for added sodium.

Flavorful Secret: When baking fish or chicken, squeeze some lemon wedges over the meat and leave the rinds in the pan while it cooks. Then serve each plate with an additional lemon wedge for a fresh squeeze of flavor.

Use any of these flavorful secrets in your favorite dishes and see what a difference it makes. You might even find that you don’t need the added salt after all, that the foods you eat are delicious on their own right. With these tasty tips, you can say bye-bye to boring pre-dialysis meals and get back to enjoying your food.

For other flavorful pre-dialysis meal ideas click here.

Easy Vegetarian Diet To Help With Kidney Failure

By MatheaW 1 Comment

You might have heard about all of the amazing benefits that a vegetarian diet can have for kidney failure patients. Added to the overall health benefits, a vegetarian diet can help to control blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure, and stabilize cholesterol levels, all of which contribute to healthier kidneys. Perhaps most importantly, a vegetarian diet can actually help to slow the progression of kidney failure.

These reasons alone are enough to give a vegetarian diet a try. But many people feel that a vegetarian diet would be hard, or that they wouldn’t like it. The typical American diet revolves around large portions of meat, animal proteins, and processed food, after all.

A vegetarian diet can be easier and more enjoyable than you might think, however. Here are some ideas you can try. All three meals of the day, plus snacks, are included to get you started. [Read more…] about Easy Vegetarian Diet To Help With Kidney Failure

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 042 – Dining Out On Dialysis Pt. 2

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Stitcher

Podcast #42 Released on Oct 08, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 042 – Dining Out On Dialysis Part 2 This week I am talking about the ways to eat out when you are on dialysis. Kidney disease can be hard enough, then your friends want you to go out to dinner? This is part 2 with some very specific information about swaps to make in your diet.

I am sharing with you my presentation I created for the AAKP meeting.

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

Here is the handout – Dining out on dialysis handout

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am back from the AAKP national meeting! Thanks to all the awesome people I met.

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Transcript for RDHQ Podcast 42

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 041 – Dining Out On Dialysis Part 1

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Podcast #41 Released on Oct 01, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 041 – Dining Out On Dialysis Part 1 This week I am talking about the ways to eat out when you are on dialysis. Kidney disease can be hard enough, then your friends want you to go out to dinner?

I am sharing with you my presentation I created for the AAKP meeting.

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

Here is the handout – Dining out on dialysis handout

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am back from the AAKP national meeting! Thanks to all the awesome people I met.

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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I Need Help Managing My Renal Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

If you were only recently diagnosed with renal disease, managing your new dietary recommendations and restrictions can seem like a difficult task. At first the changes might seem very restrictive or unwelcome, but you will get used to your new way of life and once the diet changes start sinking in, you will notice that you feel better too.

Resistant To Change

Some people have a hard time in the beginning because they are resistant to change. You have been living your life a certain way this entire time, and now someone is asking you to change everything. That can be understandably frustrating, but in order to help yourself you will have to come around eventually. As the saying goes, “Try it, you might like it”. [Read more…] about I Need Help Managing My Renal Disease

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 040 – 7 Things You Must Know About Kidney Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Podcast #40 Released on Sept 24, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 040 – 7 Things You Must Know About Kidney Disease This week I am talking about the important stuff related to kidney disease.

I am sharing with you my article of information I created for the AAKP meeting.

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

https://www.renaldiethq.com/7-things-must-know-kidney-disease/

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am going to the AAKP national meeting – learn more at www.renaldiethq.com/go/aakpmeeting2014

I would love to meet you and I will be available to talk to you and I will have a few books for sale, I will even be doing a book signing hour!

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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The Doctor Has Diagnosed Me with Renal Disease, Now What?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Hearing the news that you have renal disease might be a shock. Despite the fact that millions of Americans are living with renal disease, you might be feeling scared, alone, and unsure about how to progress.

The fact is that your life is about to change, or at least it should. The good news is that you do have most of the control and can change the outcome of your life and this disease. If you make good choices, living as healthily as possible, you can slow the progression of renal disease and extend your life and comfort.

