kidneys

I Have CKD But No Insurance!

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Today is day 2 of National Kidney Month. Maybe you are at risk of getting CKD or were just diagnosed, and you do not have any health insurance. This can be a daunting feeling as you will need regular medical monitoring moving forward. There are some options, that may be helpful, and I am going to go through them. The #1 thing you can do, in my opinion, is to make the lifestyle changes necessary to help you either prevent getting CKD or prevent the progression of CKD for as long as possible.

As you know, I have CKD. You can read my history all the way back to the beginning of this blog. I was underinsured for many years of my adult life, some by choice, and some not. I truly feel my kidney disease could have been diagnosed many years earlier than it was had I been under proper medical supervision. I am very fortunate now, and for the last 10 years or so to have very good insurance. Before Obamacare, or the ACA as its technical name, pre-existing conditions, and many other limitations were put onto the American people via the health care industry. It made lower income families much harder to afford needed medical care, even just basic prevention. I feel like a yearly urine test falls under prevention for CKD.

Here are some options to consider if you are underinsured, or uninsured, but may be at risk for CKD, or already have it.

  1. You could buy urine dipstick test strips and monitor protein in your urine. These are available online and at drug stores. Just be sure to follow the directions to get accurate results.
  2. Many clinics and labs offer a sliding scale fee for those eligible.
  3. Care Credit is a credit card for medical care. Of course, you have to apply and be approved, and pay it back with interest. We actually have used this for pet care, and when my son needed very expensive dental surgery.
  4. Health Savings Plans. I don’t feel like these would work well for someone who is only making minimum wage, but I also don’t know much about them. My husband had one and after a year it had 150 dollars in it and he bought new glasses. So, maybe more of a supplemental thing.
  5. KEEP Healthy from the National Kidney Foundation. This is a free screening done for the public. You have to visit the screening site. If you are at risk for CKD you can get the urine screening for free. The other items in the screening are available to everyone who visits.
  6. Since pre-existing conditions can no longer be excluded if you are uninsured and find out you have CKD you could sign up for your employer-based health insurance. Of course, this most likely will not be free. There used to be a time when employers would offer health insurance to single adults for free, I remember, but I am pretty sure not many do anymore. Yes, I am old, lol.
  7. Florida actually has a pretty extensive Medicaid Insurance Plan. There are 3 options for adults, and one for children call CHIP. If you are not a senior, disabled, or a child the requirements to be approved are pretty stiff. You can read more here, and here.
  8. You can visit a Community Health Center. I am in a rural area, but when I looked up my zip code, down at the bottom of this page, there are actually several near enough to me should I even need this option. These health centers are in rural areas and underserved areas.
  9. Another option is your local Public Health Center. They may not be able to manage your CKD, but you may be able to get some prevention tests for free and counseling as to where to get affordable health care.
  10. The last option and I find this kind of depressing is Medicare. It doesn’t feel like there is a lot of hope for underinsured, and uninsured people at risk and with CKD. Once you reach stage 5 you can sign up for Medicare despite your age. Stage 5 is considered End Stage Renal Disease. Medicare covers 80% of medical costs. So, you would still have to pay the other 20%. I found this webinar from AKF on Youtube. I encourage you to watch it.

My disclaimer is short and sweet. Nothing on this blog is intended to be medical advice. It is for informational purposes only and to spark a conversation.

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Low Carb, Low Oxalate Blueberry Pancakes

/ healthbuddymelissa / 1 Comment

Hello, and welcome to another Food on Friday topic. Following particular diets can be so tricky, and it often makes me wonder what can I eat anymore. But, thank goodness for the internet that allows us to find all kinds of helpful information to make Mindful decisions about food choices.

Do you love pancakes? Do you have CKD, and maybe would like to lose some weight and thought you would try a low carb diet, not Keto btw, but you also need to be mindful of Phosphorus and Oxalates in foods? Argh, good grief even!

