NKF Healthy Tips!!! Toss the Salt!

TOSS THE SALT!
——————————————
LIVE LONGER.
New research shows dramatic
health benefits from reducing salt
intake by just 1/2 teaspoon per
day, resulting in a longer and
healthier life!
What is 1/2 teaspoon of salt?
1150mg of salt or 460mg of sodium
Helpful Hints to being Salt Smart:
♦ Toss your salt shakers!
♦ Cook with herbs and spices
instead of salt
♦ When eating out, ask for foods
without salt
♦ Cook and eat fresh foods
♦ Avoid processed foods
BE SALT SMART
AND
SODIUM SENSIBLE!

Patient Champion Series: I wanted to share some of these awesome human stories that FMC has shared with me.

Marian Carr

Age 41 • Kansas City, Mo. • Featured on March 24, 2010 
Helping Other Patients With Ambitious Work Ethic
Marian Carr, a 41-year-old dialysis patient, was diagnosed with end stage renal disease (ESRD) in July 2002. She went on dialysis and shortly after regained her kidney function for nearly five years. Marian then returned back to dialysis in 2007, had an unsuccessful kidney transplant in 2009, and now receives in-center hemodialysis at Fresenius Medical Care Kansas City Dialysis. The cause of her kidney failure is unknown, although her father had kidney trouble too.
Despite her struggles with ESRD, Marian has persevered and continues to set and accomplish ambitious goals. She firmly believes that people should live the life they want to have, and not let health restrictions or setbacks get in the way.
Among many academic accomplishments, Marian completed her doctorate in psychology and obtained an International Counseling Certification from the Viktor Frankl Institute of Logotherapy – all while managing her dialysis schedule. As part of her doctoral thesis, she developed a counseling model for dialysis patients. Marian is currently active in two nonprofit organizations, as president of the local Minority Donor Awareness Group, and board chair of the Renaissance Education Group in Durham, N.C., which provides education programs for disadvantaged high school students.
To accommodate Marian’s rigorous schedule and numerous travels for work and vacation, she utilizes the Fresenius Medical Care Patient Travel Service. She has traveled all across the U.S., including trips to Dallas, New Orleans, Boston, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, California and North Carolina.
When she's not working, Marian enjoys reading and spending lots of time with her family. She is the eldest of four children and has two nieces and two nephews. This year, Marian and her friend have started a small business to provide counseling and training services for adults, and they plan on expanding it.

Patient Champion Series: I wanted to share some of these awesome human stories that FMC has shared with me.

Tanysha Pitts

Age 33 • Tampa, Fla. • Featured on March 23, 2010
Nighttime Dialysis Allows Patient to Dream Big

Tanysha Pitts, a 33-year-old Tampa, Fla., resident, is living her dream, and likes to spread the word that anything is possible on dialysis. Tanysha, who has had kidney failure for almost 20 years as a result of a case of prolonged strep throat, is an in-center nighttime dialysis patient at Fresenius Medical Care Tampa North. Her unique treatment schedule (dialyzing overnight), which she began in 2008, has enabled her to pursue her education as a full-time medical student at Sanford Brown Institute.
Tanysha's dedication to her studies as medical assistant and to her dialysis treatment inspires patients and staff alike at her facility. Her passion for the medical field and her goal to one day work with people with chronic illnesses stems from her personal experience with kidney disease. Tanysha says she sees many young people starting dialysis who feel their lives have changed forever, but she is there to tell them a different story. Tanysha talks to her fellow patients about their dialysis treatment options and encourages them to try the nighttime program, sharing her success on the treatment plan and how they can fulfill their own dreams.
Tanysha will graduate from Sanford Brown Institute with her medical assistant certification in late March 2010, and plans on pursuing another degree in nursing or social work. In addition to school, Tanysha enjoys cooking, spending time with her friends, volunteering at various organizations and attending church services.

NKF Healthy Tips!!!

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Four Ways to Eat Healthier if You Have Kidney Disease

The nation’s sports fans are focused on the Final Four in April, but for those with chronic kidney disease, National Food Month is an opportunity to learn about the first four dietary nutrients to monitor with these tips from the National Kidney Foundation.

