Renal - The No-Medication Treatment Plan to Reduce Pain and Fatigue

When you have renal disease, there’s more you have to deal with than just poor kidney function. Right? People living with poor kidney function also experience sleep problems, fatigue, muscle pain and spasms, and overall weakness. Sound familiar?

What if there was a way to minimize those side effects of renal disease without medication? Would you be willing to give this alternative therapy a try? Give it 12 weeks, and you might be surprised how much better you feel, says University of Leicester Professor Dr. Alice Smith.

12 Weeks of Training for Renal Patients

Smith directed a research study on patients with renal disease to find out if strength training and cardiovascular exercise can help minimize symptoms.

Researchers found that people with renal disease who performed both types of exercise three days a week for 12 weeks benefited the most. Walking and cycling, along with weight lifting decreased symptoms significantly, including a:

• 17 percent reduction in overall symptoms associated with renal disease
• 10 to 16 percent reduction in fatigue
• 40 percent reduction in “shortness of breath”
• 35 percent reduction in “itching”

Researchers also found that strength training and cardiovascular exercise helped reduce restless leg syndrome and frequency of muscle stiffness for renal patients. More exercise also provided other positive health benefits such as an increase in strength, lean muscle, and reduction in risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Combine Exercise with Healthy Eating

Your best bet for managing renal disease...combine regular exercise with healthy eating. (If you do plan to start an exercise program, talk to your doctor first.)

Want to make following a Renal-Friendly diet easy? Just check out the meal selection of foods low in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein.