It’s National Kidney Month

Hello, hello, and a belated welcome to National Kidney Month. This year, for a change, I decided to go to a non-medical site for a clear explanation of what this month is. The entire blog [except my introduction, of course.] is from National Today, a site committed to which celebrations are on which day[s]:

“March is dedicated to National Kidney Month. The kidneys, two bean-shaped organs located in the back of the abdomen, perform crucial functions to filter out toxins, produce red blood cells, and regulate pH. They filter about half a cup of blood every hour, creating urine from harmful and unnecessary waste.

When kidneys fail to function properly, waste builds up in the blood and leads to a weakened system and a host of problems like anemia, nerve damage, and high blood pressure. Chronic kidney disease(CKD) affects more than 1 in 7 American adults and is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH

National Kidney Month, observed every March, brings awareness to kidney health and encourages people to support kidney disease research and take steps to keep their own kidneys safe and healthy. 

Kidneys filter blood, make urine, and produce the red blood cells that carry oxygen through your body. These vital organs also control blood pressure and produce vitamin D to keep bones strong.

Malfunctioning kidneys can lead to painful kidney stones and infections that, left untreated, require a transplant. Some pre-existing conditions, like high blood pressure and diabetes, put you at increased risk for kidney disease. 

Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) affects almost 40 million American adults. In 2016, three-quarters of a million people in the U.S. required dialysis or a kidney transplant. Dialysis and kidney transplants, the only treatment options for severe kidney failure, are difficult, expensive, and not always available. Patients seeking new organs may not always get them in time to survive; in the U.S., twelve people die each day waiting for a kidney.

To prevent kidney disease, the National Kidney Foundation recommends taking proactive steps to keep your kidneys healthy and prevent the onset of CKD. You can protect your kidneys by managing high blood pressure, making healthy food and drink choices, and reducing stress. 

The National Kidney Foundation grew out of a mother’s determination to further research into treatment for kidney conditions. When her infant son was diagnosed with nephrosis, Ada DeBold started the Committee for Nephrosis Research to organize efforts to find treatments and connect patients and doctors. DeBold continued crusading for the organization, which eventually became the National Kidney Foundation. The Foundation conducts fundraising to support important research into the treatment and prevention of kidney disease.

NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH TIMELINE

1984

National Organ Transplant Act Passes

The NOTA establishes the National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which maintains an organ matching registry to address organ shortages and streamline the donation process.

1954

First Successful Kidney Transplant

The first successful kidney transplant is performed between two identical twins in Boston.

1943

Dialysis Invented

Dutch doctor Willem Kolff invents the ‘artificial kidney’ to clean the blood of kidney failure patients.

1902

Animal Experiments

The first successful kidney transplants in animals are performed at the Vienna Medical School.

NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH FAQS

What month is National Kidney Month?

National Kidney Month is observed annually during the month of March.

Is there a ribbon for kidney disease?

Kidney Disease Awareness is symbolized by the color green. Purchase green ribbons, green wristbands, or green magnets directly from a Kidney Disease Awareness non profit in order to help raise funds for treatments.

What are the symptoms of chronic kidney disease?

Symptoms include difficulty urinating or less urine, sweeping in the extremities, shortness of breath, nausea, and feeling cold and tired. If you experience chronic symptoms that you suspect are related to kidney function, consult your physician.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH

1. Join the organ donor registry

Most organ donations come from deceased people. Register to be an organ donor when you die and your healthy organs and tissue can save dozens of lives.

2. Donate to a kidney non-profit

Non-profit organizations do the important work of raising awareness about kidney disease, providing resources and assistance to patients, and connecting patients, doctors, and donors.

3. Be good to your kidneys

Are you keeping your kidneys healthy? Aim for a lower intake of sodium and sugars, more whole grains and low-fat dairy, and regular exercise to reduce your risk of kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other diseases.

5 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT KIDNEYS

1. You only need one kidney to live

Although you’re born with two kidneys, each of which have about 1.5 million blood-filtering units(nephrons), you only need about 300,000 nephrons to filter your blood properly.

2. Your kidneys are lopsided

The right kidney is slightly smaller and sits lower than the left to make room for another important organ, the liver.

3. You can drink too much water

This can cause a condition called hyponatremia, which, though not common, can damage the kidneys.

