The Kidney Vitality Method

As many of my clients have said, “seeing a dietitian is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.”

If you’re confused or overwhelmed with managing the nutrition aspect of CKD, a dietitian can assist you in figuring out what’s actually the best diet for you. No more Google searching, wondering if you’ve got it right or not. You don’t have to do it alone.

Why see a kidney dietitian? If you have heart problems, you go to a cardiologist. If you have problems with your teeth, you go to a dentist. It’s the same with nutrition! A kidney specialist will provide the best care to help you manage this complex disease.

I am a Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition (CSR), meaning I am Board Certified to provide nutrition care for people with kidney disease. For 5+ years I have worked with this population exclusively as well as passing a national board exam, so I know the unique challenges of kidney disease in and out.

There is unfortunately lots of outdated information out there, so you can be assured that by working with me you’ll be getting the most accurate and up-to-date information that will truly be a game changer for your kidney health. I’ve met too many people who were unfortunately led astray or following an overly restrictive diet after receiving information from someone who didn’t know the current nutrition science for optimal kidney health. I can promise you I will never lead you astray.

If you’ve never joined a nutrition program before, you may be feeling a little hesitant because you just aren’t exactly sure what it’s like! That’s okay.

During our time working together, I will get to know you in depth: from the very start, we’ll review your health concerns, medical history, and what your current diet looks like, as well as lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, and exercise. I believe in a holistic approach to health and nutrition that goes beyond just the food you eat, because habits like sleep & stress can often impact your food choices!

From there, we’ll begin to dig into what you’re currently struggling with, ensure you get the most accurate & up-to-date information, and address any topics or concepts you’re confused about. During Week 1, we’ll collaborate to form your nutrition plan & I’ll provide you with action steps to get started on right away.

I believe in small, sustainable changes, so we aren’t going to do anything drastic overnight. We’ll begin to incorporate these small changes and new habits into your current routine, tweak and refine and practice them over time, and the eventual goal is for these habits to become easy to execute with minimal effort so they simply feel like part of your day.

I am NOT going to simply hand you a meal plan or list of foods and call it a day. Part of this process is working together to determine the best foods & meals for YOU. My goal is for you to truly understand food & nutrition in relation to kidney health, so you’ll one day be totally confident doing this all on your own!

Joining this program does require an investment of your time and emotional energy. I provide the education, guidance, support, and accountability — and you will take the action steps we agree upon and implement them in your life. I’ll celebrate your wins with you, and if you ever find yourself struggling, I’m here to help coach you through those tough times as well!

I can help clients in any stage of kidney disease looking to get serious about better nutrition for healthier kidneys.

This includes CKD stages 1-5, ESRD (dialysis), or post-kidney transplant.

NOTE: If you are on dialysis (or starting dialysis soon) please keep in mind that each dialysis facility is required to have a dietitian on staff. You should first consult with your facility dietitian regarding diet modifications for end stage kidney disease. If you feel you could benefit from the support & resources this program offers, you can still be considered as an applicant for my program, but please know these services will not be covered/reimbursed by your insurance.

This nutrition program – The Kidney Vitality Method – is 100% virtual, so you can get the help your need in the comfort of your own home!

As a new client, you’ll join this program for a minimum commitment of 3 months.

During this time we’ll communicate on a weekly basis, and these frequent touchpoints allow us to work together closely on implementing new habits, ability to troubleshoot challenges or barriers, and then (woohoo!) begin to see some results! Working on your nutrition is a process and results will not happen overnight, please don’t expect them to.

Once we get to 3 months there is an option to extend & continue working together. Most of my clients work with me for at least 6 months!

As a new client, you’ll need to go into this process expecting that it will take some time to feel comfortable with your new habits, and know that it will likely take some time to see significant changes in your lab results.

Many of my clients do report improved energy levels within the first few weeks, and most will soon report improved confidence in their food choices as well. My clients also typically experience improved labs, such as a lower creatinine, improved GFR, better control of potassium and phosphorus, better blood pressure control, and improved blood sugar levels.

Many of my clients have also made great process towards their weight goals – either weight loss or gain.

When you join The Kidney Vitality Method you’ll get access to a variety of resources to supplement your learning, including:

• A custom nutrition plan tailored to your exact nutritional needs & goals
  • 1 x 60-min initial call and 2 x 30 minute follow-up calls to develop and fine-tune your plan
  • Ongoing private chat messenger support between calls
• Weekly group coaching calls for education & support (currently this takes place every Wednesday at 7pm CST; recording made available for those who cannot attend the live call)
• A personalized 7-day meal plan (plus option to receive custom weekly meal plans, including recipes and grocery lists)
• Resource library with 6+ hours of on-demand recorded content
• Exclusive educational handouts, food lists, & other printable resources that are yours to keep forever!
• Access to a secure client portal where you can upload labs/documents

If you can find at least 15-20 minutes per day on average to devote to your nutrition goals, you will find success in this program.

This program has a LOT of content (a past client compared it to a college level course on kidney nutrition!) but we work on it in realistic, bite size pieces together over a period of 3 months. We’ll set small goals for you to focus on during our 1:1 time, and you will also spend time completing lessons in the learning portal, most of which take 8-15 minutes to finish.

The biggest time investment is the weekly live coaching call, which typically lasts 45-60 minutes. You can attend live or view it as a recording.

The Kidney Vitality Method is a hybrid nutrition coaching experience! This means that in addition to individualized guidance and a custom plan to support your personal goals, you’ll also have to option to join other students on weekly coaching calls, plus, utilize our private community chat for daily support and accountability.

Although I emphasize a plant-based diet in my practice, I never “make” a client follow a specific diet. We will be working towards incorporating more plant foods into your diet, but if you prefer to include some meat, dairy, etc, we’ll find kidney-friendly ways to include those items. It is so important for you to understand that “the kidney diet” can, and should, be flexible and 100% tailored to you – it’s never cookie cutter. If it is your preference to work towards a fully plant-based diet, I’ll support you in that process as well. (I’ve been plant-based for 15 years so I consider myself an expert in this area!)

I accept FSA/HSA or self pay for your investment in this program.

If you have Medicare benefits you’re looking to use for nutrition services, please go here.

Investment in this program will vary depending on the level of support you need, but begins at $447/month x 3 months or $1206.90 (10% payment-in-full savings) for the entire 3-month program. I understand each person/household has their own budget they’re working with when it comes to an investment in health and nutrition, so I’m happy to offer flexible monthly payment plan options (for example, 5 monthly installments instead of 3).

I’m also happy to offer equitable pricing options as of May 2023! If you have a fixed income or other financial hardship, this is for you. We’ll discuss the best plan and options for you when we review your application.

We can typically schedule your program start date and 1st appointment within 1-2 weeks! We’ll discuss the time frame that works best for you during our Meet & Greet Call (get your call scheduled below).