Hospital Affiliations | Texas Kidney Center

FIRST COLONY

1447 Hwy6, Ste 140

Sugar Land, TX 77478

281-494-1465 (p)

281-494-1484 (f)

GREATWOOD

20333 Southwest Freeway, Ste 105

Sugar Land, TX 77479

281-545-1470 (p)

281-545-1839 (f)

NORTHSTAR

380 W. Little York

Houston, TX 77076

281-448-4506 (p)

281-448-4376 (f)

OMNI

9350 Kirby Dr, Ste 100

Houston, TX 77054

713-665-4747 (p)

713-665-3557 (f)

SOUTHWEST

9980 W Sam Houston Pkwy S, Ste 100

Houston, TX 77099

281-530-1905 (p)

281-530-1590 (f)

QUALITY DIALYSIS

13311 Pike Road

Stafford, Texas 77477

281-491-4009 (p)

281-491-4024 (f)

The kidneys have many functions that help us lead healthy lives. Several of the functions that the kidney performs are:

· Maintenance of fluid balance

· Maintenance of various ion concentrations

· Regulation of blood composition.

· Removal of wastes from the body (urea, ammonia, drugs, toxic substances).

· Regulation of the blood pH.

· Adjustment of blood pressure.

· Production of red blood cells.

· Regulation of the body's bone metabolism.

Kidney disease often presents without any signs and symptoms and can go sometimes go unattended until it is picked up incidentally by a blood or urine test. Sometimes, increased weight gain, swelling of the legs, abdomen, and face, or shortness of breath may be a sign that something is wrong with your kidneys. Occasionally, changes in the pattern of urination may prompt medical attention. Fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, changes in skin appearance, change in taste, sleeping problems, and new onset high blood pressure may all be signs of kidney problems. Blood in the urine, a change in the appearance of the urine, or flank pain are also signs and symptoms that warrant a kidney evaluation.

Your primary care physician may refer you to a nephrologist after an evaluation of your blood and urine tests, particularly if you have diabetes or hypertension.

If you have a family history of kidney disease, you may wish to seek evaluation by a nephrologist to determine if you are at risk.

Many chronic medical conditions impact the kidneys and a renal consultation can help guide appropriate therapy.

Difficulty with blood pressure control, nutritional guidance for kidney stone problems, or the development of any of the above signs and symptoms are all appropriate reasons for seeking a consultation with a kidney doctor.

Finally, any person who wishes to gain awareness of their kidney health may want to consult with a nephrologist.

Healthy Lifestyle Eating Guidelines When it comes to diet, think of what the primitive man ate. If the food item has been around for thousands of years, it is okay to eat. If it is a modern day creation, it is probably created in a lab and has ingredients that are impossible to pronounce and probably not so good for you.

1. Avoid eating out as much as possible. Any home cooked meal is 100 times better than a restaurant cooked meal. If you think you are getting the healthy option at a restaurant, there is no such thing. In primitive times, man had to hunt and gather for food. Now all we have to do is stop by our local grocery store. The least we can do is spend sometime to cook our meal. Our social lives should not revolve around food. However, our home lives should involve the kitchen.

2. Use all fresh ingredients. fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh herbs. Do not use powdered or dried herbs, much of these are prepared with preservatives as a filler. Avoid canned ingredients, i.e. tomatoes, beans, broths, corn, etc.

3. Avoid sodas, shelf juices, powdered drinks. These are full of high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, sodium, acid and made in a laboratory.

4. If you want salt, use it in moderation. Do not mess with salt substitutes. Salt is a naturally occurring element and is found in all naturally occurring food products. There is nothing wrong with adding a little salt to flavor our foods. In fact, avoidance of salt results in thyroid problems. The problem is when salt is used as preservative as in canned, bottled, and packaged foods.

5. Avoid laboratory creations of naturally occurring foods. Sweet and Low, Equal, Splenda, Egg beaters, etc.

6. Limit your intake of red meat. Increase your intake of fish and alternate sources of protein, i.e., beans, lentils, nuts

7. Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid spoiling their benefits with the addition of dressings and dips.

