PKD Life - Summer 2020 - 4

FRESH START
Self-Care

The Right
Way to Take
Your Blood
Pressure at Home
Staying on top of your blood pressure is critical when you have PKD, and that
requires regularly monitoring it at home. A recent article by Paul Drawz, M.D.,
associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical
School, provides recommendations for home monitoring, including:
1

Rest quietly for five minutes before taking your blood pressure.

2

Have an empty bladder.

3

Sit down and make sure both feet are on the floor.

THESE APPS CAN
HELP YOU MEET
YOUR DAILY H2O
QUOTIENT

Eating Well

5 WAYS TO EAT MORE FRUITS
AND VEGETABLES
There is no set diet meant specifically for people with PKD, but a
plant-based diet has been shown to potentially slow progression
of kidney disease and lower the risk of mortality.
"With kidney disease, there is an accumulation of waste products
that builds up in the blood as the kidneys decline," says Victoria
Newman, R.D., a registered dietitian at the University of Colorado
Hospital. "A plant-based diet high in fruits and vegetables can
decrease inflammation and reduce acid load."
Here are Newman's suggestions for reaching the goal of having
four to five 1- to 1½-cup servings of fruits and vegetables daily:
1

Add unsalted
frozen vegetables to homemade soups.
Sodium-free
frozen veggies
such as spinach, broccoli,
and cauliflower
are nutritious,
quick, and
convenient.

4

2

Shred carrots
or zucchini
and add to
homemade
casseroles
or sauces
prepared with
healthy ingredients.

PKD LIFE * SUMMER 2020

3

Add fruit,
such as berries or sliced
bananas or
peaches, to
unsweetened,
minimally processed cereal
(e.g., rolled
oats) or plain
low-fat yogurt.

4

Instead of
cakes and
cookies
for dessert,
satisfy your
sweet tooth
with fresh fruit
or fruit salad;
alternatively,
consider
baked fruits
(e.g., apples).

Have you
r
doctor ch
eck
t he monit
or
once a ye
ar to
make su
re t
readings he
are
accurate
.

5

Whip up a
smoothie
with both fruits
and vegetables,
such as one
that contains
one banana,
1 cup of spinach, ½ cup of
blueberries,
and 1 cup of
plain low-fat
yogurt or milk.

Drink Water Reminder
N Tracker not only takes
into account your sex and
weight to determine your
water needs, but it also
asks for the climate in
which you live.
My Water Balance uses
percentages to record your
H2O intake, with the goal
being 100% by the end of
the day. Inputting dehydrating liquids, such as
alcohol and coffee, will set
you back!
Aqualert rewards your
hydration efforts over
time with badges.
Meeting your water
goals for 13 days in
a row, for example, gets you the
Body Function
badge.
PKD Life - Summer 2020

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