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As we continue to advance in the pivotal field of healthcare, a paradigm shift is evident. The predominant focus that was once on treating isolated ailments is slowly giving way to an incline toward a more comprehensive, ecological approach. This is the philosophy that we at PRINE Health embrace with open arms. We champion a holistic approach where we hand-hold our patients through their illness while paying heed to their systemic health.

The Imperative of Kidney Health Management

Emphasizing kidney health is critical, especially in the face of the pervasive Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), which currently affects nearly 30 million adults across the United States. This vast prevalence requires the healthcare community to confront not only the sheer volume of cases but also the intricate and convoluted nature of the disease itself. CKD, often described as an insidious enemy, extends beyond renal health, impacting a multitude of bodily systems and often masking its true reach with muted elusive symptoms.

CKD: The Unpredictable Adversary

The intricate and deceptive nature of CKD poses further difficulties, with an overwhelming 86% of cases presenting with one or more additional health conditions or comorbidities. Comorbidity alliances, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, depression, and bone disease, further complicate CKD, intertwining with the primary disease in a pernicious dance that accelerates disease progression and complicates treatment strategies.

Responding to the Multifaceted Nature of CKD

The precarious interplay between CKD and its frequent comorbidities necessitates an approach to kidney care that is both comprehensive and individualized—one that can navigate this complex health landscape and address each patient’s unique needs. This calls for collaborative healthcare that synchronizes treatment strategies across different health fields to combat CKD effectively. In the face of such a formidable adversary, our healthcare approach must evolve, acknowledging and addressing the many dimensions of CKD to provide targeted, impactful care.

The Narrow Lens of Specialized Care

The present healthcare system, marked by its proficiency in treating individual health problems, frequently falters when grappling with intricate disorders such as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Specialized care, with its sole focus on the kidneys, can unintentionally bypass the profound implications that comorbidities present. Ignoring these jeopardizes a patient’s overall health and recovery prospects, underscoring the need for a broader health strategy that includes every facet of a patient’s well-being.

Such “tunnel-vision” care can, regrettably, diminish the quality of life for those afflicted with CKD. The patient’s battle doesn’t end with disease-specific treatment; they must also contend with the effects their ailment has on their daily life. Viewing CKD in isolation and neglecting its interconnected comorbidities can impede recovery and undermine treatment efficacy.

This snapshot into the limitations of specialized care highlights the pressing need for an approach that caters to a patient’s all-inclusive health status. To effectively tackle CKD, healthcare needs to transcend its current practices and adopt a strategy that appreciates the patient as an integrated whole rather than a collection of separate ailments.

The Holistic Success Formula at PRINE Health

At PRINE Health, we detour from the traditional path. Our philosophy hinges on a unique, well-rounded care model tailored to the needs of our CKD patients. By creating a robust multi-specialty setup, we ensure patients’ needs are met through a seamless interplay between nephrologists, primary care professionals, and other pertinent specialists.

Our blueprint for success is founded on agile care management, bolstered by advanced IT infrastructure. The objective is value-based kidney care, and we navigate these complex waters steered by our four primary goals:

• Improving the Quality of Kidney Care: Leveraging a multidisciplinary approach, our mission is to provide a wide spectrum of care that fulfills a patient’s collective health needs.

• Improving Access to Care and Patient Satisfaction: Centering patient care around the individual unlocks the door to healthcare that is not only efficient and effective but also conducive to bolstering patients’ overall contentment with their care regimen.

• Eliminating Waste, Redundancies, and Inefficiencies: A harmonious and coordinated team can substantially enhance productivity, ensuring patients benefit from lean care, where they enjoy necessary treatment without the hassle of duplicated or unnecessary procedures.

• Improving the Experience for Physicians and Care Partners: A cohesive work environment allows healthcare professionals to optimize patient care coordination, reducing stress, enhancing job satisfaction, and cultivating an improved care culture.

By keeping these strategic goals in our sights, we strive to actualize our vision: constructing a comforting and empathetic space for our patients—a safe kidney home where patients’ trials and experiences are recognized, acknowledged, and addressed with care.

PRINE Health stands proud at the vanguard of this evolving paradigm in healthcare, endorsing a comprehensive approach to kidney care. Our faith in treating our patients beyond their individual ailments exemplifies our commitment to fostering improved patient outcomes, higher satisfaction rates, and a healthier future for all our patrons.

We believe that health transcends the mere absence of disease. At PRINE Health, we strive to add life to years, not just years to life. Health, for us, is a blissful blend of mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and we are deeply committed to enriching every facet.