8. All foods are best in their natural forms. Avoid the items if there was additional step to alter them, i.e, decaffeinating tea and coffee, fat free yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc.

9. Avoid canned foods, frozen entrees, bottled dressings. If you read the labels, you will see too many ingredients you cannot pronounce.

10. Everything in moderation. combine your healthy eating habits with the addition of exercise. Remember our bodies are created to move!

When it comes to diet, think of what the primitive man ate. If the food item has been around for thousands of years, it is okay to eat. If it is a modern day creation, it is probably created in a lab and has ingredients that are impossible to pronounce and probably not so good for you.

Avoid eating out as much as possible. Any home cooked meal is 100 times better than a restaurant cooked meal. If you think you are getting the healthy option at a restaurant, there is no such thing. In primitive times, man had to hunt and gather for food. Now all we have to do is stop by our local grocery store. The least we can do is spend sometime to cook our meal. Our social lives should not revolve around food. However, our home lives should involve the kitchen.
Use all fresh ingredients. fresh garlic, fresh ginger, fresh herbs. Do not use powdered or dried herbs, much of these are prepared with preservatives as a filler. Avoid canned ingredients, i.e. tomatoes, beans, broths, corn, etc.
Avoid sodas, shelf juices, powdered drinks. These are full of high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, sodium, acid and made in a laboratory.
If you want salt, use it in moderation. Do not mess with salt substitutes. Salt is a naturally occurring element and is found in all naturally occurring food products. There is nothing wrong with adding a little salt to flavor our foods. In fact, avoidance of salt results in thyroid problems. The problem is when salt is used as preservative as in canned, bottled, and packaged foods.
Avoid laboratory creations of naturally occurring foods. Sweet and Low, Equal, Splenda, Egg beaters, etc.
Limit your intake of red meat. Increase your intake of fish and alternate sources of protein, i.e., beans, lentils, nuts
Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid spoiling their benefits with the addition of dressings and dips.
All foods are best in their natural forms. Avoid the items if there was additional step to alter them, i.e, decaffeinating tea and coffee, fat free yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, etc
Avoid canned foods, frozen entrees, bottled dressings. If you read the labels, you will see too many ingredients you cannot pronounce.
Everything in moderation. combine your healthy eating habits with the addition of exercise. Remember our bodies are created to move!

What is stress?

Stress is anything that can upset or disturb your equilibrium or balance. Stress can be physiological (infection, injury, disease), or psychological (anxiety, argument, conflict, threats to personal safety or well-being). Living with a chronic illness, such as kidney disease, or learning for the first time that you have a chronic illness can be a significant source of stress. Psychological stress is something that we contend with every day. It can be a result of positive life events, such as marriage and children, or it can come from more emotionally challenging events, such as the loss of a loved one, divorce and personal or financial problems. Stress is normal, and your physical response to stress, including faster breathing and heart rate, a spike in blood pressure, dilated pupils, tense muscles, is a natural and normal process. The levels of fats and sugars in your blood can also increase. The body’s response to stress is commonly known as “fight or flight.” Although it is a natural process to help us survive immediate dangers, these reactions from too much or constant stress can eventually take their toll on your health.

How can stress impact my health and kidneys?

Not only does your body’s reaction to stress help you with immediate dangers or crises, it can also serve as a positive motivator while handling life’s challenges–when channeled properly. However, when your body is under high levels of stress for sustained periods of time, these physical reactions, if left unchecked, can eventually harm your health. The combined impacts of increased blood pressure, faster heart rate, and higher fats and sugar in your blood can contribute to a number of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease (also known as cardiovascular disease). Stress and uncontrolled reactions to stress can also lead to kidney damage. As the blood filtering units of your body, your kidneys can be prone to circulation problems. High blood pressure and high blood sugar can place an additional strain or burden on your kidneys. If you already have heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease, then the body’s reactions to stress can become more and more dangerous. Therefore, managing stress is an important part of maintaining your overall health. Just as uncontrolled reactions to stress can raise blood pressure and heart rate, managing your reaction to the stress can lower blood pressure and heart rate.

