I wanted to share my story and advice in the hope that it may help others. I was diagnosed with CKD in 2014. At the time my GFR was around 63% and since then it has gone down to 46%.
When it got to 46% I made some changes to my diet by significantly reducing meat and having mainly a plant based diet. Apart from this I also increased my exercise by walking 3-4 times a week for an hour. I also started taking 2x Tea Spoons of Organic Flaxseed oil every morning with some yogurt.
I got my latest results and my Creatine has gone from 156 to 143 in a month. I am not sure if this is a huge reduction. Nor I am sure of the associated GRF calculation but I think this means an increase in GRF from 46 to 49%. To calculate the GFR I used this web site: egfrcalc.renal.org/
Wishing everyone health, happiness, and a happy life.
Written by
ozzy71
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Ozzy, that is interesting. Although not a very big meat eater, I have been wondering whether trying to reduce it might help because it is known that low kidney function finds it hard to deal with protein. I feel sure I tried flaxseed some time in the past but I think it caused a loose bowel. However, I haven't tried the oil.
How long had you been following these lifestyle changes before you noticed the improvement in you eGFR? My function is now below 40 so anything to improve that rather than it continuing on a downward spiral would be great (I only have one kidney.
Apparently, flaxseed is also good for lowering cholesterol, so another reason in my case to give it a go.
I hope you continue to improve on the creatinine front.
The flaxseed oil is organic and is a little pricey at £12.50 but it should last a couple of months, and if it helps the kidney function I am happy to pay for some good quality stuff!
The lifestyle changes were only followed for ONE month, as I went to see the Nephrologist on 5.12.16 and the biopsy happened on 5.1.17. Before the biopsy they took my blood and it was these blood test which were discussed on 23.1.17.
I also lost around 4Kg because I was eating healthy food and not going over the top with junk food.
If you have any further questions please let me know. I would be more than happy to help.
Ozzie, thank you so much for the links. I will really look into all this. Well done on the weight loss too - I could really do with some weight loss after the indulges over the Christmas period!
Hello Celtic. Apologies for the delay in responding to your message. I took the Flaxseed in the morning regularly for about 6 weeks. However, I continued with the Flaxseed after my original message on and off and after six months my consultant told me that my kidney function had not declined for the last six months. I can't claim that it was entirely down to the Flaxseed but I have some faith in it and I still take it 3-4 times a week.
More recently I have read some information about heat therapy for Kidneys which is basically using a hot water bottle next to your kidneys (which increases the blood circulation) and so I am looking to give this idea a go!
Yes, Ozzie, I read about one person's success story which was put down to heat therapy, perhaps from the same source as you - a letter published in the most recent NKF magazine? Who knows? The GP's comment made sense. Good luck with whatever you try.
just came across this. So a little late, but thought I'd add in case anyone reads in the future. I have IGA Nephropathy which involves a lot of inflamation and I have many food intolerances which also have been found in several test studies to contribute to IGAN.
I found out in 2013 I had low 50s GFR. I went gluten free. My GFR was increased into the 60s. Over the next couple of years as I was having various testing done due to blood in urine, and I was trying to get my food intolerances under control, my GFR bounced around in the 60s and 70s.
After being sent to a nephrologist who had blood work done ever 3 months or so and suspected IGAN ( in IGAN your GFR can fall rapidly once blood and protein are discovered), I finally had a huge protein leak which was cause for a biopsy. It was destermined I had IGA Nephropathy.
I began seeing a holistic doctor from Holistic-kidney.com. She has me on lots of various supplements including 2tbs of flax oil 2x a day (organic and "fresh" by Barleans). That was Oct 2016. Since then my GFR has risen to the low 80s.
The flax seed oil, high in a Omega 3 reduces inflamation. I did have to cut out inflammatory foods such as all oils high in Omega 6 which is almost all of them. I mostly use olive. That means most processed foods.
There are lots of changes I had to make in order to get to this point and I did develop high blood pressure and now I'm on lisinopril, but it is also helping my proteinuria.
There are several studies, mostly done in the 1980s showing an increase in IGANephropathy patients when gluten and dairy were reduced. I actually increased my meat intake as amino acids are needed for keeping muscles healthy. My arms were like wet noodles without it. Plus meat has triptophens which help with anxiety. I keep my meat protein intake to 1-2 ounces a meal an 4-5 ounces per day at the most. I keep my overall protein in the recommended daily allowance. When eating meat, I buy only grass fed freerange beef as it is high in Omega 3. I only eat free range organic eggs when possible and organic free range chicken.
If you have any questions feel free to private message me.
Please remember, these results are for my condition and the things I'm doing might not be wise or helpful for other types of CKD or other stages.
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Good News 
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