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Sponsorship – FASEB PKD

Santa Barbara Nutrients was a proud sponsor of the FASEB PKD Conference this year…

 Why are we sponsoring PKD conferences?

Being a sponsor at conferences and PKD events aligns with our purpose at Santa Barbara Nutrients. As a benefit corporation, part of our mission is to work together with our community to educate, promote research, raise awareness about PKD and kidney disease, and empower patients to advocate for their health.  Sponsorships allow us to do all of the above, as well as share our novel science-based approaches and research findings.

This significant international conference featured the latest research and brought together nephrologists and renal scientists from around the world.  This year, the conference focused on hurdles and advances in molecular mechanisms and therapies for polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

This week, Santa Barbara Nutrients was a sponsor at the Polycystic Kidney Disease Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

The conference focused on hurdles and advances in molecular mechanisms and therapies for polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

 Santa Barbara Nutrients Founder and President, Dr. Thomas Weimbs, spoke at the conference on a very important subject to PKD patients, Flushing Crystals to Prevent Cysts.

 Dr. Michal Mrug, Santa Barbara Nutrients board member, also spoke at the conference on inflammation and fibrosis.

Dr. Mrug is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and current Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel of the PKD Foundation.

Interviews during the conference

Dr. Thomas Weimbs, President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients, interviews Dr. Ken Hallows at the FASEB polycystic kidney disease (PKD) conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

In this interview, Dr. Hallows discusses his research findings on polycystic kidney disease and Metformin. Dr. Ken Hallows is the Chief of Nephrology at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Hallows is also the Director of Kidney Research at the Keck School of Medicine.

Dr. Thomas Weimbs, President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients, interviews Dr. York Pei at the FASEB polycystic kidney disease (PKD) conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

In this video, Dr. Thomas Weimbs and Dr. York Pei discuss the first clinical trial that will focus on ketogenic dietary interventions and KetoCitra for polycystic kidney disease.

Dr. Thomas Weimbs, President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients, interviews Jeff Robertson at the FASEB polycystic kidney disease (PKD) conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

In this video, Dr. Thomas Weimbs and Jeff Robertson discuss the PKD Foundation of Canada.

Dr. Thomas Weimbs, President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients, interviews Tom Soul at the FASEB polycystic kidney disease (PKD) conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

In this video, Dr. Thomas Weimbs and Tom Soul discuss Santa Barbara Nutrients’ hydration bottles.

Tom is the owner of Hydracy, a company geared towards creating high-quality hydration solutions that are user-friendly and convenient to use.

Dr. Thomas Weimbs, President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients, interviews Dr. Nuria Pastor-Soler at the FASEB polycystic kidney disease (PKD) conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

In this video, Dr. Thomas Weimbs and Dr. Pastor-Soler discuss carbohydrate addiction and metabolic health.


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Sponsorship – PKD Walks

Santa Barbara Nutrients is a proud sponsor of 8 PKD Walks this year…

Why are we sponsoring PKD Walks?

Santa Barbara Nutrients is more than a business. It’s a team effort to advocate for patients with kidney disease, which is personal to many on our team. 

 

Sponsoring PKD Walks allows us to:  

  1. Work together with our community to raise awareness about  PKD and kidney health.
  2. Empower people to advocate for their health and raise awareness for those living with kidney disease.

During each Walk you can: 

  • Meet members of our team
  • Learn about Santa Barbara Nutrients 
  • Learn more about KetoCitra
  • Receive exclusive offers and educational handouts 
  • Ask us any questions!

(Hint: there may be a discount on KetoCitra for new subscribers!)

 

To sign up for a walk near you, click here.

Who will you meet?

 Detroit PKD Walk: 

When: Saturday, September 10th, 2022

Where: Boulan Park, Shelter #1

Time: 9:30 am ET – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

 

Milwaukee PKD Walk: 

When: Sunday, September 11th, 2022

Where: The Yard at Bayshore

Time: 8:30 am CT – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

Chicago PKD Walk: 

When: Sunday, September 18th, 2022

Where: Buss Woods, Grove 6

Time: 9:30 am CT – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

 

 

Toronto PKD Walk: 

When: Sunday, September 25th, 2022

Where: Centennial Park, Picnic Areas 6 & 7

Time: 9:00 am ET – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

  • Jenny Murray – PKD patient, advocate, and customer service representative for Santa Barbara Nutrients 