4. Sausage casing and orange juice cans

Willem Kolff, who invented the first artificial kidney that led to today’s dialysis technology, used sausage casings, orange juice cans, and a washing machine to create a rudimentary blood cleaning mechanism.

5. Climate change may increase kidney disease

As parts of the world get warmer, the dehydration that leads to kidney disease is likely to rise among manual laborers.

WHY NATIONAL KIDNEY MONTH IS IMPORTANT

1. It reminds us to be good to our bodies

Make sure you take care of your body and your vital internal organs so they can continue taking care of you.

2. It’s a chance to express gratitude for our health

If you have fully functional kidneys, be grateful! Take a minute to feel gratitude for all the internal organs that do the invisible, daily work of keeping us alive.

3. It shows that science is awesome

Just a few decades ago, kidney disease could mean a death sentence. Today, although it’s still a serious and frightening illness, we can often fight off kidney failure with dialysis and organ transplants.”

Many thanks to National Today  for their simple, straight forward explanation of National Kidney Month.

Until next week,

Keep living your life!

That Delicious All-American Italian Food: Pizza

Last night, my grandson had pizza for dinner along with his vegetables and fruit. We were facetiming with him during his dinner. So, then Bear wanted pizza for dinner. I hesitated. Wasn’t even good pizza junk food? And, therefore, not on the renal diet? Why isn’t it, I wondered because I like pizza, too. 

Pepperoni, Sausage, And Black Olive Thin Crust Pizza by Jennifer Bourn is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Verywellfit, a nutrition and exercise site, offers the following information about one slice of pizza: 

“The following nutrition information is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for one slice (107g) of regular cheese pizza from a standard fast-food pizza chain… 

• Calories: 285 

• Fat: 10.4g 
• Sodium: 640mg 
• Carbohydrates: 35.6g 
• Fiber: 2.5g 
• Sugars: 3.8g 

• Protein: 12.2g” 

Since we are chronic kidney disease patients, let’s start with the obvious. Yes, sodium. The Ontario Renal Network suggests 2000 mg. of sodium a day for us, but also suggests we speak with our nephrologists or dietitians for a more specific individualized number. For example, men are often permitted more sodium since they have larger bodies. But that, too, is a generalization. 

I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to eat only one slice of pizza. Two slices have 1,280 mg. of sodium. That’s already 60% of my sodium intake! Don’t forget I’ll be eating two other meals, a bedtime snack [I’m a diabetic] and have sides with my pizza. 

And protein? What about protein? The usual limitation for chronic kidney disease patients is five ounces. Again, this is a generalization. Your nephrologist or dietitian will be able to individualize the amount of protein you can safely have each day. Five ounces equals about 141,748 grams. Two slices of pizza – plain, cheese pizza – only has 24.4 grams of protein. But how many of you eat plain, cheese pizza? Bear adds meatballs, ham, bacon, Italian sausage, and pepperoni [No, I don’t eat any slices from his half.]. Add up the grams of protein. I’m pretty sure the add ons will either wipe out or greatly reduce the amount of protein you can have in your other meals the day you have pizza. 

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich on Pexels.com

As a diabetic, I need to limit my lunch and dinner carbohydrate intake to 45 grams per meal. Two slices of pizza equal a carbohydrate intake of 71.2 grams. Since the main thrust of the diabetes diet is to keep your blood sugar on a steady level, going that far over my carbohydrate limit for lunch or dinner is going to cause a blood glucose spike. For those of you who like cold pizza for breakfast [Who? Me?], the diabetic carbohydrate limit for breakfast is 30 grams. Even if you have only one slice, you’re already over your breakfast limit for carbohydrates. 

I don’t even want to start on sugar intake as a diabetic. In and of itself, the 7.6 grams of sugar in two slices of pizza is not necessarily a problem except that again – you have to eat two other meals and a snack. They, also, are going to contain sugar and you probably don’t know how much until you decide what to eat for that particular meal. Let’s remember what the Nation Kidney Foundation has to say about diabetes: 

“Over time, having high blood sugar from diabetes can cause damage inside your kidneys. As a result, they filter out some good things along with waste. As more damage happens, kidneys will have less function and waste builds up.” 

For those of you without diabetes or CKD, diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. Avoid it by all means.   