As a healthcare provider specializing in kidney care, PRINE Health is deeply invested in maintaining the vascular health of our patients. One of the most pressing conditions faced by kidney patients today is peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which affects blood vessels outside the heart and brain and is characterized by narrowed arteries reducing blood flow to the limbs.

The Connection Between Peripheral Vascular Disease and Kidney Health

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and kidney disease often co-exist in patients due to shared risk factors and common conditions. Atherosclerosis, or the buildup of fatty deposits in artery walls, significantly contributes to PVD. In kidney patients, atherosclerosis can be more prevalent due to their kidney condition, leading to pain during exercise, numbness, and, in severe cases, infection or gangrene.

A factor fueling atherosclerosis in kidney patients is the altered mineral metabolism linked with kidney disease. High blood phosphorus levels, commonly found in advanced kidney disease, can promote calcium and phosphate deposition in arteries, adding to the plaque buildup.

Further, kidney patients frequently battle other conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, which escalate the risk of developing PVD. Diabetes harms blood vessels throughout the body, encouraging atherosclerosis and increasing the predisposition for PVD. High blood pressure, on the other hand, silently inflicts damage on blood vessels, increasing both kidney disease and PVD risks.

In essence, the strong correlation between PVD and kidney health underscores the need for comprehensive treatment approaches. These approaches must not only tackle kidney disease but also proactively curtail the risk of PVD, underlining that optimal vascular health isn’t optional for kidney patients; it is a medical necessity.

The Importance of Comprehensive Vascular Care for Kidney Patients

For kidney patients enmeshed in the complexity of managing their condition, a proactive and comprehensive approach to care for their vascular health is crucial. At PRINE Health, we acknowledge this imperative, ensuring that preventing and managing peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a central focus of our provided care.

The Cornerstones of Comprehensive Vascular Care

Our model for comprehensive vascular care revolves around three core pillars—regular vascular screenings, astute medical management, and a range of treatment options encompassing non-invasive and minimally invasive vascular procedures.

• Vascular Screenings: Regular vascular screenings play a pivotal role in ensuring early detection of PVD. These essential health checks enable us to catch PVD in its infancy, long before it has a chance to progress into a life-threatening condition. Our screening arsenal involves testing procedures that are simple and painless. For example, we often use an ankle-brachial index test, which involves comparing the blood pressure in your ankles to the blood pressure in your arms to ascertain restricted blood flow. Further, ultrasound imaging helps us visualize the blood flow in your limbs—an important diagnostic resource that reveals any pinched or blocked vessels.

• Medical Management: Aligned with the findings from the vascular screenings, we adopt a medical management approach that is personalized, taking into account the unique health status and needs of every patient. Our medical professionals are ready with a range of strategies, including lifestyle adjustments and medication prescriptions, each aiming to slow down the progression of the disease, manage symptoms, and reduce the risk of complications.

• Treatment Options: For cases where lifestyle changes and medication aren’t enough, we are equipped with a selection of treatments to confront the disease head-on. Non-invasive treatments range from exercise therapy to advanced wound care and compression therapy. In circumstances where these are not sufficient, we rely on our capability to perform minimally invasive vascular procedures with the utmost precision aimed at restoring proper blood flow.

Every touchpoint within our comprehensive vascular care approach is designed to keep kidney patients one step ahead of PVD. By providing regular assessments, personalized medical management, and appropriate, timely treatments, we are committed to reducing the adverse impacts of PVD on kidney patients’ lives.

Benefits of Vascular Screening

Vascular screening brings numerous benefits to kidney patients:

• Early Detection: Vascular screenings enable us to detect PVD before it causes significant symptoms. Early detection allows for a wider range of less invasive treatment options and can prevent severe complications.

• Better Treatment Planning: Regular screenings offer up-to-date information on your vascular health, enabling your healthcare provider to optimize your treatment plan.

• Reduced Health Risks: Regular vascular screening reduces the risk of severe complications, such as heart attacks, strokes, and limb amputations.

At PRINE Health, we are committed to providing our kidney patients with comprehensive vascular care. Our dedicated team of professionals tailors treatments to individual patient needs, helping them achieve the best possible outcomes. Learn more about our vascular care services here.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) occurs when the kidney gradually loses function over time. According to the National Kidney Foundation, chronic kidney disease is extremely common; the disease affects 30 million adults in America. When left untreated, it can become progressively worse, leading to a plethora of health complications. Complications may include:

• High blood pressure
• Anemia
• Weak bones
• Poor nutritional health
• Nerve damage

Visiting a medical professional is the first step toward treating CKD. When you visit a nephrologist in Freeport, they may suggest you make certain lifestyle changes to help prevent the disease from further affecting your health. This could include taking vitamins with specific nutrients that promote kidney health.  

