Living with kidney disease means taking extra steps to protect your heart. People on dialysis are at higher risk for heart disease, and understanding the connection between kidney disease and heart health is important. The good news is that many risk factors can be managed. Small, everyday choices — such as what you eat, how active you are, and how well you follow your treatment plan — can make a meaningful difference.
Use the tips below to support your heart health, improve your overall well-being, and take an active role in protecting your health.
Work With Your Care Team
- A cardiologist is an important part of your healthcare team. Make sure you are following up on your heart health with your heart doctor routinely.
Make Heart-Healthy Food Choices
- Choose to eat heart-healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, and fish that support a heart healthy renal diet.
- Avoid eating foods high in saturated or trans fats like processed meats, butter, whole milk or dairy products, fried foods, and fast foods.
- Choose heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds.
- Stick to a low sodium diet to help keep your blood pressure under good control, this is one way to learn how to control high blood pressure during dialysis.
- Use lean cooking methods such as baking, grilling, broiling, steaming, air frying, or stewing instead of frying in fat.
- Get plenty of fiber by including renal-friendly fruits, vegetables, and whole grains which are considered some of the best foods for renal diets. A diet high in fiber can help control cholesterol levels.
Stay Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight
- Be active. Try to exercise for 30 minutes a day.
- Aim for a healthy weight. Talk to your dietitian about a good weight for you and for tips on losing weight if needed.
Manage Blood Pressure, Diabetes, and Medications
- Know your blood pressure and take your medications.
- Keep your diabetes under good control by taking your medications, checking your blood sugars regularly, and following your diabetic diet.
Stay on Track with Dialysis and Mineral Balance
- Come to all your scheduled dialysis treatments to ensure all extra fluid gets removed.
- Control your phosphorus and calcium levels by choosing low phosphorus foods and taking your phosphate binders with meals and snacks.
Make Lifestyle Changes That Support Heart Health
- If you smoke, make plans to quit. Ask your doctor if you need help.
How Innovative Renal Care Helps
At Innovative Renal Care (IRC), we are committed to helping patients take an active role in protecting both their kidney and heart health. Our care teams work closely with patients to provide education, personalized treatment support, and guidance that helps manage risk factors and improve overall well-being. From diet and lifestyle coaching to coordinated care with specialists, IRC focuses on delivering care that supports each patient’s long-term health journey.
Learn more about our ongoing commitment to deliver more tomorrows to our patients, their families, and friends.
