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NKDEP: Helping People Better Understand and Manage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP), an initiative of the National Institutes of Health, has a number of helpful resources and materials to educate patients at risk for or living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). These materials help people and their loved ones understand and manage the disease so that they can live long and productive lives.

General CKD Information

NKDEP has created materials for people who have been recently diagnosed with CKD, including a brochure called "Chronic Kidney Disease: What Does It Mean For Me?" This brochure has information about the basics of CKD and what it means for your health and lifestyle. It includes a tear-off wallet card to help track future test results to keep track of your kidney health over time. This brochure can be ordered free of cost or downloaded online at www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources/kidney-disease-mean-for-me.shtml. NKDEP also offers a brochure about medicines for people with CKD called "Chronic Kidney Disease and Medicines: What You Need to Know" that can be ordered or downloaded at www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources/CKD-Medicines.shtml.

Nutrition and CKD

Diet Tips for CKD
What you eat may help to slow down CKD and keep your body healthier. Some points to keep in mind:
	Choose and prepare foods with less salt (sodium). Use less salt at the table.
	Select the right kinds and smaller amounts of protein.
	Choose foods that are healthy for your heart, like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken, fish, fruits, vegetables, and beans.
	Read the Nutrition Facts Label, especially for sodium, to help you pick the right foods and drinks.

Did you know that what you eat and drink may help slow down CKD? And some foods are better than others, which is why it is important for you to talk with a dietitian or other health care professional about which foods can help your kidneys, not hurt them.

NKDEP has a number of nutrition fact sheets for people with CKD (who are not on dialysis). These may be helpful to people with CKD while discussing food and diet changes with your dietitian or other health care professional. One fact sheet titled "Eating Right for Kidney Health" lists key steps and tips on how to eat right if you have CKD. Bring the "Your Kidney Test Results" handout to your next visit with your health care provider; learn what your test results are and why each test is important. Other diet materials include fact sheets on important nutrients such as sodium, protein, potassium, and phosphorus, as well as a fact sheet on how to read food labels so that you can choose the best food for you. All of these materials are free of cost and are available for you to download on NKDEP's website at www.nkdep.nih.gov/identify-manage/ckd-nutrition.shtml.

Educating Yourself and Others about CKD

NKDEP has other materials that you or your loved ones may find helpful as well. For example, NKDEP has posted a series of short videos of a patient talking with a doctor about the kidneys, CKD, and kidney failure treatment options (transplantation and dialysis). You can view these videos alone or with your health professional online at: www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources.shtml#videos.

Additionally, NKDEP's Family Reunion Health Guide can help you talk about the connection between diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease at your next family gathering. And the Kidney Sundays Toolkit gives faith-based organizations what they need to include kidney health messages in programs and events. The materials are easy to use by anyone who wants to talk about kidney disease with their friends, family, co-workers, or community. You can learn more about, order, or download the Family Reunion Health Guide at www.nkdep.nih.gov/get-involved/kidney-connection/family-reunion.shtml and the Kidney Sundays Toolkit at www.nkdep.nih.gov/get-involved/kidney-connection/kidney-sundays.shtml.

To explore NKDEP's materials, please visit www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources.shtml. If you have questions about the Program's materials or about CKD, please send an email to nkdep@info.niddk.nih.gov. And if you can't find the information you need on NKDEP's website, try searching the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse's materials at kidney.niddk.nih.gov. Once you have found what you are looking for, use these materials to be an active part of your health care team.