Why You Should Be Taking Vitamins:

In general, vitamins and supplements can offer you a number of different health benefits. Certain health conditions, like CKD, may require you to take prescribed medications or avoid certain foods, which could lead you to miss out on nutrients.

For CKD or any other kidney complication, vitamins can be one of the best forms of treatment as well as prevention. If you suffer from kidney disease of any sort, it is highly likely that you are lacking vitamins and minerals. When you visit your nephrologist in Freeport, you can ask which vitamins your body may be lacking and how you can get back on track.

Which Vitamins Are Best For CKD:

When talking with your nephrologist in Freeport, it’s important to highlight which vitamins or minerals your body may be in need of. Being able to identify the specific kinds of supplements that can help promote kidney health is essential. If you are looking to improve your health with vitamins, you may want to consider the following:

• B Complex
• Iron
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Calcium

Paring these vitamins together can help prevent complications that come along with CKD. Aside from knowing which vitamins you need, also be mindful of the ones you should avoid. These include:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

These vitamins can build up in your body and lead to a surplus, which can become harmful.

Contact A Nephrologist In Freeport:

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about the benefits of vitamins for CKD, pay a visit to our team at PRINE Health. We offer an extensive network of nephrologists who can help guide you down the path to better kidney health. Visit our website to learn more about our locations and to schedule an appointment.

Vitamins are important for everyone. The human body functions best when in balance. The best way to achieve optimum health is through a balanced diet, but with our busy lives and often unhealthy eating habits, diet alone may not work for many people. This is especially true for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is why good vitamins are important.

Our bodies need vitamins and minerals to help them with our most basic and critical bodily functions. It would be great if we could simply get everything we need from the foods we eat, but when that is not possible, vitamins will work to help your body repair tissue and get as much energy as possible from the foods you eat, so you maintain a healthier life. Vitamins and minerals are essential for the overall health of your body.

People suffering from kidney disease, especially those on dialysis, may not be getting enough of the daily vitamins needed to increase their health and assist with keeping CKD under as much control as possible. This can lead to issues such as skin lesions, fatigue, muscle weakness, and nerve pain.

When dealing with CKD, there may be a variety of reasons why a patient may not be able to get all the recommended vitamins needed. Some water-soluble vitamins will have more stringent requirements to work well with issues CKD may cause. Some kidney medicines may not play well with specific vitamins. If you have CKD, your waste products will likely build up and affect how vitamins react to your body. Your physician will likely make changes in your diet so you may not get some of the vitamins from certain foods no longer part of your day-to-day foods and eating habits will change based on how well you feel day-to-day. Some days your appetite may not be robust.

Vitamins that are typically recommended for CKD patients:

B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin, as well as some vitamin C, are essential vitamins for people with CKD. Vitamin C may be suggested in low doses as large doses can cause a buildup of oxalate. Oxalate can cause build-up in bones and soft tissue and can be painful over time.

You will often see B complex vitamins grouped together, but each of the B vitamins plays a different role. Pantothenic acid and niacin are part of the B complex group and are taken so that the food you eat can more easily be turned into the energy your body will need. B1, B2, B6, B12, and folic acid work in conjunction with iron, preventing you from becoming anemic. Your doctor will decide if you need to take iron and, if so, what dosage.

Vitamin C can help bruises heal faster, and your doctor will probably recommend adding this to your vitamin regimen. Vitamin D is also significant, especially in maintaining healthy bones. If you’re dealing with CKD, your doctor will recommend what type of vitamin D and dosage is needed.

You will likely need to avoid some vitamins if you have kidney disease. A, E, and K can cause nausea and dizziness at the very least if too much of these build up in your system over time.

What about herbal remedies and supplements?

It is best to avoid herbal remedies and supplements sold over the counter if you suffer from chronic kidney disease and are on dialysis. These remedies may cause issues when interacting you’re your doctor-prescribed medicines and may cause serious side effects. Always ask your doctor before taking any vitamin or supplement.

What is the best way to get the vitamins I need if I am dealing with CKD?

No one wants to take several pills every day. Filling pillboxes and remembering to take every vitamin needed to stay as healthy as possible can be cumbersome. Dealing with CKD is a challenge. If it is at all possible, you will be better off taking one vitamin formula that includes everything your body needs.

PRINE Health has created a formula called PRINE VITE, which includes vitamins B1, B2, B6, B 12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin, as well as a small dose of vitamin C. PRINE VITE also includes Vitamin D 1000 IU and a higher dosage of B1 which has been shown to decrease and potentially reserve early diabetic kidney disease. This formula also contains two herbs, Dandelion Extract, known for its anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and cholesterol-lowering effects, and Uva Ursi, which has a history of aiding the urinary tract and UTIs. This formula is also gluten-free and non-GMO.