I would say the fiber is a good thing. It seems most of us don’t eat enough fiber. Too little fiber may lead to constipation. As DaVita puts it: 

“Many people with CKD don’t get enough fiber, because many fiber sources are too high in potassium and phosphorus [Gail here: These are two electrolytes that are also limited on the renal diet]. Increasing your fiber intake, [sic] can cause gas, bloating and cramps.” 

DaVita, a CKD education and dialysis company, has a good list of foods that both contain fiber and are on the kidney diet. 

Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com

As for fat, I wasn’t too sure about what role that plays in your diet, so I turned to the American Kidney Fund for help: 

“Fat gives you energy and helps you use some of the vitamins in your food. You need some fat in your eating plan to stay healthy. Too much fat can lead to weight gain and heart disease. Limit fat in your meal plan, and choose healthier fats when you can, such as olive oil.” 

But then there’s more on the plus side of fat: 

“When we first look at a pizza, it might appear to be high in fat content. Again, research has shown that the fat content of most pizza rarely exceeds the 10% level. Compare this to a piece of steak with upwards of 20% fat, and you begin to realize just how good pizza really is. On top of all this, because vegetable oil, olive oil, and oil-based shortenings are commonly used in the crust formulation, pizza and pizza products (calzone, stromboli, and bread sticks) are good sources of polyunsaturated fat, with only modest cholesterol contributions (through meat and cheese toppings) to the diet.” 

Thank you to PMA Pizza Media, a pizza trade vehicle, for the above information. 

And finally, the caloric intake, which is a whopping 570 calories [about 46 minutes of running for goodness sake!] for two slices. Your calorie intake limitation for CKD is highly individualized, so let’s make things easy and use my 1350 to 1450 restriction. Should I eat those two slices of delicious cheese pizza [which would really be a vegetable pizza for me raising the number of calories even more], I have just eaten almost half of my caloric intake for the day. Do I – or you – really love pizza that much? I have to admit I do, although I don’t have pizza too often. 

This was fun, taking pizza apart and then putting it back together again. I suspect you’ll find another blog dealing with what is usually considered sort of a junk food soon. I’ve got to admit I’m not so sure this is a junk food anymore. 

Until next week, 

Keep living your life! 

What’s Your Superpower?

Last week, I mentioned that my renal/diabetes dietician had suggested Magic Spoon cereal since it’s low carbohydrate. I didn’t care for it. Marc Hernandez of Uhling Consulting was surprised, since he and his family really liked it. We tried to figure out why I didn’t. Then Marc hit on something. Maybe I was a super taster. Oh goody, a new concept for me. 

Let’s get a definition for super taster before we go any further. According to Healthline, a super taster is 

“… a person who tastes certain flavors and foods more strongly than other people.” 

Well, that’s obvious. We need more. And that’s what I discovered on LiveScience: 

“… The tally of little mushroom-shaped projections on the tongue, called fungiform papillae, reveals a person’s tasting prowess or deficit.  

Nestled within the walls of these tiny bumps are our taste receptors, called taste buds, which register the five currently recognized tastes: bitterness, saltiness, sourness, sweetness and umami (savoriness). Touch receptors in the fungiform papillae also help us ‘feel’ our food’s texture and temperature.  

The application of blue food coloring makes the papillae easier to count. In a 6-millimeter diameter circle, which is ‘about the size of a hole punch,’ Bartoshuk said, supertasters can have as many as 60 fungiform papillae packed into the small space; nontasters can have as few as five.” 

Wait, there’s more information from the discoverer and coiner of the term super tasters from CBC Radio:  

“In Bartoshuk’s research, she found that 25 per cent of people are incredibly sensitive to a bitter tasting chemical known as 6-n-propylthiouracil, or PROP. Another 25 per cent, deemed non-tasters, can’t detect PROP at all, she says, while the remaining 50 per cent are considered average tasters. 

While affixing super to anything sounds great, being a supertaster can actually be quite difficult, says Bartoshuk, who coined the terms supertaster and non-taster. 

Supertasters are differentially more sensitive to bitter. Having more tastebuds means there are also more pain receptors, and that’s why supertasters often can’t handle spicy foods and generally avoid anything bitter. As a result, they are often seen as picky eaters. 

However, their aversion to bitterness is evolutionary, says Bartoshuk. 

‘Supertasters are differentially more sensitive to bitter’ than the average person. 

Bartoshuk says there are 25 different bitter genes expressing 25 different bitter receptors. 