1. Protein

Getting the right amount of protein is important to your overall health and how well you feel. Your body needs the right amount of protein to:

• Build muscles
• Repair tissue
• Fight infections

Your doctor may recommend that you follow a diet that has controlled amounts of protein. This may help decrease the amount of wastes in your blood and may help your kidneys to work longer.
Protein comes from two sources. You will need to get some protein each day from both of these sources:

• Animal sources: eggs, fish, chicken, red meats, milk products and cheese
• Plant sources: vegetables and grains

2. Sodium

Kidney disease, high blood pressure and sodium are often related. Therefore, you may need to limit the amount of sodium in your diet. One tactic to accomplish this is to learn how to read food labels so you can make lower sodium choices when you shop for foods. Sodium is a mineral found naturally in foods. It is found in large amounts in table salt and in foods that have added table salt such as:

• Seasonings like soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and garlic or onion salt
• Canned foods and some frozen foods
• Processed meats like ham, bacon, sausage and cold cuts
• Salted snack foods like chips and crackers
• Most restaurant and take-out foods
• Canned or dehydrated soups (like packaged noodle soup)

3. Potassium

Potassium is an important mineral in the blood that helps your muscles and heart work properly. Too much or too little potassium in the blood can be dangerous. One of the kidney’s jobs is to regulate the amount of potassium in your body and eliminate excess in the urine. When your kidneys begin to lower in function you may need to assist them by monitoring potassium in your diet. Foods that contain higher amounts of potassium are fruits and vegetables.

4. Phosphorous

Your kidneys also have the job of removing excess phosphorus from your blood. A high blood phosphorus level may cause your skin to itch and your bones to lose calcium which increases the risk for breaks. If you have CKD stage 3-5, eating fewer foods that are high in phosphorus, is very important and will help lower the amount of phosphorus in your blood.
Phosphorus is found in large amounts in the following:

• Dairy products such as milk, cheese, pudding, yogurt and ice cream
• Dried beans and peas such as kidney beans, split peas and lentils
• Nuts and peanut butter
• Beverages such as hot chocolate, beer and dark cola drinks

National Kidney Foundation!

Double Donation: Husband and Wife Each Give Gift of Life

When Marcus and Monica Gilbert decided to purchase a Charley’s Grilled Subs franchise in a food court at a Utah mall, the idea of saving two lives was not in their business plan. Yet, that is exactly what resulted. Together, this couple, married seven years, has shared many successes --owning a thriving business, raising four healthy children and, within a 16-month span, giving the gift of life through kidney donation to two individuals.
Like many married couples, Marcus and Monica balance their days between running after their four children -- Jessica, Taylor, Christian and Emma –and managing a business. Unlike many married couples, they found the time and opportunity to each donate a kidney.
It all began when Marcus hired 17-year old Juan Delgado to work at one of his Charley’s Grilled Subs franchises. Marcus was determined to help Juan and his family, knowing that he had a difficult schedule to work around while undergoing thrice-weekly dialysis treatment. He even arranged a few fundraisers at Charley’s to defray Juan’s rising medical costs. But Marcus was still not satisfied with his results and decided to take his efforts one step further and get tested to become his employee’s kidney donor. After hearing that he was a perfect match, Marcus and Juan underwent successful kidney transplant surgery in September 2008.
“I felt I was in a good spot to donate and that I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity of giving someone so young his life back,” said Marcus.
After watching her husband donate his kidney without a hitch, Monica decided she too wanted to be a living donor. So she underwent tests with the goal of donating her kidney to anyone in need.
A few weeks later, Monica was notified that she was a match for a 44-year old named Pepe Sione Lee, a husband and father from Salt Lake City. Pepe’s kidneys had failed due to diabetes and he had been receiving dialysis treatment for 18 months. On February 11, 2010, Monica successfully donated a kidney.
In recognition of Monica’s gift, Pepe and his wife are planning a luau party this summer—just around the time when Juan plans to graduate from high school. Like both their kidney recipients, Marcus and Monica have returned to their daily routines with plenty of energy, which they will use to continue to chase their children around the house.