What can I do to manage my stress?

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to completely get rid of stress, or to never have any physical reactions to stress. However, there are steps you can take to manage stress and help control your body’s response to stress. Some simple ways to reduce stress include:

• Eat healthier foods

• Limit salt and caffeine (especially if you have high blood pressure)

• Limit sugar (especially if you have diabetes), and fats (especially if you are at risk for heart and blood vessel disease)

• Set aside time to relax

• Practice yoga or take up meditation

• Don’t ignore your feeling or keep them bottled up inside

• Find a prayer group

• Talk to a friend, loved one, spiritual leader, or healthcare professional

• Journal

• Set realistic goals and expectations and give yourself a pat on the back for every small step forward

• Get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep schedule

• Maintain a positive attitude and outlook

• Take a vacation

• Regular exercise and more physical activity

• Spend time outdoors in nature

• Laugh

• Dance

• Drink chamomile tea

• Try aromatherapy with lavender oil

• Listen to soothing music

• Breathe deeply and take the time to exhale

• Turn off the news particularly at night right before going to bed. In fact, get that TV out of your bedroom

• Limit your computer time to give your eyes a rest

• Don’t dwell on the past or obsess about the future

• Let things go

• Forgive and forget

• When the situation gets particularly bad, just remember, this too shall pass…

This list does not include all of the ways you can manage stress. Improvements in diet and more physical activity are things everyone should attempt. Talk to a healthcare professional to discuss which dietary and lifestyle changes might be best for you. Other methods to manage stress will depend on your personal preferences. You might prefer music, while someone else prefers a relaxation technique or massage. No matter the technique, managing your stress can help you feel better and live a healthier life.

Guidelines for Healthy Exercising Exercise or movement of our bodies is an essential part of healthy living and well-being. If done properly, exercise not only helps impart physical benefits, but also provides benefits for our minds, hearts, and spirits. Physically, a well-balanced routine aims to improve circulation of blood throughout our body, allowing for much needed oxygen delivery to our vital organs and efficiency in the elimination of toxins. Mentally, a consistent exercise routine allows us to find our sense of self-awareness, enhance our ability to manage stress, and eventually gain freedom of our spirit.

Exercise doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. You don’t have to spend hours in a gymor thousands of dollars on exercise equipment. Even just a few minutes of well-intentioned consistent physical activity can have a positive effect on your mental and emotional health. Whatever your age or fitness level—even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life before— find simple, fun ways to add more movement into your life and start noticing the differences in the way you feel, look, and live.

1. Set a positive intention. Exercising with intention changes the vibrations of your activity from mindless to mindful. Any activity done mindfully allows you toincrease your sense of self-awareness and channel your potential for the highest good. If your preference is to transform a daily chore into texercise (i.e. gardening, walking up a set of stairs at work, housecleaning), designate it with an intention.That simple act can alter the entire outcome of the activity. Exercise generates a tremendous amount of energy, and the intention that it is done with can make a significant impact.I believe that when I exercise, I not only help myself, but also the world around me. For example, at the start of my outdoor run, I ask the universe to harness the energy I will generateand use it for the greater good of mankind. 2.

Be consistent as much as possible.Even five minutes of some form of dedicated daily physical activity is better thanone hour here and there. We often procrastinate, waiting for that perfect moment where we can set aside an hour to exercise.Sometimes, it never comes. Instead, if you do a little each day, finding the time to exercise becomes less overwhelming, much more manageable, and the minutes surprisingly add up. It is understandable that some days are just plain rough-even for 5 minutes of exercise. In that case, make sure that the entire week does not go by where you have not doneat least something. Stop and dedicate 5 minutes of time for exercise.Otherwise, you will dig yourself into adeep hole.