 

 

 Houston PKD Walk: 

When: Saturday, October 1st, 2022

Where: Rob Fleming Park

Time: 8:30 am CT – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

  • Jacob Kingaard, MS – Director of Manufacturing and Product Development at Santa Barbara Nutrients

 

St. Louis PKD Walk: 

When: Sunday, October 9th, 2022

Where: Tower Grove Park, Sons of Rest Pavilion

Time: 9:30 am CT – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

 

Los Angeles PKD Walk: 

When: Sunday, October 16th, 2022

Where: Santa Monica, Beach Park One

Time: 9:00 am PT – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendees:

  • Thomas Weimbs, PhD – Leader in PKD research and President and Founder of Santa Barbara Nutrients 
  • Craig Adkins – General Manager at Santa Barbara Nutrients 

 

South Florida PKD Walk: 

When: Saturday, October 22nd, 2022

Where: TY Park

Time: 9:00 am ET – Site Opens/Registration 

Booth Attendee: 

  • Lori Jacoby – PKD patient and advocate

 

Categories Blogs Posted on 2 Comments on Urine pH and Kidney Disease

Urine pH and Kidney Disease

In this video, Santa Barbara Nutrients President and UCSB Professor Thomas Weimbs, PhD, discusses how to measure urinary pH, why it’s important for individuals with kidney disease to monitor their urinary pH, and the effects of diet on urinary pH. Santa Barbara Nutrients also announces its sponsorship at the Metabolic Health Summit.

Urinary pH is important to monitor for those who have kidney disease. The urine pH can vary considerably depending on the kind of foods we eat and depending on certain health conditions. A perfectly neutral pH (neither acidic nor alkaline) has a value of 7. Most people in industrialized societies have acidic urine pH (for example, around pH 5 which is 100x more acidic than pH 7) due to the high consumption of acidifying foods such as grains and animal protein (meats, dairy, eggs). Furthermore, many health conditions can affect the urine pH. For example, individuals with chronic kidney disease frequently have acidic urine pH. If the urine pH is too acidic or too alkaline, there is a higher risk that microscopic crystals can form that can damage kidneys and can also lead to kidney stones. For example, acidic urine pH increases the risk of forming crystals and stones composed of calcium oxalate, uric acid, or cystine. A urine pH value near neutral (around pH 6-7.5) is ideal for most people unless they have been told by their healthcare practitioner that their urine pH should have a different value.

Thomas Weimbs, PhD discusses:

– Why it is important for individuals with kidney disease to monitor the pH of their urine

– The relationship between urinary pH and kidney stones

– What the ideal pH range of urine samples is and why

– How to measure urine pH – How often one should measure urine pH

– The best time to measure urine pH

– What low and high urinary pH means

pH urinary protocol: https://santabarbaranutrients.com/wp-…

pH paper: https://store.santabarbaranutrients.c…

SBN: https://santabarbaranutrients.com/

Metabolic Health Summit https://metabolichealthsummit.com/

Please ALWAYS consult your doctor before changing your diet or taking supplements or medication. The posts and discussions in this video do not constitute medical advice. Please consult with your own health care professional regarding any changes you would like to make to your own health care plan.

Categories Blogs Posted on 1 Comment on Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and Oxalates – Interview with Sally Norton

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and Oxalates – Interview with Sally Norton

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and Oxalates - Interview with Sally Norton

 

Dr. Jacob Torres, Head Researcher at Santa Barbara Nutrients interviews oxalate expert and health consultant Sally Norton, MPH. Sally has 35 years of health education and research and is passionate about helping individuals eat for vitality and long-term health.

During this interview, Sally discusses how oxalates are processed in the body, the effects of high oxalate foods for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and why it is important for people with CKD to monitor their oxalate intake.

In this video, Sally Norton, MPH discusses: 

–What is oxalate and why is it bad for us? 

-Oxalates and the gut?

-What happens from eating too many oxalates?

-Lost seasonality and high oxalate foods? 

-How to remove oxalate but not all at once?

-What can people do now with oxalate consumption?

 

 

 

 

 

To view the full video, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQXEYZuYpN0&t=4s

Categories Blogs Posted on 1 Comment on Dietary Ambiguities with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

Dietary Ambiguities with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

The article we will be discussing today is:

What are the information needs and concerns of individuals with Polycystic Kidney Disease? Results of an online survey using Facebook and social listening analysis

Tiffany Ma and Kelly Lambert (2021).

