November is Diabetes Awareness Month

2024-03-28T21:00:47-04:00November 20th, 2017|Categories: Early Intervention, Lifestyle, Nutrition, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: |

If you have diabetes you are at a higher risk for kidney disease, especially if you have high glucose and high blood pressure. Approximately 1 in 4 adults with diabetes will also develop kidney disease. Your chances increase if you smoke, are overweight, have heart disease, have a family member with kidney disease and you don’t exercise or follow your diabetes food plan. Many people are not aware that they have kidney disease and would benefit from being tested for it. To keep your kidneys as healthy as you can, work with your health care team to keep your glucose and [...]

Education Seminar: [RUSH]ED Living With Dialysis

2024-03-28T21:01:22-04:00April 10th, 2017|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Quality of Life, Webinar|

Touring with Pitbull while on dialysis? David Rush didn't let his diagnosis stop him! David Rush is a platinum selling recording artist signed to Pitbull's label, Mr.305 inc. As a patient in center, home, transplant recipient and back to home David Rush truly knows what it means to live life while on Dialysis. As a Nxstage patient David took his machine on a 40 city world tour in 2009 with Pitbull as an opening act. In present-day David Rush is now married with two children after a successful transplant in November 2010 that was given to him by his brother. David [...]

Celebrating Special Days or Holidays

2024-03-28T21:01:35-04:00December 3rd, 2016|Categories: Lifestyle, Stress Management, The Kidney Citizen|

By Kathi Niccum, EdD, Education Director, DPC Education Center Holidays and special days, such as birthdays and anniversaries, occur throughout the year. You may have recently celebrated Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the December holidays. Initially, though, some people new to or struggling with dialysis may find it challenging to celebrate and to feel the joy of the day. They may worry about how to eat a healthy, kidney-friendly meal if visiting friends or relatives or eating at a restaurant. They may find that they get tired easily and have to figure out how to fit dialysis into their special [...]

Staying Well During Flu Season

2024-03-28T21:01:38-04:00November 28th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Immunizations, Lifestyle|Tags: , |

With flu season upon us, it is especially important for you as a chronic kidney disease patient to take precautions to avoid infection. If you are also diabetic, your risk of being hospitalized because of flu increases dramatically.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released comprehensive guidelines about avoiding the flu and staying well during flu season. First and foremost, the CDC recommends the flu vaccine for everyone 6 months and older unless told otherwise by a healthcare professional.  It is important to note, you cannot get the flu from the flu shot. If you do contract the flu, one [...]

Research Shows Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Cuts Kidney Patients’ Medicine Expense in Half

2024-03-28T21:01:41-04:00October 19th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, Medication, Nutrition, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of kidney disease. When blood pressure is too high, blood vessel walls can thicken and become stiff which can also damage organs throughout the body such as the kidneys. Not only can high blood pressure damage kidneys, but kidney disease can lead to high blood pressure. If kidneys are damaged and can no longer make an enzyme known as renin, blood pressure can be elevated. With continued emphasis on managing and even preventing chronic conditions to improve overall health, research is continuing to occur to find effective interventions to treat conditions such as [...]

September is Healthy Aging Month

2024-03-28T21:01:48-04:00September 9th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle, Quality of Life|Tags: |

By Kathi Niccum Ed.D, Education Director Healthy aging is important for all age groups.  It includes all aspects of your life, including both physical and mental health.  Healthy aging is especially important when you live with a chronic illness.   It is all too easy to become overwhelmed and neglect other aspects of your health.  So celebrate healthy aging month by setting or reaffirming personal goals and engaging in activities promoting a healthy lifestyle. Here are some examples of what you can do to promote a heathy lifestyle: 1.     Stay active Exercise is important for maintaining both physical and mental aspects of health. [...]

Living Well on Dialysis

2024-03-28T21:02:04-04:00May 6th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Fact Sheet, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Stress Management|

If you receive dialysis treatments for kidney disease, you probably spend a lot of time focused on your physical health. That’s important -- but so, too, is your mental and emotional well-being. Dialysis is life-saving, but it’s also life-changing. Still, by taking charge of your emotional health -- and accepting help when you need it -- you can live a rewarding life on dialysis. Rollercoaster Emotions Dialysis requires significant time and effort. In addition to the considerable time spent traveling to and from appointments and receiving treatment itself, people receiving dialysis must carefully monitor their diet and fluid intake. It’s [...]

CDC aims to increase awareness of sepsis

2024-06-07T11:43:10-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: eNews, Lifestyle|Tags: |

Sepsis is the body’s reaction to an infection, leading to organ and tissue damage, and possible death. To raise awareness, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) designated September as Sepsis Awareness Month for the general public and health professionals. Infection prevention is especially important for dialysis patients, as bloodstream infections occur in 37,000 dialysis patients per year. The CDC feature blog posts documenting experiences with sepsis from a medical perspective, and include ways to improve care and treatment options. These resources are also available to patients, which include videos and fact sheets.

Prevention of Kidney Stones Vital for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

2024-03-28T21:04:50-04:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Early Intervention, eNews, Lifestyle, What Causes Kidney Disease|Tags: , |

Some people who repeatedly develop kidney stones may also have high levels of calcium deposits in their blood vessels. A study recently published by the American Society of Nephrology suggests that this could explain their increased risk for cardiovascular disease. "It's becoming clear that having kidney stones is a bit like having raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol, or diabetes in that it is another sign of, or risk factor for, cardiovascular disease and its consequences," said study co-author Robert Unwin of University College London. The main message "is to begin to take having kidney stones seriously in relation to cardiovascular disease [...]

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