Kidney Connection Newsletter

Fall 2007

 

Features:

A Message from the Executive Director, Lisa Allgood

Many people will ask: How can I help the National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky? One of the best ways to help kidney patients and transplant recipients and continue kidney disease prevention education is through a financial contribution. Your donation means we can continue our programs and services that have made us the statewide experts in kidney health. Here are some ways you can make a contribution:

Donate online. Make a secure donation now by credit card to the National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky at www.nkfk.org. Click on the Donate Now button.

Donate by mail. Send a check to support our programs or services

Donate by phone. Make a credit card contribution or pledge by phone.

Memorial or In Honor donations. Remember/honor a loved one or friend, honor them on their birthday or transplant anniversary, etc.
Gift of assets. Such as real estate, works of art, life insurance policies, tangible property and securities/stocks

Estate Planning /Will. Consider including the NKFK in your Will

Financial contributions last fiscal year allowed the NKFK to:

Thanks for your consideration and support.

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Phosphorus and Your CKD Diet

hosphorus is a mineral found in your bones. Along with calcium, phosphorus is needed for building healthy strong bones, as well as keeping other parts of your body healthy.

Normal working kidneys can remove extra phosphorus in your blood. When you have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) your kidneys cannot remove phosphorus very well. High phosphorus levels can cause damage to your body. Extra phosphorus causes body changes that pull calcium out of your bones, making them weak. High phosphorus and calcium levels also lead to dangerous calcium deposits in blood vessels, lungs, eyes, and heart. Phosphorus and calcium control is very important for your overall health.

A normal phosphorus level is 3.5 to 5.5 mg/dL. Ask your doctor or dietician for your last phosphorus test result. Dialysis can remove some phosphorus from your blood but it is important for you to understand how to limit build up of phosphorus between your dialysis treatments.

You can keep your phosphorus level normal by understanding your diet and medications for phosphorus control. You will need to take medicines called phosphorus binders to help keep phosphorus in the foods you eat from getting into your blood. Your dietician and doctor will help you with this. Below is a list of foods high in phosphorus.

High-Phosphorus foods to limit or avoid

limits

Your doctor may order a medicine called a phosphate binder for you to take with meals and snacks. This medicine will help control the amount of phosphorus your body absorbs from the foods you eat. There are many different kinds of phosphate binders. Pills, chewable tablets, and powders are available. Some types also contain calcium, while others do not. You should only take the phosphate binder that is ordered by your doctor or dietician.

When your phosphate level is too high, think about your diet and substitute lower phosphorus foods for a while. Talk to your dietitian and doctor about making changes in your diet and ask about your phosphate binder prescription.

Suggestions for lowering phosphorus in your diet

* Numbers in parenthesis tell how much phosphorus is in the food. Article from National Kidney Foundation, www.kidney.org.

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Mark your Calendar! 2007 Events

events

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NKFK Chapter News

Bowling Green

The Bowling Green Chapter of the National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky joined with The Medical Center to present the 1st Ride Out Loud Bike event held at Chaney’s Dairy Barn. The event was a great success with 175 riders coming out to support the NKFK. The cyclists had the opportunity to learn about prevention of kidney disease and sign up to be an organ donor with the Kentucky organ donor registry. Thanks to our contributing sponsors: Bowling Green Bike Club, KODA, Citizens First Bank and Franklin Bank and Trust. The event raised $3,500.00 to benefit programs and services of the NKFK. Thanks to all the volunteers for your time and talent. Mark your calendars: 2nd Annual Ride Out Loud will be held on August 16, 2008 at Chaney’s. Please plan to join us.

Lexington

The Lexington Chapter meets the 4th Friday of even months at the Kentucky Clinic. The next meeting will be October 26, 2007 at 11:30am in Room J005. The chapter is instrumental in bringing the National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky (NKFK) programs and services to the Lexington area. We have several projects in development and all those interested in supporting the NKFK mission are encouraged to participate. For more information, please contact Lisa Allgood at 1-800-737-5433.

If you are interested in attending a chapter meeting, please contact the NKFK at 502-585-5433.

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Heart of the Matter: Blood Pressure and Your Kidneys

What does high blood pressure mean to you?
High blood pressure and kidney disease are two common conditions, each affecting the other. High blood pressure causes kidney disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes high blood pressure. More important, both conditions increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Treatment of high blood pressure and kidney disease can reduce your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

The epidemic of high blood pressure
Approximately 50 million adult Americans have high blood pressure. The level of blood pressure increases with age. About 60 percent of the population over the age of 60 has high blood pressure. High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a silent condition: that means that there are not usually any signs or symptoms.

Many people with high blood pressure do not know that they have it. Sometimes, by the time they are found to have high blood pressure they already have heart disease or kidney disease or may have had a stroke. Although the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure has improved in the past few years, more than 70 percent of people with hypertension still have blood pressure levels above the recommended treatment goal. In May 2003, new guidelines for high blood pressure were reported. The report describes a new classification for people with blood pressure between 120-139 systolic (the top number in a blood pressure reading) or 80-89 diastolic (bottom number). People with pressure readings in these ranges are considered to have “prehypertension.” Those in the prehypertension range are at a higher risk than those with lower blood pressures and are more likely to get high blood pressure where medication is needed.

The epidemic of chronic kidney disease
In this country, 300,000 people have kidney failure and have to be treated with dialysis or kidney transplantation; approximately 19 million more people have chronic kidney disease (CKD) with decreased kidney function or other signs of kidney damage. More than 50 percent of people with CKD and more than 90 percent of those with kidney failure have high blood pressure. High blood pressure caused kidney disease in over 20 percent of people with kidney failure. In adults, kidney function decreases with age. High blood pressure speeds the loss of kidney function with age.

By age 60 to 69, seven percent of people have lost half their kidney function. After age 70, 25 percent of people have lost half their kidney function. Unfortunately, like people with high blood pressure without kidney disease, more than half of those with CKD and high blood pressure have blood pressure levels above the treatment goal. This means that their blood pressure is higher than it should be, even with treatment. If this is so, this would indicate that your current treatment should be evaluated. According to the NKF-K/DOQI guidelines, the recommended blood pressure levels for people with CKD at all stages is 130/80.

The heart of the matter
Heart disease and stroke are the first and third most common causes of death in the United States. People with high blood pressure and CKD have a greater chance of having heart disease or a stroke than those without kidney disease or high blood pressure. In fact, having heart disease or a stroke is more threatening to their lives than kidney failure. At higher levels of blood pressure and lower levels of kindey function, the chance of heart disease or stroke is worse. People who go on to have kidney failure are 10 to 100 times more likely to die from heart disease or stroke than people without kidney failure. Because of this, it is clear that the treatment of high blood pressure and CKD are very important. Fortunately, good blood pressure drugs are available that often help control it.

Treatment of high blood pressure in people with CKD
People with kidney disease at all stages should see a doctor or other health care worker regularly, have their blood pressure taken frequently and take the right medications. The treatment of high blood pressure slows the worsening of CKD. Treatment of high blood pressure and CKD also prevents heart disease and stroke.

Two kinds of drugs are particularly good for the treatment of people with high blood pressure and kidney disease. One type of medicine, "angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors" (ACE inhibitors), decreases the body's ability to make angiotensin, a substance that increases blood pressure. Another type of medicine, "angiotensin receptor blockers" (ARB's), stops the angiotensin from working so that it can't increase blood pressure. These medicines work because of the following reasons: 1. They are good at lowering blood pressure. 2. They are better than other blood pressure medicines in slowing the loss of kidney function. 3. They protect against heart attacks and strokes and are the medicines that should be used first for the treatment of heart failure. Therefore, these two types of medicines are the best medicines for the treatment of most people with high blood pressure and CKD.

Prevention of high blood pressure and kidney disease in high risk individuals
Screening studies have shown that first degree relatives of people with kidney disease (parents, brothers, and sisters) are more likely to develop high blood pressure and kidney disease than those without a close relative with kidney disease or high blood pressure. People with a family history of kidney disease should have regular blood pressure checks so that high blood pressure can be found early, and treated. With early and effective treatment, people with high blood pressure can have fewer problems such as heart disease, kidney disease and stroke, and live longer and better lives.

Written by Katrin Uhlig, MD and Andrew S. Levey.
Article from Kidney Care, Vol. 1, No. 1

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Don’t Let Your Diet Get You Down!

“OKAY, SO YOU ARE SAYING I SHOULD EAT MORE MEAT, drink less milk, avoid canned soups, lunch meats, hot dogs, pickles and olives and limit oranges, bananas, potatoes and tomatoes. I need to increase the number of binders I take: three after each meal and two after each snack. Is that it?”