So, now that you have been diagnosed with renal disease, now what? What is next for you? [Read more…] about The Doctor Has Diagnosed Me with Renal Disease, Now What?

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 039 – What Foods Are Best To Help Improve Anemia In CKD?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Podcast #39 Released on Sept 17, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 039 – What Foods Are Best To Help Improve Anemia In Ckd? I have deemed this month as a month to talk about anemia and kidney disease, how it affects you and what you need to improve your kidneys.

Last week we talked about treatment for anemia with medications, and how those are used.

And this week we are talking about what foods to eat and how to improve your diet to help with anemia.

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

Check out my book on Anemia and Chronic Kidney Disease at Amazon: https://www.renaldiethq.com/go/author

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am going to the AAKP national meeting – learn more at www.renaldiethq.com/go/aakpmeeting2014

I would love to meet you and I will be available to talk to you and I will have a few books for sale, I will even be doing a book signing hour!

Transcript for RDHQ Podcast 39

Email me at [email protected]ethq.com for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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How You Can Control Your Renal Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Renal disease is a serious matter that not only affects your overall health, but also your life expectancy. Patients that have chronic kidney disease, more specifically those who make it to end stage renal disease, or kidney failure, are a lot more likely to suffer heart attacks. In fact, approximately one in four end stage renal disease patient dies of a heart attack.

Luckily, you can take control your renal disease. There may be nothing you can do to regain kidney function that is already lost, but there is a lot you can do to slow or potentially even stop the progression of renal disease.

Be Strict With Yourself

Renal disease often comes with a long list of dietary restrictions and lists of things you shouldn’t do. While skipping out on some of your favorite foods might not be high on your list of things that make you happy, it is important for you to be strict with yourself. [Read more…] about How You Can Control Your Renal Disease

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 038 – What Medications Are Used To Treat Anemia In Chronic Kidney Disease?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Podcast #38 Released on Sept 10, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

I have deemed this month as a month to talk about anemia and kidney disease, how it affects you and what you need to improve your kidneys.

Last week we talked about what is anemia and how you can understand the different types and tests for it. And WHY it occurs in ESRD and CKD.

And this week we are talking about what medications are used and how often you might get checked?

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

Check out my book on Anemia and Chronic Kidney Disease at Amazon: https://www.renaldiethq.com/go/author

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am going to the AAKP national meeting – learn more at www.renaldiethq.com/go/aakpmeeting2014

I would love to meet you and I will be available to talk to you and I will have a few books for sale, I will even be doing a book signing hour!

Transcript for RDHQ Podcast 38

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 037 – What is Anemia and How Do I Handle It?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Podcast #37 Released on Sept 3, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 037 – What Is Anemia And How Do I Handle It? I have deemed this month as a month to talk about anemia and kidney disease, how it affects you and what you need to improve your kidneys.

Last week we talked about specific spices you can use to improve your meals and cooking.

And this week we are talking about what is anemia, and how do you know you have it? And then, what is next?

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

Check out my book on Anemia and Chronic Kidney Disease at Amazon: https://www.renaldiethq.com/go/author

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am going to the AAKP national meeting – learn more at www.renaldiethq.com/aakpmeeting2014

I would love to meet you and I will be available to talk to you and I will have a few books for sale, I will even be doing a book signing hour!

Transcript for RDHQ Podcast 37

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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Eating Healthy Can Affect Your Renal Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Renal disease can certainly be a daunting issue to live with. All of the restrictions, doctors’ visits, and potentially life-threatening outcomes might feel very overwhelming, and understandably so. You do have more control over your overall health and renal disease outcome than you think, though.

Simply making necessary dietary changes and eating healthy can have a very positive effect on your renal disease. Eating healthy is a huge part of living a happy, healthy, and comfortably long life.

Here are just some of the many ways that eating healthy can positively affect your renal disease:

Comfort

One of the more noticeable effects of eating healthy with renal disease is your overall comfort levels. Eating the wrong foods, specifically the foods on your restricted list, can affect your body in very uncomfortable ways.