‘Why would nature do that? Because bitter is our poison detection system.’” 

So, do I feel honored or cursed to possibly be a super taster? I think I need more information. 

Wow! While more testing is needed, I found this article on National Geographic encouraging: 

“Henry Barham, a rhinologist at the Baton Rouge General Medical Center, in Louisiana, published a study in the medical journal JAMA Network Open on May 25 that analyzed nearly 2,000 patients and found that ‘supertasters’—individuals who are overly sensitive to some bitter compounds—were less likely to test positive for the virus. If this association holds true, it implies, for example, that people who don’t find broccoli too bitter are in a higher risk group for severe COVID-19. 

‘This is a very interesting study that suggests that receptors on our tongue that allow us to sense bitter flavors are also linked to our vulnerability to respiratory infections like COVID-19,’ says David Aronoff, director of the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tennessee, who was not involved with this research. That taste receptors may also be involved with immunity is surprising, he says…. 

According to Aronoff, the study has limitations. The relatively small number of adults examined were in a fairly narrow age range, so it’s not known whether the correlation between taste preferences and COVID-19 severity exists in children or the elderly. In addition, he says, the population studied may differ in unknown ways that influenced the results.” 

Hmmm, and that has to do with the renal diet or diabetes how? Back to Healthline for the answer: 

“Pros of being a supertaster: 

May weigh less than average or non-tasters. That’s because supertasters often avoid sugary, fatty foods that are often packed with calories. These flavors can be too overwhelming and unenjoyable, just like bitter flavors. 

Are less likely to drink and smoke. The bittersweet flavors of beer and alcohol are often too bitter for supertasters. Plus, the flavor of smoke and tobacco can be too harsh, too.  

Cons of being a supertaster 

Eat few healthy vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower, are very healthy. Supertasters often avoid them, however, because of their bitter flavors. This can lead to vitamin deficiencies. 

May be at a higher risk for colon cancer. The cruciferous vegetables they can’t tolerate are important for digestive health and helping lower the risk of certain cancers. People who don’t eat them may have more colon polyps and higher cancer risks. 

May have an increased risk for heart disease. Salt masks bitter flavors, so supertasters tend to use it on many foods. Too much salt, however, can cause health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. 

May be picky eaters. Foods that are too bitter just aren’t pleasant. That limits the number of foods many supertasters will eat.” 

Here are some reminders to help you see the connections.  

Pros: 

Obesity can lead to diabetes. Smoking and drinking can hasten your CKD. 

Cons: 

SALT! The bane of CKD. Also, being picky means you may not be fulfilling your nutritional needs and, instead filling up on foods that will only worsen your CKD and/or diabetes. 

After all this researching, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am not among the 25% of the population that are super tasters. Nor am I part of the 25% of non-tasters. Yep, I’m part of the 50% of average tasters. I just happen not to care for the taste of Magic Spoon. Again, that doesn’t mean you won’t. After all, Marc and his family like it. 

Until next week, 

Keep living your life! 

How Sweet We Need It

I had an odd experience just the other day. While Bear was having a procedure on his poor back, I was in the waiting room. You know how it is; after a while, people start to talk to each other… even though we were six feet apart and masked. The woman across from me mentioned to her granddaughter that her blood sugar was crashing. I overheard and offered her some glucose tablets that I always carry with me in case my own blood glucose crashes. She was glad I offered, but told me she used Advocate Glucose SOS. She saw the perplexed look on my face and handed over a packet for me to try.

That got me to thinking. Maybe there were other products for low blood sugar [Notice I’m using glucose and sugar interchangeably.] that I knew nothing about. Time to explore.

First let me remind you that diabetes is the foremost cause of chronic kidney disease. That’s why I write about it sometimes… like today. Then I’d like to tell you about what I was using. Years ago, when I was pre-diabetic, a diabetes educator recommended CVS Health Glucose Tablets which were only $1.99 for 10 tablets. That worked for me since CVS was our local pharmacy, so I never explored anything else. They came in several flavors. I remember strawberry and orange. They were gluten, sodium, and fat free, although there was not only natural but also artificial flavoring. There were only four grams of carbohydrate and, of course, it was fast acting. Such products are only used if you can’t get to food that will raise your blood sugar.

