If you have been diagnosed with kidney disease, there are steps you can take to stay healthy and ultimately delay kidney failure. One way to be at your best is to change what and how you eat. This may help you to keep your kidneys working and to delay treatment for kidney failure. If you already have kidney failure, these changes will help you to feel better, have better treatments, and will help your body get the nutrients it needs. It can be helpful to learn how what you eat affects many different health issues.

You can ask your doctor for more information about diet and nutrition or ask to be referred to a dietitian. A dietitian or nutritionist is an expert in the field of nutrition and knows how food affects our health and how it can help manage diseases. If you are on Medicare, you may qualify for Medical Nutrition Therapy (nutrition services) if it is prescribed by your physician. A number of private insurance companies also provide coverage for nutrition services.  

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