Issue #3 Fall 2012
Eating Out with Kidney Disease Eating out is a favorite pastime with friends and family but when you have kidney disease it can be more of an aggravation than a blast.
Often times patients with kidney disease find themselves too overwhelmed with menu choices and questions about what is good to eat and what one should avoid. With a few helpful hints and tips, you can make your dining experience yours again, not your disease’s.
We’d like to give you tricks about eating healthy from appetizers to your final course - dessert. Because who really wants to pass on that delicious cobbler?
Following these tips will help you to make better choices when you are eating out. Remember that your health is important and with a little added attention you can watch what you eat and have a good time with friends and family.
Salad Salads are a popular choice because they seem healthier than other menu items. However, once you pour on thick salad dressing and add extra toppings like bacon and cheese, that salad is no longer such a healthy choice. Salad dressing can add an extra hundred calories to your meal, so ask for the dressing on the side. You could also try oil and vinegar or just squeeze some lemon on top to add flavor without the extra calories. Avoid: Cheese, avocado, and nuts Instead, go for: Romaine lettuce, fruit cup, coleslaw, pasta salad
Appetizers Reaching for that nacho appetizer? Or maybe tavern chips? Appetizers are a great way to start off a meal, but steer clear of those heavily salted starters and go for something fresh. Because they tend to be smaller, eating an appetizer as a main course is a smart replacement to a large entree. Avoid: Cheese, pâté, anchovies, and salted meat Instead, go for: Caesar salad with chicken, crab cakes, chicken wings without the sauces, meatballs
Entrees You can enjoy your entrée in a healthy and responsible way by letting the waiter know you have dietary restrictions. Most restaurants will respect your specific needs. Have you looked at your meal when it arrived and thought, ‘Wow, this could feed an entire family’? That’s when you know it’s too much food! Don’t feel pressured to eat the entire plate. Instead, use a to-go box to divide your food into smaller portions before you begin your meal to eliminate the possibility of overeating. To decrease your sodium intake, you can also: Choose grilled items, ask for no salt, request sauces on the side, and remove skin from any poultry and crusts from fried foods. Avoid: Steak sauce, oysters, lobster, cured or salted meat (ham, corned beef, sausage, prosciutto), sauces Instead, go for: Fajitas (without cheese or tomatoes), fish, leg of lamb, beef (broiled or grilled)
Side Options Remember to avoid those salty sides, and instead reach for something like steamed vegetables. Avoid: Pasta in tomato sauce, sweet potatoes, spinach, artichokes, squash, collard greens Instead, go for: Pesto pasta, rice, green beans, asparagus, carrots
Dessert Just because you have kidney disease does not mean you have to miss out on dessert. Make sure you know the specific ingredients in the dessert, and share with a friend! Ask one of your friends or family members to split the dessert - odds are they do! That way both of you take in fewer calories. Avoid: Chocolate coatings, cream cheese, ice cream, and nuts Instead, go for: Angel food cake, sugar cookies, vanilla wafers, sherbet, pies, tarts, and cobblers made with apple, blueberry, cherry, lemon meringue, or strawberry
Chicken Paprikash with Toasted Israeli Couscous Recipe courtesy of Dr. Blake Shusterman
Israeli Couscous Ingredients: - 1 Cup Israeli Couscous - 3/4 Cup Water - 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth - 1 Tsp Olive Oil Directions: 1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small sauté pan. 2. Once warm, add couscous and toast for 5-7 min until couscous is toasted golden brown. 3. Add water and chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for 8-10 min until all the water is absorbed. 4. Remove from heat and let stand 5 min.
Chicken Paprikash Ingredients: - 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken breast - cubed - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 2 teaspoons paprika - 1 tablespoon butter or earth balance - 1/2 cup chopped onion - 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) (or less if you don’t like spicy)
- 1 yellow pepper sliced into thin strips - 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth - 1/4 cup low fat sour cream - 1 teaspoon cider vinegar - Juice of ½ small lemon - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions: 1. Combine chicken, flour, paprika, red pepper in a zip top bag, seal, and shake to coat the chicken. 2. Melt butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. 3. Add coated chicken and cook 5-7 min until the outside of the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pan and set to the side. 4. Add a tiny bit of butter to the pan followed by the onions. Cook 2 min or until softened. 5. Add the yellow pepper to the pan and sauté another 2 min or until softened but not browned. 6. Add chicken back to the pan and stir. 7. Add chicken broth, cider vinegar, and lemon juice to pan and bring to a boil. 8. Turn heat down to low and simmer 5-7 min until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through. 9. Remove pan from heat. 10. Stir in sour cream. 11. Serve atop the couscous and sprinkle with parsley.
Cooking with Carolina Nephrology If you like Dr. Shusterman’s recipe, be sure to visit our website and watch Cooking with Carolina Nephrology! Our physicians have put together videos that demonstrate how to make flavorful, healthy recipes that are great for patients suffering from kidney disease.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT Audrey Green and Pat Pardue
Audrey Green
Pat Pardue
Patient Satisfaction Survey Given a choice of Greenville, Easley, Greer, Simpsonville or Laurens, my appointment was schedule at the location most convenient to me. I was given a prompt, convenient appointment. The registration forms were easy to understand. The personnel at the Reception Desk were courteous. The office waiting room time was acceptable. The medical staff was informative and courteous. The exam waiting room time was acceptable. My doctor spent enough time with me. The doctor answered all of my questions. Medical tests were schedule efficiently and conveniently. I was offered reading material concerning my diagnosis.
As a triage nurse for Carolina Nephrology, Audrey Green acts as a liaison between patients and doctors, working with prescriptions and outside appointments. Pat Pardue has been a dedicated member of the Carolina Nephrology team for twenty-eight years. She is responsible for inputting patient charges from the hospitals for patient consults as well as patients that have received dialysis. In their free time, Audrey enjoys singing and traveling and Pat likes to read and work on crossword puzzles. Both women enjoy the rewarding experience of working with the patients at Carolina Nephrology and the gratification they receive for their work. Your opinion is important to us. So that we may serve you better, please fill out the following and send it back to us. Strongly Agree Agree
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My overall visit today was a positive experience. Please tell us what you liked or did not like about your visit to our office today. ______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How could we have improved our service to you? ________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ So that we may show our appreciation to any of our staff who has been especially helpful to you, please give us their name: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mail Survey To: Name: _______________________ Email: ________________________________ Carolina Nephrology Patient Satisfaction Survey (Optional) (Optional) 105 N. Spring St. Suite 111 Greenville, SC 29601