Smoothies For Kidney Health, My Review of a Favorite Book

by dustytoes

I have poly-cystic kidney disease (PKD) and am very interested in keeping my kidneys working for as long as possible. This book is one of my favorites.

Because there is almost no informative books out there for those of us with PKD, I often look for books pertaining to CKD, or chronic kidney disease, which encompasses everyone who has some type of kidney disease.

This book is not only full of smoothie recipes to help with all types of problems from diabetes to high blood pressure, it's full of good information. When we are informed we can take that information with us to the doctor's office and formulate better questions to ask.

The authors are a mother and daughter team. The mother had kidney disease and her daughter, a nurse, donated one of her kidneys to her mom.

Why I Recommend This Smoothie Book For Kidney Health

Food is the fuel for our bodies and the right fuel can help our kidneys continue to work.

Anyone suffering with failing kidneys knows how hopeless things can seem, especially if we inherited an incurable disease.  The one thing we do have control over is what we eat and drink.  And most of us can do better in that department.  It's imperative to conform our diet to what the kidneys need to keep them functioning.

This book was written by a mother and daughter team.  The mother, Vicki, is the one with the disease and her daughter, a nurse, donated one of her kidneys to her mom.  But before that happened, Vicki strived to keep her kidneys functioning by changing her diet to include healthy smoothies.

On the first page they thank and acknowledge the medical professionals who reviewed the information included, and as I've mentioned, one author is a nurse.  Vicki was able to prolong her kidney function because of this type of diet.  Her story is printed in the beginning pages.  Because of this, and my own research on what to eat, I trust the information provided.

Also a section is included for those already on dialysis.

Between the two women, they have created a book full of information as well as delicious smoothies in a wonderful variety.

Smoothies For Kidney Health

Available as a book (which I prefer) or Kindle download.
Smoothies for Kidney Health: A Delicious Approach to the Prevention...
$13.17  $3.08

I Am Very Conscious of Every Bit of Food I Eat

These days I read labels and research everything. I want to keep my kidneys working for as long as possible.

I am not a healthcare professional, just a regular person suffering with an incurable, inherited disease.  What I've discovered while researching my own disease is that kidney disease is something many people either have now, or will have in the future - sad to say.

Our poor diet and eating habits are often the contributing cause to a decline in kidney health.  Even if we are born with a disease, like myself, being aware of what we eat and drink, and giving up the bad stuff, can have very beneficial effects that prolong kidney function.

If only I had known about my disease way back in life, I could have been more careful.  Someone in my family passed this on to me, but to my knowledge they didn't even know they had it.

Now, I occasionally share information with those who are looking for some inspiration while dealing with chronic kidney disease.  We can't simply follow the rules for healthy eating like everyone else.  Certain "healthy" food is not necessarily good for us.

My Blueberry and Strawberry Smoothie

I don't always follow a recipe.
One of my Smoothies
One of my Smoothies

Who Needs a Recipe?

This book contains much, much more than just recipes.

Of course with a little imagination anyone can make a smoothie.  The Smoothies For Kidney Health book is not just a recipe book, it is much more.  The recipes are easy to switch up a little according to what food is available, and often I will take ideas and create my own drink.  Even if a particular smoothie doesn't appeal to your taste buds, read the page... or you'll miss the the good info.

Both fruits and vegetables are used, depending on the type of drink you want.  How about a "Salad in a Glass"? When certain fruit is in season in your area, look it up in this book and I guarantee you will find a drink using that fruit!

Did you know that there is a certain kind of cheese that is known to lower blood pressure?  I didn't, but now I do!

Each recipe page gives information about the ingredients used, with nutrient values listed at the bottom.  This is extremely helpful for those of us who must watch our sodium (a biggie for blood pressure), potassium, phosphorus and protein intake.  It's all listed right there!  This is wonderfully helpful.  Also listed at the bottom of the recipe pages are: calories, fat, fiber, and calcium.

 

Glass Smoothie Straws For Using With Thick Drinks

I have glass straws to use when my smoothie is especially thick. Comes with a brush for cleaning, but rinse the straw as soon as you are done drinking and you won't have a problem.
Glass Straws Clear 9" x 9.5 mm Drinking Straws Reusable S...
Only $6.99

Buy a Good Blender Like the "Oster My Blend"

This is the one I have, in the color green. You can see it behind my purple drink in my photo.
Oster BLSTPB-WBL My Blend 250-Watt Blender with Travel Sport Bottle...
$46.26  $34.99

About Kidney Disease, And Why Everyone Should Be Aware

Unfortunately I think that many people who find out they have kidney disease are stunned to get that diagnosis.  No one ever told me to be careful of my kidneys.  