A while back I did a post on lower carb banana pancakes. They aren’t as low in carbs, because bananas are pretty high in carbs, but still not bad. Blueberries, however, are very low in carbs and this morning I made the same recipe as above using blueberries. Mmm so delicious.

To make these pancakes all you need is 2 large eggs, and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries. Smash with a fork, or use a blender, the blueberries up, put in the two eggs, whisk it all together and put in in a non stick pan. Cook just like a pancake, flipping when one side is brown. You can see what mine looked like below. I put on about a tsp of Maple Syrup, but you could use cinnamon as well.

If you are a Dialysis patient you could use egg whites instead of the whole egg to save the 200 mg of Phosphorus in 2 eggs. If you have normal Phosphorus and haven’t been told by your doctor to lower your intake, eat the whole egg, it is delicious. I don’t track my Potassium, but if you do be sure and calculate for your limits.

This one pancake has only 4.3 mg of carbs from the blueberries. Leave off the syrup and you won’t have to add those carbs in, or use sugar free syrup. 1/2 cup of blueberries, and in this recipe you are only using half of that, has only 2 mg of Oxalates. Pancake mix, from a box has 10 mg of Oxalates. These numbers are according to my Oxalate tracker app.

Strawberries are also low in carbs and oxalates, but watch out for raspberries. They are high in Oxalates.

Try them, let me know if you like them in the comments.

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Food Additives: Acacia gum or Gum arabic

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If you read this blog regularly then you know that I homeschool my daughter. I have decided to make a Nutrition class for her based on a book my son read for a college course called, Food Matters. Part of this Nutrition course will include food additives and preservatives and the effects they have on the body. The goal is to increase knowledge of foods being consumed and ingredients used. Be sure and check out my brand new video, below, How A Health Coach Can Help You.

This weekly blog topic could take a while to get through, and I may have to do more than one a week as there are over 3,000 food additives/preservatives approved as safe for use in the United States. You may have heard the statement don’t eat processed foods with more than 5 ingredients, or foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce or never heard of. This really would limit a lot of food items to people living in rural or poor areas, where limited food sources are available. It is better to educate yourself about the ingredients and how they can effect the body and then make an informed decision about what you eat.

Acacia Gum or Gum Arabic is actually a natural fiber from the Acacia Tree and has been around for a very long time. It is has been used in traditional medicines for hundreds of years, before the food industry started to use it mainly as an emulsifier of thickening agent. It is a fiber so it adds bulk, and texture to foods. As with any fiber ingesting too much, or if you don’t tolerate fiber well can cause bloating, gas, flatulence, nausea, diarrhea etc. So, if you notice this ingredient in foods you consume, and I recommend learning to read food label ingredients, and you also notice that it makes you have any of the symptoms noted, you may wish to avoid foods with Acacia Gum in it.

Acacia Gum may be able to help people with IBS or other Digestive Issues, as it is a Prebiotic. Be sure to discuss with your doctor any supplements you may wish to take. Amazon has a lot of options for Acacia Gum fiber.

This food additive peaked my interest for 2 reasons. One, it may help improve kidney function. I am still researching this, and as to why, but it seems it has antioxidant effects and removes free radicals that may harm the kidneys. 2- It was studied, in a good randomized control study, for decreasing weight and BMI, both which should be a goal of anyone who wants to improve their overall health. The study showed that taking 30 grams of Acacia Gum daily, had a significant effect on both weight and BMI after just 6 weeks. I have to say, however, that 30 grams is quite a large dose, and if you bought pills, you would be taking like 30 pills a day. If anyone was interested in this method, it might be better to buy the powder form. Ask your doctor, or pharmacist to be sure it won’t effect any other medications you may be taking, and always drink plenty of water when taking fiber supplements. If you are on fluid restrictions this option could actually be harmful.

Here is a link to the study

There is also a short video below explaining Acacia Gum. Be sure and follow my blog to get email updates. All new customers of Health Buddy Melissa get my 30 day coaching plan for only 25 dollars and includes a free meet and greet. Don’t forget to sign up for my September Kidney Class, here. Use the contact form below to message me about coaching services, or email me at melissa@healthbuddymelissa.coach

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Can Losing Weight Improve eGFR for People with CKD?

