ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 2, 2018 – To help patients better manage the imbalance of phosphorus that can occur with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) unveiled a new series of videos with step-by-step recipes patients can follow to prepare simple, tasty low-phosphorus foods at home.
Funded by Keryx Biopharmaceuticals through an unrestricted medical education grant, the videos feature chef and culinary instructor Joel Schaefer, an expert in designing meal plans for specialized diets and founder of Your Allergy Chefs. Chef Joel emphasizes the importance of reduced phosphorus in the diet for kidney patients and provides instructions for low-phosphorus snacks, three chicken entrees and foods with an international flair—risotto, stir-fry and couscous. Recipes for each dish are provided on the webpage for each category.
“Patients tell us they struggle with finding recipes that taste good, are easy to prepare, and also meet their strict dietary requirements,” said LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund. “Our new chef videos are part of our broader phosphorus education program that provides important information to help patients live well with kidney disease.”
The new videos complement an existing video series, also funded by Keryx, in which a dietitian explains phosphorus and kidney disease, provides guidance for grocery shopping, and gives tips for eating out in restaurants while following a low-phosphorus diet.
In patients with advanced chronic kidney disease, the kidneys are unable to clear excess phosphorus from the blood. The rate of hyperphosphatemia in these patients is extremely high—at least 70 percent—and almost all dialysis patients experience hyperphosphatemia at some time. Hyperphosphatemia is a dangerous condition that is associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and vascular calcification, and can cause the bones to become weak and brittle. A diet that limits phosphorus is an essential component of the treatment for advanced kidney disease and kidney failure.
Additional information about the connection between high phosphorus and bone disease can be found on AKF’s website and in an infographic, “How your kidneys keep your bones healthy.”