This is what I had always heard, and as far as I was concerned, I had no problems at all.

Drinking too much causes liver problems.  

Eating too much fat can clog arteries and cause heart problems.  

Being overweight causes high blood pressure.

Too much sugar causes diabetes.

What we should be hearing is eat right and take care of your kidneys!  And guess what, it will also take care of these other problems.  So much can go wrong in the body when the kidneys aren't working well.

Over the years I've given birth to four children.  I've been to the doctor numerous times.  I've had scans and x-rays and blood drawn.  NOT ONCE did any doctor mention anything about keeping my kidneys running well.  Who thinks about their kidneys?

It is possible to have kidney disease and not know it.  I have had PKD all my life, but never knew until I was in my 50's.  Mine was discovered when I had an emergency appendectomy in 2011.  PKD is usually inherited and if a parent has it, there is a 50/50 chance the child will inherit it.  There is no cure.  Often people don't know they have it until it begins to give them trouble in later years because the cysts grow to uncomfortable sizes.  For more information visit the PKD foundation website.

There are other hereditary kidney diseases, like Alport Syndrome, which is what one of the authors of the Smoothies For Kidney Health book had.  She was lucky to get a transplant, but her experience with staving off kidney failure is how this book came about.

 

Fruit Smoothies
Photo Credit: Silviarita at Pixabay

Thanks to the Authors

I want to thank the authors of the Smoothies book for their helpful book.  And I especially want to thank them for mentioning PKD in a few places.  

While diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, many of us with bad kidneys have never had diabetes.  We suffer with an inherited form of kidney disease.  In PKD cysts form, and continue to form - and grow - in our kidneys.  I liken it to carrying a bag of water balloons around in my gut.  It's easy to feel tired and heavy and lethargic and that is why nutrition is so important.

Thank you for helping us eat (drink) right which is the first step to feeling better.  Once I began to eat better, I felt better, and then I began to move around more.  Exercise is another thing that helps me feel better. The two go hand in hand.

Thanks for this encouraging book!

Updated: 08/20/2018, dustytoes
 
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How often do you think about kidney function?

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dustytoes on 08/25/2018

Some people with kidney disease have to watch their potassium intake so knowing which vegetables and food have lots of that is a good idea - don't eat loads of potatoes and bananas. Starfruit is also very bad for anyone with kidney disease (so I've read). It can be deadly. Eating too much protein can also be hard on kidneys. It depends on how damaged the kidneys are.

DerdriuMarriner on 08/25/2018

dustytoes, Thank you for the pictures, practicalities and product lines. What "healthy" food do you need to avoid?

frankbeswick on 08/20/2018

Sorry to hear about your ill health, Dustytoes.

A doctor told me that the four organs that are very susceptible to high blood pressure damage are:heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas. This is because they have so much blood flowing through them that the pressure causes them to be damaged. What the doctor said explained why a serious alcoholic that we knew suffered catastrophic failure of all those organs within two weeks of each other..

I have suffered from high blood pressure, which is now cured to the point that my doctor told me that my stroke risk is zero. I do suffer from occasional palpitations, which are worrying. I have therefore to avoid stress.

dustytoes on 08/20/2018

I do believe you are correct that high BP can damage organs. But I never had high BP until I realized I had PKD (a hereditary disease that shows up later in years). All those cysts are what make my kidneys struggle to work as they should and now I have high BP. Although I eat correctly (most of the time) and exercise and keep my weight down as much as is possible with cysts growing out of control in my body, my BP continues to be a bit high always.

frankbeswick on 08/20/2018

I did not know that kidney problems could cause high blood pressure, [so this information is new to me, but a doctor told me that kidneys are one of the organs susceptible to damage from high blood pressure.

Tolovaj on 08/20/2018

Pretty often, I guess. There's a lot of problems with high blood pressure around me and this is always connected, sometimes even caused by kidney problems. I have also discovered smoothies a few months ago and it's great to find such useful book, where health benefits and pure pleasure work together. Take care!

dustytoes on 09/03/2017

How fortunate it was caught early. Is your kidney working well? No matter, we should all be careful of what we eat.

blackspanielgallery on 09/03/2017

I must be especially careful, for I have only one kidney left. The other was removed due to cancer. Fortunately, it was caught very early, thanks to a kidney stone.

dustytoes on 09/01/2017

Maybe she'd like a smoothie! You can sneak all kinds of stuff into them...

kimbesa on 08/31/2017

Thanks for this information! I cook for my mom sometimes, and it's a challenge to find recipes for foods she can and will eat!

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