For more information on PRIVE VITE, or if you seek the advice of a Nephrologist, visit us at https://prinehealth.com/

When facing kidney disease, it’s essential to know that you will need to make changes in your diet. You will need to work with your doctor to create a plan. Always remember to consult with your doctor about the best dietary options when dealing with kidney disease, and follow best practices to stay as healthy as possible.

Let’s look at what foods are good or bad, and why?

Some of the Best Dietary Options for Dealing with Kidney Disease

• Garlic
• Onions
• Apples
• Cranberries
• Blueberries
• Red Bell Peppers
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Red Grapes
• Egg Whites
• Fish
• Olive Oil
• Italian, French, or sourdough bread
• Corn or rice cereals (Cream of Wheat)
• Herbs and spices instead of salt

Some of the Worse Dietary Options for Dealing with Kidney Disease

1. Processed meat such as ham, bacon, sausage, and lunch meat
2. Pickled foods such as olives and pickles
3. Whole grain bread
4. Bran cereals and oatmeal
5. Nuts and sunflower seed
6. Dark-colored colas
7. Very high-protein diets

When Kidneys are damaged, one may not want to consume as much liquid because the kidneys may not expel extra fluid as they normally would. Fluid building up in the body can lead to high blood pressure, painful swelling, and even heart failure. It’s especially important to avoid sodium to reduce thirst. If the nutria label says an item has 20% or more sodium, it is considered high in sodium. The item should be avoided.  Seek to eat foods that have moderate levels of protein and very low sodium. Be aware of your fluid intake and choices.

Food choices are important, but even more so, you should know what liquids to avoid, such as:

• Coffee: This can dehydrate you, and it is difficult for the kidney to filter.
• Soups: These typically are very high in sodium.
• Foods that melt, like ice, ice cream, and gelatin: While Jell-O and ice cream may not be seen as a liquid, they dissolve into liquid and are also high in sugar.
• Alcohol: Any intake of alcohol is detrimental to the kidneys. Alcohol is generally full of sugar, which is very bad for people suffering from kidney disease.

Of course, there will be times when you might have to be at a function where alcohol and other foods are being served. In those cases, opt for light-colored sodas like 7-up or Sprite. When possible, choose water, of course. You won’t be able to tell what items are good or bad for you or are full of salt or sugar. Party, food doesn’t come with a label but suffice to say, eat lightly, bite cake rather than an entire piece, make a small plate, and taste rather than binge.

If you are in stage 1 or 2 and even stage 3, you might not feel some of the effects of the food you are eating all the time. The sooner you get on top of things, the longer you can stave off digression and extensive damage. The more you abuse your kidneys with poor food choices, the more they head toward failure.

Vitamins:
To combat the possible side effects of kidney disease such as bone disease and anemia, consuming a proper amount of vitamin D, folic acid, and iron is suggested. Beware of the general multi-vitamin which may not be suitable for you. You may consider PRINE Health’s nephrology formulated, PRINE VITE Complete. As always, consult with your doctor.

Fast Food:

Generally speaking, fast food is often a very poor choice for someone facing renal failure. In fact, fast food is usually not suitable for any diet. The products produced at fast-food restaurants are loaded with salt and sugar, as well as bad fats. These products are processed foods, and your best bet is to eat organic, low salt, and good fats as opposed to something created in a factory.

The Rules of Protein:

When a person eats protein, the body creates waste that the kidneys have to filter through.
You need protein in your diet, but if your kidneys are damaged, you will have to be careful to eat. Typically, lower protein diets are protective for your kidneys.

There are two kinds of protein – plant-based and animal-based.

Animal-Protein Options:

1. Fish
2. Eggs
3. Dairy
4. Chicken
5. Turkey
6. Beef

Planet-Based Protein Options:

1. Lentils
2. Beans
3. Nuts
4. Quinoa
5. Chickpeas

In general, the main thing is to work with your doctors, both your general practitioner and your specialists, to create a diet you can live with that will give you both the best quality of life and the best kidney health possible.

No one wants to be restricted in their diet. It’s not fun. We all have our favorite foods. For some, it’s pizza and burgers, for others, cake, and ice cream. Within reason, you can have small treats to take the edge off the restricted diet you may need to follow. Still, a solid plan for healthy kidney food will be an essential element of your treatment and overall well-being.

If you seek advice from experts on the best dietary options for Kidney disease or for any questions related to Kidney Disease, please reach out to us at PRINE Health. We have kidney specialists and clinical nutritionists who can work together to create the best path for your future kidney health.