Vaccination is critical for our kidney disease and renal failure patients, who are among the most vulnerable to severe outcomes from COVID-19. Here are a few things you should know about the vaccines that are currently available.

Getting a flu shot is important every fall, but even more so this year with COVID-19. Coronavirus and the flu are caused by different viruses, making it possible to contract both at the same time. By getting your flu shot this year, you can reduce your chances of flu complications and potentially conserve healthcare resources for COVID-19 patients.

Approximately 34.2 million Americans have diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association. 1 out of 4 of these adults will be diagnosed with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in their lifetime. This is a significant portion of the population, making the need to manage and mitigate the disease increasingly important.

The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate the end of the year with those we care about. For patients with chronic kidney disease, keeping up with healthy kidney routines can be challenging. Here are a few tips from the Nephrology Associates of Greater Cincinnati for having a kidney-friendly holiday season.

When living with a chronic illness like kidney disease, it can sometimes feel like the illness is all-consuming. Rewiring the brain to find gratitude can not only support mental health, but also aid in the physical healing process. Mindfulness practices like showing gratitude and meditation can help reduce inflammation, decrease anxiety and depression that are common with chronic illnesses, and even lower blood pressure when done consistently. As a CKD patient, you know that keeping your blood pressure in check is important to slowing the progression of kidney disease. Developing a daily gratitude practice is a great first step toward using your mind to promote well-being in your whole body. Here are a few ways to get started.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than half of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients also have high blood pressure. High blood pressure (HBP), also called hypertension, can increase the chance that your CKD will worsen, making it extremely important for CKD patients to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and keep blood pressure in check.

Unregulated HBP and chronic kidney disease are inextricably linked – hypertension can cause kidney disease and kidney disease can cause hypertension.

Hypertension is one of the leading causes of CKD. High blood pressure damages blood vessels throughout your body over time, which reduces the blood supply to vital organs like your kidneys. When HBP also damages the filtering bodies in your kidneys, the kidneys can no longer remove toxins, wastes, and excess water from your blood effectively. The extra fluid buildup in the blood vessels can then accelerate hypertension more.

Staying active is an important part of your kidney care and overall wellbeing. Even simple exercises can have a positive effect on your body and mind.

Why should kidney disease patients exercise?

Exercising may seem counterintuitive for patients with kidney disease when you frequently feel tired. Getting enough rest is important, but adding exercise to your care regimen may help the condition of your kidneys and actually increase your energy levels.

Finding an exercise routine that works for you can also help you sleep better, gain control of your weight and blood pressure, improve your mood, and increase your strength.