Bloating, fatigue, stomach issues, and pain are just some of the side effects of just eating the wrong things. You can avoid these and other issues by simply sticking to a strict diet and avoiding any of those foods on your restricted list. [Read more…] about Eating Healthy Can Affect Your Renal Disease

Renal Diet HQ Share – Make Your Own Healthy Snacks For Renal Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

Do you ever find yourself aimlessly looking through the cabinets? Just looking, you say. But really you are kind of hungry but don’t know what to eat, right?

https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/life/2014/08/25/make-calorie-snacks/14434647/

From the article:

On the other hand, “if someone is craving Oreos or Nutter Butter cookies, then eating the 100-calorie snack-size package is a great alternative to buying and eating the whole box/bag of that treat,” said registered dietitian Kathy Warwick of Professional Nutrition Consultants LLC. “Sometimes satisfying the craving with a small portion keeps one from eating everything in the kitchen.”

This article makes some very good suggestions about foods that you can make into 100 calorie snacks. Can you think of some good ones? In my new Positive Beginnings: A Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook, you can find many examples of muffins and other bars that work perfectly for a snack. And they are great for people with pre-dialysis kidney disease as well.

Renal Diet HQ Share – Is there such a thing as healthy food at the fair?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

It’s almost time for the state fair here in Oklahoma. I know it’s really tough looking at fried butter and saying “no”. They really do have temping things.

https://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1089531#.VAEoaDKwK8B

From the article:

And when deep fried Oreos tip the scales at over 700 calories, a bloomin’ onion packs nearly a 2,000 calorie punch and the southern fried chicken donut offers 600 calories of deep fried goodness, it’s easy to over indulge. All that walking between the grand stand and the fried dough isn’t cutting it.

Yes, please. But really, you shouldn’t use the fair as an excuse to overindulge. Eat things that are healthier – I think I have seen some salads, and a giant turkey leg is better than a fried oreo. Or eat before you go and skip the vendors.

Renal Diet HQ Share – Weight Loss and Diabetes

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

You might be having difficulty with losing weight and if you have diabetes, it can be even harder.

https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2014/aug/26/gl_dietitian_dish_082714_247332/?features

From the article:

More than likely, medications will need to be adjusted, especially when carbohydrate intake decreases. Be sure to discuss your weight loss plan with your physician and a registered dietitian nutritionist before you start to help you avoid those dangerous and uncomfortable low blood sugars.

You know it is important to eat better, after all, that is key to any healthier living scenario. But this article points out the need to adjust medications (with your doctor’s help) and consider how your blood sugar levels are affected by exercise. It feels really crummy to have a low blood sugar event, so make sure you are checking your blood sugar levels before and after exercise so you know if you have gotten too low.

Renal Diet Headquarters Podcast 036 – Why Use More Herbs And Spices?

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

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Podcast #36 Released on August 27, 2014

Send in your questions about all things related to chronic kidney disease to [email protected]

I have deemed this month as a month to talk about healthy meals at home and using herbs and spices in your cooking – instead of adding salt.

Last week we talked about specific spices you can use to improve your meals and cooking.

And this week we are talking about using herbs and spices when cooking. As well as the top 3 reasons that you should decrease your intake of salt and why.

So, lets get started. You need some help deciding what to do to make a difference, then listen on!

New Renal Dialysis Breakfast Cookbook for sale on Amazon! Go here to read more: www.renaldiethq.com/dialysiscookbook/

I am going to the AAKP national meeting – learn more at www.renaldiethq.com/go/aakpmeeting2014

I would love to meet you and I will be available to talk to you and I will have a few books for sale, I will even be doing a book signing hour!

Transcript RDHQ 36

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Find us on iTunes at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/itunes

Find us on stitcher radio at: www.renaldiethq.com/go/stitcher

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Renal Diet HQ Share – Recommendations for overweight people with heart risk factors

By MatheaW 1 Comment

Should you be referred to see an RD? If you recall a share from a couple of days ago – Doctors and Nutrition – I believe that other medical professionals do not have the necessary expertise.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/08/26/new-recommendations-for-overweight-people-with-heart-risks/

From the article:

Overweight patients with risk factors for heart disease should be sent by their doctors for “intensive behavioral counseling” about diet or exercise, according to new recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

Intense behavior counseling – that part of a diet that says we should really change what we eat and what we think about ourselves before the diet will ever work long term. You have to adjust your thoughts before your waistline will ever change. Trust me, I know.

Picnic in the Park with Kidney Disease

By MatheaW Leave a Comment

One of the best parts of Spring and Summer is getting outside and enjoying the warmer weather. Beach parties, barbeques, and relaxing picnics are a staple of these sensational months of sunshine. So get out your picnic basket and head to the park, because the seasons are too short to be spent indoors.

If you have chronic kidney disease, you might think that you cannot enjoy food like you once did, and that a picnic wouldn’t offer you many choices on what you could eat. Just because you are on a renal diet, however, does not mean that there aren’t delicious picnic choices for renal diets available to enjoy. There are many picnic perfect options that will fit right into your kidney safe diet.

Delicious picnic choices for renal diets:

Grilled To Go

A basket full of chicken has been a picnic staple for almost as long as picnics have been popular. Some delicious grilled chicken makes a perfect entree for any picnic. You can have it plain, or dress it up with low salt barbeque sauce or other renal friendly options. Or, try a delicious homemade marinade made with one part olive oil, one part balsamic vinegar and spices such as rosemary and thyme.

Renal Diabetic Diet

What Are Meringue Cookies?

Do Meringue Cookies Taste Good With Pumpkin Spice?

Can I Eat Pumpkin Spice Meringue On a Renal Diet?

Reasons Pumpkin Meringue Cookies Are Okay for Kidney Disease Patients

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies (Low-Sugar!)

Ingredients

Instructions

How Do You Know When Meringue Cookies Are Done?

Are Pumpkin Meringues Cookies Chewy?

How To Store Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

Can I Freeze Meringue Cookies?

Pumpkin spice meringue cookies are a delicious treat and snack, especially for those eating a renal diet.

Are Smoothies Good for Kidneys?

What Kinds of Smoothies Are Good for Kidneys?

High Protein & Low Potassium Smoothie Recipes

Cinnamon Apple Tofu

Peach Protein

The Best Low Potassium Fruits for Smoothies

Blueberries

Peaches

Pineapple

Cranberries

Apples

Which Fruits Have High Potassium?

Avocado

Banana

Kiwi

Citrus Fruits

Do Premade Smoothies Have Low Potassium?

NovaSource Renal

Nepro

Frozen Fruit Packs

Eating low potassium smoothies on a CKD diet makes a delicious and healthy breakfast or lunch.

Low Potassium Hot & Cold Breakfast Cereals for CKD Patients

What Breakfast Foods Are Low in Potassium?

Which Cold Cereal Properties Are Best for Kidney Disease?

Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Cereals for Someone with Kidney Disease

What Kind of Low Potassium Breakfast Cereals Can You Eat on A Renal Diet?

Vegetarian Sloppy Joe Wraps with Garlic and More Spice

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Resolve

Make a List

Go Shopping

Do Your Prep Work

Stick To It

Nutritional Information for Peanut Butter

Dangers of Eating Peanut Butter on a Renal Diet

Alternatives to Peanut Butter for a Renal Diet

Why Meal Prepping is Beneficial for a Renal Diet

Tips for Meal Planning on a Renal Diet

Make sure you understand your dietary restrictions.

Planning comes before the prep.

Create a renal diet friendly shopping list.

Have the right meal prep tools on hand.

Don’t forget portion control!

Find better ways to flavor your food

Prep meals on weekends – so you don’t make bad choices

Foods that are Great for Meal Prepping

Every health issue and condition comes with its own set of symptoms. They can cause fatigue, dizziness, pain, and a host of other issues. Some chronic health conditions can actually cause other major health issues in turn. Diabetes, for example, can actually lead to chronic kidney disease.

How It Happens

The Damage

How a Meal Plan Can Help You

Herbs

Salt Free Spices

Lemon Juice

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Email me at [email protected] for suggestions

Resistant To Change

Be Strict With Yourself

Here are just some of the many ways that eating healthy can positively affect your renal disease:

Comfort

Delicious picnic choices for renal diets:

Grilled To Go

Pita Pockets [Read more…] about Picnic in the Park with Kidney Disease