I know, I know. You’re asking yourself what’s the big deal about low blood glucose. The NIDDK defines it for us:

“ Low blood glucose, also called low blood sugar or hypoglycemia [Gail here: another synonym], occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is healthy for you. For many people with diabetes, this means a blood glucose reading lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) …. Your number might be different, so check with your doctor or health care team to find out what blood glucose level is low for you.”   

So? Why is this a big deal for diabetics? Healthline explains:

“Insufficient blood sugar levels can cause a rapid heartbeat and heart palpitations. However, even if you have diabetes, you may not always have obvious symptoms of low blood sugar. This is a potentially dangerous condition called hypoglycemia unawareness. It happens when you experience low blood sugar so often that it changes your body’s response to it.

Normally, low blood sugar causes your body to release stress hormones, such as epinephrine. Epinephrine is responsible for those early warning signs, like hunger and shakiness.

When low blood sugar happens too frequently, your body may stop releasing stress hormones, called hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure, or HAAF. That’s why it’s so important to check your blood sugar levels often.”

This is more serious than I realized. Let’s take a look at the product the lady in the waiting room used. All I got from their website is that it comes in four favors: green apple crisp, original sweet & tangy, fruit medley, and Kiwi-strawberry, and that it costs $10.99 for 6 packets. The packet itself gave me more information. What I liked is that there are “No artificial ingredients, colors, or flavors. Sodium and preservation free, caffeine and gluten free.” It has 15 grams of carbohydrate per serving, which is what is usually recommended to raise your blood glucose. Nuts! It contains tricalcium phosphate, a form of phosphorous. Some of us with CKD need to limit our phosphorous.

I want to make it clear I am not endorsing these products, just letting you know of their existence. After all, I’ve only tried the CVS product.

WebMD tells us what to do if you have low blood sugar:

“First, eat or drink 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate, such as:

• Three to four glucose tablets
• One tube of glucose gel
• Four to six pieces of hard candy (not sugar-free)
• 1/2 cup fruit juice
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup soft drink (not sugar-free)
• 1 tablespoon honey (put it under your tongue so it gets absorbed into your bloodstream faster)

Fifteen minutes after you’ve eaten a food with sugar in it, check your blood sugar again. If your blood sugar is still less than 70 mg/dL, eat another serving of one of the foods listed above. Repeat these steps until your sugar becomes normal.”

Aha! They recommend the products we’re learning about today as well as certain foods. My diabetes/CKD nutritionist likes orange juice to raise my blood glucose, but realizes I cannot always get it if I’m not home. That’s why I carry a product with me at all times. I cringe at thinking of what might happen if I didn’t have it in the car or my purse and had low blood glucose while I was driving.

Let’s look at one more product. Amazon has Rite Aid glucose gummies in assorted fruit flavors. You get 60 pectin gummies for $7.28, but each is only two grams of carbohydrate. It might be fun. They remind me of candy. They’re vegetarian, but aren’t all blood glucose products? I really don’t know, but it makes sense that they would be.

There are a myriad of low blood sugar products available. While this was a surprise to me, it allows diabetics great choice.

Why shouldn’t we ignore low blood glucose, I wondered. The American Diabetes Association had the answer… and it wasn’t pretty.

“If the blood sugar glucose continues to drop, the brain does not get enough glucose and stops functioning as it should. This can lead to blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, slurred speech, numbness, and drowsiness. If blood glucose stays low for too long, starving the brain of glucose, it may lead to seizures, coma, and very rarely death.”

Okay then. Those of us with diabetes, let’s pay attention to our blood glucose levels.

Until next week,

Keep living your life!

It’s All Connected

With Mother’s Day last month and Father’s Day this month, I’ve been thinking about family a lot. Basically, I’ve been wondering if there are any oblique links to chronic kidney disease for any members of my family. As I ruminated, one link popped up. One of my daughters has PCOS… and has recently been diagnosed with diabetes… which we know is the primary cause of CKD. Uh-oh. 

Photo by Klaus Nielsen on Pexels.com

Let’s see how this all works. We know that CKD is the progressive decline of your kidney function for at least three months. We know that diabetes is either not producing insulin, which is type 1, or being unable to make use of the insulin you do produce, which is type 2. By the way, I’m type 2 but that was diagnosed many years after the ckd was diagnosed for me. CKD is also a prime cause of diabetes. It works both ways: CKD can cause diabetes and diabetes can cause CKD.  