Does this sound familiar? Month after month, you are counseled by your dietitian to achieve lab results within the desirable ranges. Due to the limitations of the kidney diet, you may find it difficult, or even depressing, to follow such a diet. “Sometimes I just want to give up eating. By the time I figure out something to eat, I am not even hungry anymore,” commented one person on dialysis. “Or I want to eat everything in my kitchen to rebel against the diet!” she added.

Dealing with the complexities of the kidney diet and other lifestyle changes may contribute to feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, sadness and other symptoms of depression, which can make you apathetic and less likely to care for your own physical needs.

Depression is not a weakness or a character flaw; it, too, is a medical illness. Depression can affect your ability to sleep, work, and get along with others. Peole who are depressed may find daily tasks such as meal planning, shopping, food preparation and even eating to be a big struggle. As a result of poor eating due to depression, you may lose weight, have a low protein (albumin level), or, in some cases, you may overeat and have unplanned or unwanted weight gain.

If you think you are depressed over your diet, talk to your dietitian about how you are feeling. Together you can develop ideas about how to help you stay positive about your diet. These could include:

Setting short-term goals for your lab values. Perhaps the idea of eating more protein, eating less potassium and phosphorus and drinking less fluid is overwhelming. Work with your health care team to decide where to prioritize. It may be easier for you to choose one lab value that is not within goal range and take steps to improve it. For example, you may decide to work on reducing your phosphorus level first. Try substituting one low phosphorus food item for one higher in phosphorus (try sherbet or sorbet instead of ice cream). Achieving a series of small, easy goals helps build your confidence and improve your health.

Looking through kidney cookbooks at your local library or bookstore for menu ideas. There are also Web sites that offer many kidney-friendly recipes.

Kidney-Friendly Recipes

Decide to try a new recipe once per week and share your favorites with other people who are on dialysis and your dietician. You will also be helping others who are dealing with the same challenges of the kidney diet.

Preparing larger quantities of food and freezing leftovers. Quickly reheating is a breeze when you are feeling too tired to cook from scratch. Some people find they are worn out after their treatment, causing them to skip meals. Enjoying leftovers after treatment can be a quick and easy way to improve nutrition and boost your energy level.
Buying frozen dinners that are lower in sodium, potassium and phosphorus. Some nutrition labels now also list the food's potassium content. If you find one you like without nutrient information, see your dietitian for guidance.

Eating with others if possible. Pleasant conversation leads to a relaxed environment. If you live alone, consider inviting an understanding friend, relative, or even another person who is on dialysis over for companionship during mealtime. Do not be afraid to ask them to bring a dish to share. You may find that many people want to lend a helping hand.

Eating several small meals throughout the day may help increase the amount you eat, making sure that you take in enough calories during times you may have a smaller appetite or might not feel so hungry. Try a mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon snack.

Many factors come into play with both the causes and the solutions for depression, including nutrition and diet. Having a positive attitude toward your kidney diet, while forming new eating habits (what, where, when and with whom you eat) can play a role in improving your physical health and your mental outlook.

By Cathy Keller, RD, LDN
Article from Family Focus, Vol.14, No. 3, pg. 7

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Side by Side for Life: Kidney Walk 2007

Chronic kidney disease is a public health issue affecting 20 million Americans. The NKFK Kidney Walk, held September 15, brought together dialysis patients, transplant recipients, donor families, and others in the medical community to celebrate life and walk the path of prevention of kidney disease.

Executive Director, Lisa Allgood, welcomed over 300 walkers and encouraged all to continue the fight against kidney disease. Walkers of all ages enjoyed the two milewalk at Waterfront Park and visited the Wellness Tent, Kid’s Corner Activities, and enjoyed the food provided by Qdoba and Sara Lee.

Thanks to all who supported this year’s Kidney Walk and a special thanks to our volunteers. The Kidney Walk wouldn’t be successful without you!

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Kidney Walk Awards

2007 Kidney Walk Awards

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Ride Out Loud 2007

Ride Our Loud
Off to a great start! 175 riders participated in this 1st annual event.

Ride Our Loud
A young participant decorates her helmet before the race.

More Information

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Gift of Life Gala 2008

Planning has begun on next years Gift of Life Gala to be held on March 8, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville. Chuck and Sue Fischesser are the co-chairs of the event again this year and we also welcome two new committee members; Bill D’Antoni and Tina Kauffmann. Bill and Tina are new members of the NKFK Board of Directors. The gala is an uplifting evening of dining, dancing, a live and silent auction and award presentations to several outstanding honorees. Next year’s gala entertainment will feature The Beatles tribute band “Eight Days A Week.” Please mark this on your calendar as a “don’t miss” event!

