Nutrition & Fitness
A low-salt, kidney-friendly diet, along with regular exercise, can slow kidney disease down.
Take charge
Don’t wait! By following a kidney-friendly diet and exercising, you can slow or even stop kidney disease from progressing. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with kidney disease, read below for simple lifestyle changes that can have a big impact on how you feel.
Dialysis patient Bonnie Martin preparing food at home.
Diet and exercise tips
Slow your kidney disease and feel better
Lower the salt in your diet
To feel better and slow down your kidney disease, start by lowering your salt intake to 1,500 milligrams a day. Do this by cooking at home; processed and restaurant foods are often loaded with salt. Less salt in your diet doesn’t mean you have to eat bland foods. Try some of our tasty low-salt recipes – they’re so full of flavor, you won’t even notice the salt is missing .
Get moving
Exercise, exercise, exercise! No, you don’t need to join a gym or run a marathon. Work activity into your daily routine. Park away from the store so you have to walk farther, pull those pesky weeds in your yard or do some light stretches while you watch your favorite show. Talk with your doctor about other exercises that work for your ability level, or see our exercise chart for more ideas.
Make changes now
This is just the start. There is so much you can do to feel better now. Take control and learn more about specific changes you can make to your diet, and ways to add exercise to your day. You have the power to change the way you feel.
Transplant recipient and former peritoneal dialysis patient Angela Pappas.