/ healthbuddymelissa / 1 Comment

Updated 3/17/2021 When I was first diagnosed with CKD way back in 2017, one of the first things my Nephrologist told me was that losing weight would help my kidney function. Like many of us who are over-weight, I was yep here we go the fat bandwagon. But, apparently he was right. As I have been researching topics for this blog, and for my own personal knowledge of CKD, there have been a few studies on this topic. As with all things CKD there are not many studies, and they are not particularly large, and are often sponsored by companies with products to sell. But, some is still better than none. While I have very good muscle strength and do not find it difficult to build new muscle, even on a protein restricted diet, like most women who have had babies and have reached Menopause, I do carry extra weight around my middle and hips. I have never been super slim, even before children. I have always had a bulky strong look to me, and the smallest I have ever been was 20 pounds over where my doctor said I should be for my height. It is very hard for me to lose weight. I lose inches, but the weight just really takes a long time to budge. Because my ultimate goal is to heal my kidney function, or at the very least get back to stage 2, weight loss is a very important part of that goal. Through all of the trials and errors, I think I have finally found a system that will work for me, not just in the short term, but in the long term as well. It is not an easy plan, and it is not fast, either. But, when I stick to it strictly, I can lose a half a pound a day, safely. I may write an ebook, or I may make the info a pdf for my newsletter followers. I haven’t decided yet, and it will be some time before I am sure the results are not just water weight or something like that. Plus, I need to have my labs checked to be sure it is completely safe.

Read my exciting March 2021 Kidney Update!

For the month of March 2021 I am giving away free coaching sessions related to Kidney Disease. Click to read more.

I found several articles on weight loss and egfr. But, I found this one easy to read, and with lots of information. Some of it you may not understand, but you will get the idea. My husband can lose weight very fast, I can not. I am not sure why, but I am sure it probably has to do with my CKD. https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20120325/weight-loss-guidelines-aim-to-curb-chronic-renal-failure#:~:text=Weight%20loss%20has%20been%20shown,and%20without%20overt%20renal%20disease.

The article above talks about how difficult it can be for people with CKD to lose weight, especially if you also have Diabetes, or HTN. I do not have either of those, but I am right at the borderline for HTN. Again, weight loss will help keep my blood pressure in a good range. Weight loss will also help egfr by decreasing inflammation, proteinuria, and hyperalbuminuria. I do not currently have any of those, but I did when first diagnosed. I do get inflammation occasionally when I exercise too hard, but some of that is normal body response. I also have a tendency to retain water in my fingers. I always have, but if I am not careful it can get worse. Most of the time it is when it is extremely hot and humid and I have not hydrated myself well enough. I have labs done at the end of next month, so I will have a good idea how my diet and exercise plan is effecting my kidneys.

The article also talks about Bariatric Surgery for those with CKD who are morbidly obese and just can not lose weight. The study showed positive results. While I am not a candidate for Bariatric Surgery, and I believe in Diet and Exercise, if you just can not lose weight due to issues with your CKD, you might want to look into Bariatric Surgery to see if it is a viable option for you.

Obesity is such a huge problem in the USA. With Obesity being a risk factor for getting CKD, or at the very least renal dysfunction, there is every good reason in the world to lose weight. If you follow my Portion Distortion posts on Mondays, you will know that most of us are consuming way more calories in portions than is recommended. I read a blog where they lost weight just by controlling their portion size. They didn’t follow any other restrictions such as Keto, low carb, low fat, a certain amount of calories per day, etc, they just ate the proper portion sizes according to package labels. Hats off to them! Now I don’t know if they were successful in maintaining that, and keeping the weight off long term. But, if you stick with something for at least 3-6 months it will hopefully become ingrained and a habit in your every day lifestyle. Of course, family and friends are huge obstacles to losing weight. You have to have more will power to succeed than their will power for you to fail.

