‘The silent killer:’ Bend kidney treatment center raising awareness about chronic kidney disease for National Kidney Month

(Update: adding comment and video from Fresenius Medical Center)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- March is National Kidney Month, and Fresenius Medical Care in Bend wants to raise awareness around chronic kidney disease, or CKD, a public health problem affecting more than one in seven U.S. adults, making up more than 35 million Americans.

Fresenius Medical Care is a dialysis provider that says it's bringing awareness to the disease and is a leader in kidney care technology and innovation. 

Nine in 10 American adults with CKD don’t even know they have it. Regular check-ups can be a game-changer, especially for CKD, which often goes unnoticed until it’s in advanced stages.  

"CKD is also known as 'the silent killer,'” Laura Boehm, registered dietitian and the facility administrator for Fresenius, said Wednesday. “Normally, you do not know that you have chronic kidney disease, so you're just walking around like everyone else is."

Chronic kidney disease is a longstanding progressive failure of the kidneys. According to Fresenius, one in three Americans are at risk of CKD.

High blood pressure and diabetes are the leading causes of CKD, among other risk factors. Diet and exercise also play a large role.

“Your diet is everything," Boehm said, "so I would say everything you choose to eat, when you're making decisions at the grocery store, when you're making decisions about how you prepare your food -- all those decisions matter for kidney health.”

She recommends while shopping to stick to the edges of the grocery store. Most processed food tends to be in the aisles while fresh food is usually around the edges. Boehm also recommends seeing a registered dietitian to ensure healthy food intake, rather than a nutritionist.

“You never want to just go to a nutritionist, or someone that's saying that they have just a nutrition certification,” Boehm said. “It's really the registered dietitian that is really going to be that person with the most education and knowledge and experience to be able to help you.”

Fresenius Medical Care recommends having balanced meals, with 3-5 ounces of protein, 1 cup of grains, and 1/2 cup of fruits and veggies. On their website, they offer easy kidney-friendly recipes and recommend foods to choose for chronic kidney disease.

Boehm said in regard to getting tested, “Patients need to be their own advocate, so they need to educate themselves on chronic kidney disease and just know to ask your doctor, 'How is my kidney health?' when you go to see them. They know what to look at and they can educate you on that.”

Symptoms can include more common issues, such as fatigue or decreased appetite. This is why many people are unaware they have the disease.

Fresenius is offering free expert-led classes about kidney disease. Folks can sign up online for a self-led video course or sign up to meet with an expert in-person or over the phone.