What the Holidays Can Mean for Anyone with Diabetes

With over 20 million people in our nation suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), primarily caused by diabetes, imagine the dilemma they face at this time of the year. Most likely, as they gather with friends and family to celebrate the holidays, at every turn they are faced with mountains of sweets and desserts. It’s not just a challenge for people who must monitor their sugar intake ― more often than not it’s a matter of life or death!

It is important to draw attention to this disease at any time of the year, but especially around the holidays. We can do our part by making ourselves aware of the dietary needs of our guests, and even offering healthier choices to encourage those who might need a little help ― and possibly even prevent them from becoming a statistic.

In addition to the dietary challenges they face daily, CKD patients must often make trips to the clinic for dialysis treatments. Dialysis is a particular treatment that does most of the work normally done by healthy kidneys, and is required when a person’s own kidneys can no longer take care of their body’s needs. This often puts added strain on patients and/or caregivers as dialysis is critical ― regardless of weather conditions!

We can do our part in making the holidays a little brighter for our friends or family members. We can make sugar-free, healthier alternatives available, or even give a caregiver a break by providing transportation to a treatment facility. We can also make them aware of anything we learn that might help improve their quality of life; such as, in-home dialysis treatments. It might seem like a little thing to us, but to anyone suffering from CKD, having treatments administered in the comfort of their own home can be huge.

Public service announcement from Quality Dialysis in Houston, TX. This is being provided for information purposes. United Methodist Communities does not endorse products or services from our blog submitters.