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Volunteer Spotlight: Jenny Wrightington & Terra Jackson

Volunteer Spotlight
“Sassy Sisters” Terra and Jenny

Terra and Jenny have been dedicated volunteers of the NKFK for over 5 years. Terra has been an instrumental part of the Gala committee for three years and participated as a team captain along with her sister Jenny for the Kidney Walk. Terra and Jenny have raised more than $10,000 for the Kidney Walk within the past three years. Jenny has also served as part of the NKF Program Committee, Walk Committee and Gala Committee. The time and talent that these sisters have given to our organization has been tremendous and very much appreciated!

Why did you become involved with the NKFK?
TERRA: I guess it is embedded in my 'person' to GIVE BACK. My
mother taught us at a very young age that there are others in the world that have it so much worse off than we do and we should be grateful for all that God has given us. My sister has suffered with kidney disease for many years, so NKFK is an organization I gravitated to naturally and with which I am passionate about being involved.

JENNY: I became involved as this directly affects me as a kidney dialysis patient. I have first hand experience with what a grueling struggle life can be for those on dialysis. If there is anything I can do to improve the quality of life for those on dialysis or prevent others from having the need to go on dialysis, I would gladly do it.

What is the importance of the NKFK mission for you?
TERRA: Working with the foundation helps me to gain a better understanding of what my sister is working through with her kidney disease. It also helps to keep me informed of opportunities for her to achieve a better quality of life down the road. Although I am involved with many charities, The National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky holds a special place in my heart because I have witnessed my sister's long struggle with kidney disease and, by being involved with NKFK, I feel I am working alongside her in her fight.

JENNY: I really believe in the mission.. I also feel in Louisville/KY we have too many people going on kidney dialysis machines because of our lifestyles, poor nutrition, environmental issues, lack of education on healthy lifestyles, addressing early warning signs of high blood pressure etc.. I do not know but hope we can get a handle on the matter soon and at a minimum make people aware of things they can control.

welcome aboard Volunteer

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Going for the Gold: Team Kentucky Athlete Mark McGaha

My story begins on New Years Eve 1998. I woke that morning with a rash all over my body. I went to the immediate care center and the doctor said it was the hives. He also said to go to my family doctor and have my blood pressure checked out because it was high. The following week I went to my family doctor and after some tests he told me I had a problem with my kidneys and sent me to see a specialist. The kidney specialist ran all kinds of tests and it was determined that due to years of undetected high blood pressure, my kidneys had been damaged severely and I would need a transplant.

Several of my family and friends were tested for a possible living donor but none were candidates. My wife, Judy, went to be tested without telling anyone and was told it would be highly unlikely that she would be a match. After all the tests were run, we received the good news. Judy was a perfect match and could be a living donor for me. At the time we were also told that it was a one in ten million chance of being a match with a non-blood relative donor. Judy was my wife and now the person who could give me a kidney and new lease on life. This was a miracle and a gift from God, one that we had all prayed for. On June 12, 2000, we had the transplant at Jewish Hospital.

I got interested in the Transplant Games by reading a pamphlet I picked up while having my blood work done at Jewish Hospital. I noticed that one of the sports that were included in the games was bowling. Well you need say no more, I’ve been a bowler all my life! I’ve bowled in organized leagues since I was 15 years old, and have just begun my 35th season as a secretary of adult leagues. Bowling is the one thing that got me through my illness; it gave me something to look forward to.

The 2006 Transplant Games was a great experience for me. It was my first of many games to come, I hope. You meet lots of nice people with interesting stories. I urge all team kyTransplant recipients to become involved regardless of your skill level. It will be one of the eye opening experiences of your life, I promise you that. At the games, I bowled next to a man that had two artificial legs along with being a transplant recipient. He was not that good of a bowler but he was out there trying! The 2008 Transplant Games will be held this coming July in Pittsburgh. Get involved with Team Kentucky! You will make new friends and you might win yourself a gold medal. Join Team Kentucky as we prepare for the games in Pittsburgh, Mark McGaha

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Kidney Disease vs. Cancer: Did You Know?

DOWNLOAD RECIPES

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Donate Life

You can save FIFTY LIVES! Sign the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry at www.donatelifeky.org!

A Publication of the National Kidney Foundation of Kentucky
This newsletter is supported by a grant from GENZYME

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