5 Dialysis-Friendly Tips for Better Health in 2020

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When you require dialysis to do the work your kidneys can’t, there’s at least three things you probably think about a lot:

Your diet
Your medications
Your next dialysis appointment

Sound familiar?

Managing your health when you’re on dialysis can have a big impact on your longevity and quality of life. Your diet should be low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorous. You need to limit the amount of fluids you drink. And following your doctor’s recommendations are critical.

But is that all there is? If you’re thinking about ways to improve your health, feel better, and manage the need for regular dialysis treatments at home or a clinic this year, here are six things you can do.

1. Never miss a dialysis appointment

Between travel, wait times, and the actual dialysis process of circulating and cleaning your blood, it’s a process that takes a chunk of time every week. But it’s worth it, and your health depends on it. Here’s a resolution you should keep...Never miss a dialysis appointment.

2. Eat Dialysis-friendly foods

What should you eat when you’re following a Dialysis-Friendly diet? If you’re new to managing your diet when your kidneys aren’t working, it’s easy to think your food choices are limited. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Check out these 29 Dialysis-Friendly meals created by a dietitian and team of professional chefs. They’re all made from fresh ingredients. They’re low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. And they only take minutes to prepare.

3. Find out if you’re a candidate for a kidney transplant

Talk to your doctor. Ask about how to get evaluated for a kidney transplant. You could be a candidate and get on the waiting list for a new kidney. Each year about 17,500 people receive a kidney transplant.

4. Exercise more

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes a day. If that’s too much, start smaller like 5 to 10 minutes a day. Then work up to exercising longer. Research published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology shows that active people with kidney disease lower the need for dialysis or a transplant by 21 percent.

5. Be productive

Research also shows that people living with kidney disease are healthier, happier and experience fewer complications when they’re working and productive. Don’t like your job? Focus some of your time and energy on finding more fulfilling work.