If I stick to my plan I can lose 1/2 pound per day, and I have already lost several inches on my arms, waist, hips, and thighs, but not my chest, sadly. Vacation was tough and I did not stick to it, and gained back 5 pounds of the 6 I lost. But, I am back on track and have lost 3 of those 5 in just a week. Follow this blog to read future updates and how I am progressing on my Diet and Exercise plan. Don’t forget to read the article. It has some great info.

I am also a certified American Kidney Fund Health Coach. This is a volunteer position. Before covid came I was setting up in person classes, but that didn’t last long. Now, they have approved for us to do virtual classes, which I am very excited about. I can reach so many more people virtually. Anyway , I am doing the first class next Wednesday. It is kind of practice to see how it goes and what I need to change. Then I will be doing them publicly. I will post the info here on this blog as well as my Health Buddy Melissa Facebook page, and my personal page. The class is free, and anyone can attend that can read and understand English. The first one for the general public will be in August, after my son’s wedding. I will try to do two a month. Right now I am using Facebook events as I am familiar with that format. But, once I upgrade this blog I can do them right here. Or, Skype and Zoom are other options. I thing Google Connect also could be used, but I have no idea how to use that. So, I will have to familiarize myself with that.

If you would like to learn about using any of my Health Coaching services, please use the contact form at the bottom of this page, after the images, to contact me. Or, you can email me at healthbuddymelissa@yahoo.com Ask about my brand new It’s A New Day, 30 day coaching plan.

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Foodie Friday: Holiday Party Vegetable Casserole for CKD

/ healthbuddymelissa / 3 Comments

It is the time of year when eating can negatively affect those with CKD or Diabetes.   I have gone to a mostly plant-based diet because I feel best when I eat that way.  I don’t have Diabetes, but I do have CKD.

This recipe is from Lord Byron’s Kitchen, that I altered to meet my needs.  I am making this tonight and it makes a lot.  I will serve some to my family and the rest will go for lunches over the weekend when I work outside the home.  I use frozen veggies that are best for CKD.  I like to buy the big bag of frozen veggies that have Cauliflower, Carrots, and Broccoli in the bag.  I could also use corn, green beans or squash.  Remember that the green veggies are going to be higher in Potassium, so you may need to exclude them.  You can also make your own Cream of Chicken, or Mushroom soup.  I personally don’t care for Cream of Mushroom and use the chicken or celery version.  I can also buy low sodium and low fat as well.  For the recipe, I don’t add the salt, and I used Italian style bread crumbs instead of the French Fried Onions because I didn’t have any.  Making homemade bread crumbs, or French Fried Onions would save on preservatives added and phosphorus.   I also didn’t add as much cheese as the recipe called for.  I was already close to my protein limit so I didn’t need the added protein in the cheese.  Vegan cheese could also be used, but I have not tried that yet.  Cheese is also very high in sodium.  This can be made ahead and frozen for holiday parties.  I hate going to a party and there is nothing there I feel comfortable eating, or I have to starve all day just to be able to eat.  Can you relate?  Let me know if you try it, and how you like it.  I could not find serving sizes on the website with the original recipe.  I can safely assume 1 cup would be a good serving size for this type of dish.

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Foodie Friday: Iron and CKD

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Today, kicks off a new series of topics covering Iron, Anemia and CKD.  If you have CKD, you probably have had, or maybe have right now, Iron deficiency otherwise known as Anemia.  I was Anemic when first diagnosed, and all I did was sleep.  Couldn’t help it, was just plain exhausted.  The last couple weeks  I have been more tired than usual, for no apparent reason.  That makes me think I may need to boost my Iron intake.  I have been following a 1200 calorie diet, and increasing exercise, during that same time period.  So, I have to stop that.  Losing weight is not more important than retaining kidney function.  Below is a nice video talking about Anemia, and how it pertains to the kidneys, and CKD.  Each Friday I will add to the topic, until I feel like I have covered as much as I can.

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