Are Fish Oil Supplements Right For You?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the "omega-3 fatty acids" found in fish, can reduce the risk of developing heart disease1. Fish oil supplements, which are about 30% omega-3 fatty acids, may be especially helpful for hemodialysis patients, especially those:
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Cooking with Katie Lee Joel (Podcast)
This week's guest is Katie Lee Joel, wife of musician Billy Joel and host of TV’s "Top Chef" on the Bravo station. She is also a contributor to the 2006 edition of Kidney Friendly Comfort Foods: A Collection of Recipes for Eating Well with Chronic Kidney Disease. Katie Lee shares with Lori and Stephen why kidney disease is very personal her. It's because her grandfather experienced kidney failure. "When he was first diagnosed," says Katie Lee, "we were all very worried about dialysis and complications, but he was more concerned about what was on his dinner plate! So my grandmother and I went to work in the kitchen and adapted his favorite foods and came up with some recipes the whole family could enjoy."
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Fast Food Facts
Quick-service restaurants provide us with a quick, easy, inexpensive bite when we're pressed for time.
If you are a regular through the drive-up window or frequently dine in at fast food restaurants, keep these tips in mind:
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Ho, Ho, Ho, It's Chef 'O' (Podcast)
It's feast time this week on KidneyTalk! Lori and Stephen sit down and chat (and drool) with Oliver Hale-Chef O-a professional chef, award-winning tennis player, and a kidney patient who's had a successful transplant for over 22 years. Chef O hosts his own cooking show, Chef O's Place. His background is French gourmet so he loves sauces but he makes them very healthy as he does all of his dishes. One of his favorite ingredients to use is "Oliver" oil.
He describes a passion fruit dessert that he creates that sounds scrumptious but the real passion is in his voice when he talks about cooking. It's easy to see why he loves what he does.
Pull up a chair, invite a friend over, and pull out your napkins as you listen to our tastiest show ever. We promise you'll be drooling as much as Lori and Stephen.
Chef O...we'll all be arriving shortly for dinner!
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Holiday Dining Tips
The best piece of advice for dining during the holidays is to do your homework and plan ahead with regard to what you can eat.
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Holiday Eating Tips: Eat, Drink, and Be Careful (Podcast)
This week's special guest is Sara Colman, a renal dietitian and DaVita's Nutrition Project Specialist. Sara, who is co-author of "Cooking for David," discusses guidelines for eating, drinking, and being careful not to overindulge during the holiday season. Lori and Stephen ask Sara questions about navigating all the holiday goodies, dinners, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages while maintaining a renal-friendly diet. Tune in and discover tips for controlling your intake at the holiday buffet table, learn how to play the "buffet game," and collect some new recipes that are packed full of flavor and are also renal-friendly that your family will enjoy as well.
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How to Make the Holidays Hassle Free - and Add a Sprinkle of Joy!
The holidays can be full of joy and lasting memories. But they can also add stress in our lives, especially when we are balancing the many issues kidney disease brings to us. Here are a few suggestions on how to enjoy the holidays with fewer hassles:
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Nutrition Tips For Enhancing the Dialysis Patient's Quality of Life
Good nutrition is a very important part of your renal treatment plan whether you are on hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). To move forward with your best in all aspects of your life as a kidney patient, make an effort to maintain yourself by eating enough of the right kinds of foods or less of those "forbidden" foods.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (Emergency Food List)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This Emergecny Food List prepared by CMS, is to be used in conjuction with the 3-day Emergency Diet Plan and will aid you in your emergency preparedness so you can feel better and stay healthier.
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Seeing the Big Picture: Communicating With Your Nephrologist About Goals and Expectations
What are the expectations of my patients, and how do they compare with my own expectations of them? Is there more that we can do together to allow patients to accomplish those goals? Free and open communication is an absolute necessity if patients are to achieve their goals and not fall prey to the trap of low expectations coming either from themselves or their caregivers.
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Smart Snacking Choices for the Dialysis Patient
Hungry? Not sure what to eat when you get the munchies? The following are some ideas on what to eat in between meals to help you maintain your nutritional well being without all that extra potassium and phosphorus. Each “smart snack" contains less than 130 milligrams (mg) of potassium and less than 80 mg of phosphorus. Check with your renal dietitian on the number of servings that are appropriate for you.
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Spicing Up Your Renal Diet (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst speak with Mary Polucci, a renal dietitian who can help add a bit of flavor to your life. “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme” are not only the words to a flavorful 1960s pop song, they’re also great-tasting ingredients in spicing up many foods. Do you love to cook? What are your favorite foods? As kidney patients, we’re know that the renal diet can be challenging, especially restricting salt. But you don’t have to miss out on flavor if you know how to be creative. Lori’s favorite recipe is turkey tacos, using ground turkey instead of ground beef to reduce calories and cholesterol. For Stephen, cooking Italian food is his favorite. Because his wife is a vegetarian, he adds tofu to his homemade sauce. Voila... creativity
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Straight Talk on the Big Three: Sodium, Phosphate, and Potassium (Podcast)
Do you ever feel like your food choices are too limited? Are you discouraged when the low sodium food you just discovered is high in phosphorus? Did you know that sometimes your favorite protein might have unexpectedly high salt? Gaynell Irving gives listeners some straight--very straight—talk about negotiating the fast food menu, salt substitutes, thirst, dairy products, liquids and much more. Here’s some encouragement to drive straight on the food highway.
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Sunny Delight! Understanding Vitamin D (Podcast)
What does Vitamin D do for your body? What foods are the best source of Vitamin D? Why are so many people who have chronic kidney disease deficient in Vitamin D? Gail DeWald who has over 24 years as a Certified Nephrology Nurse, will answer these questions.
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Thanksgiving - Indulging Can Be Hazardous
Thanksgiving is almost here. We will gather with family and friends and share a tasty meal. For most people, it is a happy occasion. However, some people dread the festive feast. Many people who live with chronic kidney disease have dietary restrictions that don’t coincide with the culinary delights of the holiday season. The dialysis diet can be difficult to adhere to during the holidays, so it is important to make sure your holiday meal is healthy. And remember many family members may be dealing with their own dietary restrictions.
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Thanksgiving Helpful Eating Tips (Podcast)
This week’s guest is Sarah Colman, a registered renal dietitian and co-author of “Cooking for David.” She offers tips for making a great Thanksgiving meal renal-friendly. Listen in as Lori and Stephen talk turkey and share some of their favorite holiday recipes.
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Why We Crave Comfort Foods?
Everyone should feel free to enjoy comfort foods. You don't have to give them up completely, if you are on dialysis. Here's the trick: if they are eaten only on an occasional basis, no harm is done. But if large portions of these foods are frequently eaten, they contribute to excessive fluid gains, high blood pressure, high phosphorus or high potassium levels.
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