BMC Nephrology Volume 22 Issue 263

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-021-02472-1

Journal Club Discussion

“Are there foods that are less stressful on kidneys… or things I should avoid besides the broad low-sodium recommendation?” – study participant with PKD

As a PKD patient or family member of someone with PKD, have you ever returned home from a doctor’s appointment confused about something the doctor said, or curious about what to do or eat to help preserve your kidneys?  You then opened your computer to do a bit of searching. 

There have been very few studies to date that have looked into what information PKD patients are really looking for. The study by Tiffany Ma and Kelly Lambert documents what people with PKD are searching for online, what they perceive as major challenges of living with PKD, and overwhelmingly, the question of what do I eat?

Facebook groups can be a wonderful community-building tool to share information with other people who are living with PKD. Perhaps you even found this blog post through a PKD-oriented Facebook group. If that’s the case, you are not alone. Out of 536 participants who completed surveys for this study, 69.9% of them used Facebook to find information on PKD. The accessibility of online resources, and the feeling of camaraderie and support strongly resonated with the participants. But what are they looking for in these online spaces?

What do we want?

Information about the type of diet and nutrition guidelines for PKD!

When do we want it?

From the time of diagnosis!

A main conclusion from this study was: “The major information need expressed by participants with PKD was for dietary information.”

81% of participants searched online for PKD-specific dietary information. Ideally, participants wanted information from their primary care physician or nephrologist when they were initially diagnosed. They were hopeful they would be provided with online resources or pointed in the direction of credible information. The internet is a vast space that can provide a plethora of information. However, the internet also contains a large amount of contradictory or unvalidated information. 

Another main conclusion of this study was: “…many participants in this study expressed a tangible sense of frustration and confusion because of vague and inconsistent dietary information.”

…and patients reported… “… inability to access renal nutrition expertise as well as  inconsistent dietary information from primary care physicians and nephrologists.”

“Frustrations about the lack of specific information led many to conduct their own research online.”

These frustrations are illustrated in the words of PKD patients themselves, as cited in this study:

“…I just (want) simple meal plans… and recipes… according to what stage you’re in, how much protein, phosphorus and potassium…”

“(my biggest concern) is… am I doing the right thing (with my diet)? What should I do?”

“(I want information on) the effects of the Keto diet, intermittent fasting, & other dietary options potentially beneficial to those with PKD”

“Educating nephrologists worldwide. I find myself being more knowledgeable on modern clinical trials, medicines, diet, etc. for PKD patients”

So where do you go to find this information? 

“Creation of high-quality evidence-based resources for individuals with PKD is required” (Ma and Lambert, 2021). Expanding upon this conclusion, these high-quality resources also have to be easily accessible and more well-known among healthcare professionals treating people with PKD. 

Ma and Lambert wrote: “Programs such as the online Ren.Nu PKD Nutrition Program may help improve access to specialised credible dietetic care for people with PKD.”

We couldn’t agree more and thank the authors for the shout-out! 

The scientists at  Santa Barbara Nutrients are proud to have contributed to the development of the Ren.Nu program, which takes patients step-by-step through understanding the dietary requirements of PKD. Ren.Nu was developed around a plant-focused, clean and kidney-safe diet that avoids renal stressors while achieving the metabolic state of ketosis. The approach is the result of a collaboration between researchers and clinicians who’ve come together to provide individuals with dietary recommendations and interventions for PKD.  To learn more about this novel concept, you can watch an interview with Ren.Nu co-founder Jessiana Saville, where she shares her perspective on nutrition therapy for PKD.

The Ren.Nu program also runs a popular Facebook group that is moderated by dietitians and contains lots of free resources and tips along with great discussions and sharing of experiences by PKD patients. Anyone with PKD can request to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pkdnutrition 

Does the Ma and Lambert article sound like your journey of searching for PKD information? 

What do you commonly search for and what information do you wish you were given earlier on? 

References:

Ma, T., and Lambert, K. (2021). What are the information needs and concerns of individuals with Polycystic Kidney Disease? Results of an online survey using Facebook and social listening analysis. BMC Nephrology, 22(1) 263. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-021-02472-1; PMID: 34261447

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