PKD Life - Spring 2022 - 6

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EATING WELL
6 Great
Foods for
PKD
These healthy choices can
help slow the disease's
progression and keep you
well in other ways, too.
By Jessica Brown
1. WALNUT OIL
Olive oil gets all the
fanfare, but walnut
oil has more heartS
hopping for healthy food can be
more challenging when you have
PKD. Foods such as avocados and tomatoes,
normally considered nutritional
all-stars, are among those that many
people with PKD have to limit.
But over time, adjusting your diet
becomes empowering. " Food can be a
wonderful part of treating PKD because
it's something you can control when it
seems like your body is revolting against
you, " says Melanie Betz, M.S., R.D., a
board-certifi ed renal and geriatric dietitian
in Chicago.
The following foods are some of the
best items to add to your shopping list
that can help slow the disease's progression
and provide protection from common
complications of PKD.
healthy omega-3 fatty
acids. " Omega-3s
are an essential part
of your diet because
they fi ght infl ammation,
which is a
component of PKD, "
says Brittany Sparks,
R.D.N., a board-certifi
ed renal dietitian in
Denver. These fatty
acids also help reduce
high blood pressure,
a common problem
for PKD patients that
can speed disease
progression. Walnut
oil nutrients start to
break down at high
temperatures, so it's
best used as a vinaigrette,
Sparks says.
3. EDAMAME
These beans are
a good source of
2. BLACKBERRIES
" These berries are a
base-producing fruit,
meaning that they help
counteract the acid
load on your kidneys, "
Sparks says. Blackberries
are also rich in
fi ber and antioxidants
called anthocyanins,
which help lower
the risk of common
PKD complications
such as diabetes and
heart disease.
plant-based protein,
which is much safer
for PKD patients
than protein from
animal products.
Edamame and other
beans used to be
taboo for people with
PKD because of their
phosphorus content,
but that thinking has
changed, Betz says:
" Research shows that
less than half the
phosphorus in plant
sources like beans is
absorbed by the body,
so edamame is kidney-friendly. "
In fact,
preliminary research
suggests that eating
soy products such
as edamame may
actually improve
kidney function in
PKD patients.
6
PKD LIFE * SPRING 2022
PKD Life - Spring 2022

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