And PCOS? Each time, my daughter tells me about it I have to ask, “Uh, what is that again?” PCOS is polycystic ovary syndrome. Big help, huh? Thank goodness for a more thorough answer from my old buddy TheMayoClinic: 

“Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs. 

The exact cause of PCOS is unknown. Early diagnosis and treatment along with weight loss may reduce the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.” 

I wondered if my daughter knew something was amiss or if her doctor picked this up, so I did the usual – looked up the symptoms. I found John Hopkins Medicine the most helpful source for this information: 

“The symptoms of PCOS may include: 

Missed periods, irregular periods, or very light periods 

Ovaries that are large or have many cysts 

Excess body hair, including the chest, stomach, and back (hirsutism) 

Weight gain, especially around the belly (abdomen) 

Acne or oily skin 

Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair 

Infertility  

Small pieces of excess skin on the neck or armpits (skin tags) 

Dark or thick skin patches on the back of the neck, in the armpits, and under the breasts” 

Wait a minute. This is not that clear. Where does the insulin part of PCOS come in? That’s what is responsible for diabetes and diabetes is the foremost cause of CKD. Webmd explains: 

“Your body makes hormones to make different things happen. Some affect your menstrual cycle and are tied to your ability to have a baby. The hormones that play a role in PCOS include: 

Androgens. They’re often called male hormones, but women have them, too. Women with PCOS tend to have higher levels. 

Insulin. This hormone manages your blood sugar. If you have PCOS, your body might not react to insulin the way it should. 

Progesterone. With PCOS, your body may not have enough of this hormone. You might miss your periods for a long time or have trouble predicting when they’ll come.” 

Aha! So PCOS interferes with your insulin… which is practically the definition of insulin. MedicalNewsToday confirms this in describing the three major types of diabetes: 

“Type I diabetes: Also known as juvenile diabetes, this type occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. People with type I diabetes are insulin-dependent, which means they must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive. 

Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes affects the way the body uses insulin. While the body still makes insulin, unlike in type I, the cells in the body do not respond to it as effectively as they once did. This is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and it has strong links with obesity. 

Gestational diabetes: This type occurs in women during pregnancy when the body can become less sensitive to insulin. Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually resolves after giving birth.” 

Let’s move on to how diabetes can cause CKD, just in case you’ve forgotten. The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is of service here: 

“High blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can damage the blood vessels in your kidneys. When the blood vessels are damaged, they don’t work as well. Many people with diabetes also develop high blood pressure, which can also damage your kidneys….” 

Remember, it’s your insulin that controls the amount of blood glucose you have. Without producing insulin or if your body doesn’t respond well to insulin, you have diabetes. If you have diabetes your kidneys’ blood vessels may be damaged and you may ‘develop high blood pressure,’ which is a major cause of CKD. 

High blood pressure is actually the second most likely cause of CKD. So, it seems that PCOS can lead to diabetes which may lead to high blood pressure, the latter two both major causes of CKD. It seems to me that I noticed cardiovascular risk can also be associated with PCOS. VeryWellHealth makes it clear how this happens: 

“Having PCOS increases a woman’s chances of getting heart-related complications. 

This is due to the higher levels of insulin that have been associated with PCOS and are known to increase one’s risk for elevated triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), high cholesterol, blood pressure, and atherosclerosis. These conditions can increase your risk for a heart attack and stroke.” 

I wonder if you’ve realized that CKD can also cause heart problems. The Kidney Fund clarifies: 

“The heart and the kidneys work closely together. When there is a problem with one, things can go wrong in the other. Heart disease can cause CKD, and CKD can also cause heart disease. 

When you have heart disease, your heart may not pump blood in the right way. Your heart may become too full of blood. This causes pressure to build in the main vein connected to your kidneys, which may lead to a blockage and a reduced supply of oxygen rich blood to the kidneys. This can lead to kidney disease. 

When the kidneys are not working well, your hormone system, which regulates blood pressure, has to work harder to increase blood supply to the kidneys. When this happens, your heart has to pump harder, which can lead to heart disease.”  

It is all connected. PCOS to diabetes to CKD to heart problems. Before you start to worry, it doesn’t have to be like that. Take care of yourself and prevent the diseases if you can. 

Until next week, 

Keep living your life!