Specialists agree that the more attention a patient receives, the slower the progression of the disease.
Dr. Nidia Cabas, clinical psychologist and director of the Primary Care Psychology Program at Ponce Health & Science University (PHSU) and Valerie Rivera-Heraldo, a licensed dietitian and renal dietitian at Atlantis Healthcare. Image synthesis: Journal of Medicine and Public Health. Pictures provided by professionals.
Nutrition and intervention Treatment psychic in the patient With chronic kidney disease it can greatly benefit the patient with chronic kidney disease.
Emphasis is placed on the times when specialists from various fields have warned of the impact of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes in the development of comorbidities such as kidney impairment.
According to data provided by Dr. Carlos Rivera Bermúdez, medical director and nephrologist at the Vascular Access Center at Auxilio Mutuo Hospital, in Puerto Rico there is A large number of patients 60% of these diagnoses are attributed to The effect of type diabetes 2. Similarly, a total of 7,500 patients have been estimated Severe kidney damage in Puerto Rico Most of this figure receives dialysis.
However, with vitality The importance of clinical management Of these patients, it becomes every day imperative that the treatment of this population be multidisciplinary, as it is Treatment targeting nutrition and professional behavioral intervention To help these patients manage situation in your daily lifebecause of its influence on family level.
According to Dr. Nidia Kapas, Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Primary Care Psychology Program at Ponce Health & Science University (PHSU), the disease acceptance process goes through several stages, but the most important thing is that you can recognize that you should seek help.
“We have to keep in mind that when we talk about health, we are also talking about mental health, and despite the separation between physical and mental health, the truth is that they are limiting,” he said.
In the middle of her explanation, Cabas noted that a relevant aspect when treating a patient is giving her the ability to recognize the physical changes she is going through and how she sees herself, “They should also learn to set boundaries, because often the people around them don’t.” I don’t know their medical condition and they made hurtful comments.
The specialist stressed that responses in these cases should be prepared, “not to fight, but to let this person know that he has crossed the line. The biggest challenge is when the patient In denial or shock, change in routine, adaptation to diagnosis and understanding that I can be happy, even when I know I have the disease.”
Nutrition for kidney patients
For her part, Valerie Rivera-Heraldo, Dietitian and Renal Dietitian at Atlantis Healthcare, explained that the nutritional contribution depends largely on the stage and specific health status of the patient, as each person has individual aspects and values that must be considered when choosing the right nutrition.
She recounted that patients, upon arriving at her counsellor, believed she would forbid them to eat, and “that’s part of the myths and beliefs that we have, and the truth is the opposite, we strive for it.” the patient She can eat, eat right so that treatment with proper nutrition can prevent the development of the disease.
The graduate emphasized that without proper treatment in all respects, the disease progresses in a short time, even weeks, “Nutrition is part of the success of what we want to achieve inside and outside the dialysis area for the benefit of the patient, the idea is to get the nutrients you need.”
The biggest challenge for graduates in Nutrition is, “They have to break the myths and get to know the reality of the sick. We’re not here to tell the patients to eat. We don’t want them to deteriorate and within their normal framework they can share with your family learning about your food.”