3. Choose an appropriate time of day.The best times of the day to exercise are early morning and early evening. According to Ayurvedic medicine, exercising during the middle of the day is not recommended and can aggravate certain medical conditions. On the other hand, a brisk, evening walk after dinner can help with blood sugar regulation. Do not engage in overly stimulating exercises at the end of the day-it may become difficult to sleep at night. As much as possible, incorporate a pleasant, natural environment into your exercise routine.

4. Don’t over exert yourself. Exercising done to the point of discomfort is counterproductive. Over-exercising can interfere with your metabolism. If you are feeling fatigued and in need of painkillers after your exercise routine, you are causing yourself a great deal of unnecessary stress and increasing the wear and tear on your body. The purpose of exercise is to elevate you, leaving you with a heightened sense of well-being. A rule of thumb is to exercise at 50% of your capacity, the point at which light sweat appears along your brow line As long as you continue to exercise consistently, your exercise capacity will naturally increase. This way exercising is enjoyable, and burnout or injuries will be limited. When you exercise within your capacity, you provide much needed nourishmentto your organs, process accumulated stress, and enhance your sense of emotionalwell-being.

5. Know your body type and what type of exercise is most suitable for you. Not every sport or exercise routine is right for everyone. What is enjoyable for one person may not be appropriate for you. Do not feel pressured or discouraged. Find what works for you.Pay heed to your body and it will guide you towards your optimum exercise type and level.

6. Stay well-hydrated with appropriate fluids. Exercising when dehydrated can cause muscle breakdown, cramps, and additional stress on the body. Water with lemon and a pinch of mineral salt can counteract acidthat has accumulated during exercise as well asreplenish electrolytes lost due to sweat. Do not hydrate withcaffeinated teas, sodas, coffee, or protein shakes.

7. Balance your routine. Incorporate both cardiovascular, strength building, and flexibility exercises into your routine. Limiting one’s self to cardiovascular exercise without the appropriate attention to maintaining muscle strength and flexibility is a surefire way of getting injured and developing muscle atrophy. Yoga is an excellent form of exercise that is cardiovascular as well as strength building.

8. Stay away from caffeine containing beverages before and after your routine.Many sports supplements contain caffeine. While there is a plethora of literature on exercise physiology that supports caffeine intake and enhanced endurance, my experiencetells me otherwise. I firmly believe that caffeine enhanced sports products are harmful to your health. In my opinion, if you are having to support your body’s needs by using energy drinks, sports gels, protein powders, and other artificial supplements, it might be time to reassess your exercise goals and realign your routine so that itsupports your true nature in a more harmonious way.

9. Breathe properly. Allow your breath to be your focus. Take slow, deep abdominal breaths through your nose to calm your mind and enhanceyour endurance during exercise. To get the benefits from exercise without the side effects, exercise only as long as you can breathe normally through the nose. When you begin to feel yourself pushing beyond your zone of comfort or having to breathe through your mouth, slow down and walk until you can resume again without straining. Over time, as your body regulates itself, you will be able to exercise for longer periods with comfort. Attention to the cycle of inhalation and exhalation during exercise will assist with providing nourishment where necessary and releasing toxins and eliminating waste products as needed. In this way, you will feel cleansed, calm, alert, and revitalized after exercising.

10. Have fun and show gratitude for allowing yourself the time to exercise. Do not think of exercise only as the means to another goal such as attaining an ideal weight or being able to compete in an athletic event. Exercise becausein itself it is a healthy activity when done properly. Enjoy it for its own sakeand you will find that the results will work themselves out for your highest good. Instead of seeking diversion in the form of televisionor a magazine while exercising, focus on your breath, turning your physical activity into a form of meditation. Your positive and undivided attention to your work-out will add to the therapeutic benefits of the practice itself. At the end of yourroutine, thank yourself and the world around you for allowing you the time and ability to exercise.