FB Live – Dec 17th: In December’s episode of Ask the Doctor, Dr. Velma Scantlebury goes live to help answer patients’ questions about living well, both physical and mentally, with kidney disease. This month’s discussion focuses on navigating the holidays, staying ready for transplant, and understanding how stress impacts renal health, along with many other kidney-related topics.
Holiday celebrations can be challenging for kidney patients, but Dr. Scantlebury reminds listeners that balance is key. She shares practical tips for monitoring fluid intake, choosing renal-friendly foods, staying mindful of potassium and phosphorus levels, and remembering to take binders. While holidays are just a few days out of the year, maintaining as much consistency as possible is essential to protecting your health.
For patients who have been on the transplant list for some time, Dr. Scantlebury discusses ways to stay proactive. From keeping up with medical requirements to having open conversations about living donation, she offers guidance on how patients can advocate for themselves and improve their chances of receiving a kidney, whether from a deceased or living donor.
Stress affects everyone, but for renal patients, chronic stress can take a serious toll on the body. Dr. Scantlebury explains how elevated cortisol levels can disrupt sleep, worsen overall health, and contribute to long-term complications. She offers simple, actionable strategies to reduce stress such as doing a “brain dump” before bed, avoiding multitasking, and identifying activities that bring joy and incorporating them into daily life.
This episode encourages patients and caregivers alike to focus on whole-person health—supporting the body, calming the mind, and staying prepared for the future.
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