A Gut-Focused Food and Lifestyle Guide to Kidney Wellbeing

A step-by-step ebook explaining the gut–kidney connection and the everyday food, movement and daily habits connected to kidney health

The kidneys filter waste from the blood, help balance fluids and minerals, and play a part in blood pressure. Kidney health is looked after by a doctor, who tracks it through regular lab tests and leads any treatment. Diet and daily habits are also part of the picture, which is why kidney care commonly includes guidance on food, fluids, blood pressure and blood sugar.

One area researchers have been studying in recent years is the link between the gut and the kidneys, often called the gut–kidney axis. The digestive tract is home to a large community of bacteria. Studies have found that the make-up of this community tends to differ in people with reduced kidney function, and that some waste compounds produced by gut bacteria are normally cleared by the kidneys. This is an active and still-developing field of research.

The Chronic Kidney Disease Solution is a downloadable ebook by Shelly Manning, a natural-health author and one of the founders of Blue Heron Health News. It explains these ideas in plain English and turns them into a phased plan built around food, gut health and everyday routine.

The gut is the starting point of the program. From there, the book moves on to blood sugar, plant foods rich in polyphenols, gentle movement, sleep and stress, in a set order. It is written to sit alongside the care you already receive, and it suggests which pages and questions you may want to take to your doctor.

The program is a digital book (PDF), which you can read on screen or download. After ordering, you can also choose to add a printed copy for the cost of printing only.

What's inside the program

The gut–kidney connection

• A plain-English explanation of what the kidneys do and how kidney function is usually measured
• How the balance of gut bacteria is described in current research, and why the book starts with the gut
• The role of inflammation and of blood sugar in the wider picture, explained in everyday language
• Research references throughout the text, so you can see where each point comes from

Food and meal planning

• A dietary framework based on a Mediterranean-style pattern, adapted with kidney health in mind
• Food selection guides showing which foods the book suggests focusing on and which to eat less of
• A complete seven-day meal plan with recipes
• Three smoothie recipes the author has recommended for many years
• A wider range of polyphenol-rich plant foods introduced in the later phases

Daily routine

• Gentle movement guidance that builds up gradually
• Sleep and stress routines described as part of everyday kidney wellbeing
• Blood pressure as a topic to understand and discuss with your doctor
• A list of everyday substances the book suggests cutting back on

Nutrients, plant compounds and supplements discussed in the book

• Foods and plant compounds that have been studied in connection with gut and kidney health
• Optional supplement information with timing relative to meals and a safety section for each item, to go over with your healthcare provider before making any change
• A food-only route for readers who prefer not to use supplements

Tools and access

• A phase-by-phase roadmap of the whole plan
• Lab tracking sheets for keeping a record of your own test results over time
• Lifetime access to the digital book, including future updates at no extra charge

How the program is organised

The book is laid out as three phases that follow on from one another. It is designed to be used over a period of many months, not as a short-term diet.

Phase 1 — The foundation. This phase centres on the gut. It sets out the Mediterranean-based food framework, the seven-day meal plan and recipes, the smoothie recipes, the list of things to cut back on and a set of daily habits arranged in a clear order. It also lists what to discuss with your doctor at your next routine lab check.

Phase 2 — The expanded daily routine. The second phase turns to blood sugar and to the slow chemical changes researchers link with high blood sugar over time. It widens the range of polyphenol-rich plant foods and steps up the gentle movement routine.

Phase 3 — The long-term phase. The final phase looks at research on a compound drawn from a traditional plant, much of it from laboratory and animal studies, and discusses how the author fits it into the later part of the plan. It also covers keeping the earlier habits going over the long term.

Each phase has its own milestones and a note of what to track and what to talk over with your physician. You can move through the plan at your own pace and go back to any section whenever you need a reminder.

Who this program is for

✓ Adults who want a clear, plain-English explanation of the gut–kidney connection

✓ People who would like practical food guidance, a meal plan and recipes with kidney wellbeing in mind

✓ Anyone interested in the research on gut bacteria, inflammation and blood sugar in relation to the kidneys

✓ People who prefer a structured, phase-by-phase plan to piecing together information on their own

✓ Those who want to make informed lifestyle choices alongside the care they already receive from their kidney specialist or family doctor

This is not for: anyone looking to replace medical care, skip lab monitoring, or stop or change prescribed medication or treatment. It is also not for anyone looking for a shortcut. The plan asks for steady changes to food and daily habits over many months. Because kidney care can involve specific limits on foods, fluids and minerals, the book should be read together with the advice of your own care team, and anyone with a transplant, on blood-thinning medication or with plant allergies should check with their doctor before trying any compound it discusses.

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60-day money-back guarantee

If the program is not right for you, contact us within 60 days of your purchase and we will refund your order in full. No questions asked.

Important disclaimer

This program is educational. It is not medical treatment and is not a replacement for professional medical care. If you have kidney health concerns, talk to a qualified healthcare provider. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and it has not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Individual results vary. Keep working with your healthcare provider and never stop or change prescribed medication or treatment without their guidance.

Study resources

• Vaziri N.D. et al. (2013) Kidney International — Compared the gut bacteria of people with advanced kidney disease and healthy controls, alongside an animal study. PubMed
• Jiang S. et al. (2017) Scientific Reports — Examined differences in gut bacteria composition in a Chinese population with chronic kidney disease. PubMed
• Ramezani A., Raj D.S. (2014) Journal of the American Society of Nephrology — Review of the gut microbiome and kidney health and the dietary approaches being studied. PubMed
• Nallu A. et al. (2017) Translational Research — Review of current questions and research directions on the gut microbiome in kidney disease. PubMed
• Rossi M. et al. (2016) Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology — Randomized trial of a prebiotic-and-probiotic combination and gut-derived compounds in kidney patients. PubMed
• Rabbani N., Thornalley P.J. (2018) Kidney International — Review of advanced glycation end products and their role in kidney health. PubMed