July 2, 2015

Kidney Patients, Protect Your Heart

When dialysis is part of your treatment plan to manage failing kidneys, exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle habits all play a part in maintaining your health and quality of life.

One important risk factor to recognize is high blood pressure. It’s one of the common causes of chronic kidney disease. A blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 is considered normal. If it’s higher than that, you have an increased risk for developing heart disease and kidney disease.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have found that controlling blood pressure using a combination of medication and exercise can prevent heart disease and protect the kidneys. Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure? These are just two reasons an estimated 31 million people in the United States have chronic kidney disease and about 400,000 require regular dialysis treatments to do the work their kidney’s can’t.

Taking medications to protect your heart recommended by your doctor is an important part of protecting your kidneys when you’re on dialysis. Regular exercise, at least 30 minutes a day is ideal, to strengthen your heart, lungs, and muscles. Eating a healthy diet also plays a big part in protecting your health and managing kidney disease.

Medical professionals recommend dialysis patients eat a healthy diet high in protein. At MagicKitchen.com, we’ve created a complete collection of Dialysis-Friendly meals that can help protect your heart and eat healthy. You’ll enjoy meals like Ground Turkey with Creamy Noodes & Zucchini Onion Saute, Zesty Orange Chicken Tenders with corn, peppers, and mixed greens, and Baked Tilapia, Brown Rice & Minted Carrots.

Take your medications. Stick to your dialysis schedule. Exercise regularly, and eat healthy. It’s the best way to protect your heart. And it’s the best recipe for managing kidney disease when you’re on dialysis.

If you want the technical, doctor’s explanation, see this video!