As a naturopathic doctor with a practice focusing on kidney health, I am often called upon by other holistic practitioners to collaborate with the renal issues of their patients care. The first question most practitioners have is– ‘Does the patient actually have a kidney issue?’ There can often be a fine line between a healthy […]
Klotho, the Super-antioxidant you’ve never heard of.
Klotho is a renal protein antioxidant found in mammals that was first identified in 1997. When there was a defect in expression of the gene for Klotho, lab animals aged quickly and died prematurely. Overexpression of the Klotho gene resulted in lab animals living unexpectedly long lives. Destruction of the Klotho gene in mice resulted […]
What Exactly is eGFR?
By Dr. Jenna Henderson Many kidney patients like to stay on top of their lab values, as these numbers reflect what is going on in their bodies. Understanding these lab values can often be tricky and it’s not always clear to the patient the ramifications of each number. This article is going to look at […]
Uremia and Inflammation
Article published in The Townsend Letter, June 2020 The views expressed in this article are not The Townsend Letter’s, they are those of the author. This article is not intended to be viewed as medical advice. Please check with your health care provider before starting to take any herbal supplements. It has long been known […]
Moving to Home Hemodialysis
Article published in The Hope, March 2020 The views expressed in this article are not The Hopes or its sponsor Kibow® Biotech, they are those of the author. This article is not intended to be viewed as medical advice. Please check with your health care provider before starting to take any herbal supplements. My nephrologist […]
Myth Busting Common Misconceptions of Kidney Disease
Article published in The Townsend Letter June 2018 The kidneys may well be the most misunderstood of all the major organs. Patients often fail to grasp the seriousness of their condition and without a proper understanding, cannot take appropriate steps to ameliorate their condition. Part of the reason for this is the very nature of […]
Cardiac Health and the Kidneys
Cardiovascular health and renal health go hand in hand with considerable overlap of confounding conditions including advancing age, hypertension, obesity and uncontrolled blood sugar. It has long been recognized that the number one cause of mortality in renal patients is not renal failure but secondary heart disease.1 Among patients with CHF estimates of renal disease […]
Inflammation and the Kidneys
Inflammatory conditions of the kidneys can present many challenges whether part of a systemic condition like lupus or a condition specific to the kidney such as IgA nephropathy or Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). These conditions are often resistant to treatment and require long term strategies and lifestyle changes to manage. While many patients will quickly […]
Kidney Skin Detox
Patients with chronic kidney disease are looking for a way to boost kidney function, and those with late stage kidney disease hope to stave off the need for dialysis or a transplant. Even healthy individuals who wish to improve their kidney look to herbal diuretics sold as detox products, to temporarily boost kidney output. Although […]
Proton Pump Inhibitors Associated With Chronic Kidney Disease
based on a study by Lazarus B, Chen Y, Wilson F, et al. Proton pump inhibitor use and the risk of chronic kidney disease. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(2):238-246. Published in Natural Health Journal Widely prescribed medications for stomach upset are not risk-free The use of proton pump inhibitors was once thought to be relatively harmless, […]