Cooking low-phosphorus foods at home: American Kidney Fund's new chef videos feature step-by-step recipes for healthy, kidney-friendly foods

ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To help patients better manage the imbalance of phosphorus that can occur with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund (AKF) today 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."

About the American Kidney Fund
As the nation's leading independent nonprofit working on behalf of the 30 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nation's charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its "top 10" list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar, and GuideStar, which has awarded AKF its Platinum Seal of Transparency.

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

SOURCE American Kidney Fund

Related Links

http://www.kidneyfund.org

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