Low Oxalate Kitchen

This episode is the second in a two part series where I talked to Melanie Betz, a registered dietitian who is board certified in renal nutrition and works in the nephrology department at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Melanie is passionate about helping people with kidney stones and Chronic Kidney Disease understand that healthy eating does not have to be complicated and can be delicious! Her research interests include ways to increase patient knowledge and adherence to healthy eating, frailty and ways to reduce risk for poor health outcomes in older adults, and plant-based diets.

In her free time, she enjoys cooking, yoga, wine tasting and cheering on her Michigan State Spartans! She also volunteers with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and the Healthy Aging Dietetic Practice Group.

Check out Melanie's blog here or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter!

Melanie and I talked about the effects of dietary calcium on kidney stone formation, as well as the effects of sodium intake.

If you liked this episode, please let us know!

[08:30] Importance of dietary calcium for kidney stone prevention [11:25] Recommended Daily Value (RDV) of calcium [17:40] How to incorporate dairy into your meals [19:02] Ricotta, Swiss and fresh mozzarella cheese, and others [21:52] How to deal with lactose intolerance [24:01] How dietary sodium affects kidney stone formation [25:20] Recommended Daily Value (RDV) of sodium [27:25] Tips for low sodium cooking [33:04] Tips for eating low sodium meals when you go out to eat [39:10] Check your nutrition labels! [41:45] Cranberry juice, urinary tract infections, D-mannose and kidney health

The Kidney Dietitian - Melanie's Blog Melanie's Instagram Melanie's Facebook Page Melanie's e-Cookbook - Stop Kidney Stones From Your Kitchen Best Practices for Integrating Cheese into A Low Oxalate DietRecording of Live Cooking Show with Nupur Arora of Queens Curry Kitchen U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) supplement certification Organic D Mannose PowderMelanie's version of Harvard Oxalate List Kidney Healthy Recipes Michigan State University Rush University Dietetics University of Chicago Medical Center Melanie's Publications and Presentations

In this episode, I talked to Melanie Betz, a registered dietitian who is board certified in renal nutrition and works in the nephrology department at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Melanie is passionate about helping people with kidney stones and Chronic Kidney Disease understand that healthy eating does not have to be complicated and can be delicious! Her research interests include ways to increase patient knowledge and adherence to healthy eating, frailty and ways to reduce risk for poor health outcomes in older adults, and plant-based diets. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, yoga, wine tasting and cheering on her Michigan State Spartans! She also volunteers with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois and the Healthy Aging Dietetic Practice Group. Check out Melanie’s blog here or connect with her on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter! Melanie and I talked about the effects of dietary protein on kidney stone formation, as well as the effects of sugar intake. In addition, Melanie also took the time to answer some questions from the Low Oxalate Kitchen Facebook group. If you liked this episode, please let us know!

[02:03] How Melanie got into nutrition and dietetics [05:05] Transitioning into nephrology [07:20] Research that Melanie is involved in [09:14] Urine chemistry basics – supersaturation and pH [13:25] Recommendations for daily water intake [16:23] “Alkaline diets” and Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) [21:01] Protein and the formation and prevention of kidney stones [30:00] Recommendations for not overdoing it on dietary protein [32:42] Protein and oxalate production in the liver [33:03] Protein, purines, and kidney stones [38:30] Sugar and kidney stone formation [44:50] Low oxalate lists [48:39] Low oxalate snack ideas [52:46] How dietary phosphorous affects blood and urine phosphorous [53:41] What is glomerular filtration rate (GFR) [54:34] Vitamin D’s affect on urine calcium and kidney stones [57:10] General recommendations for protein with PKD, MSK [62:40] Tips for maintaining a low oxalate diet

The Kidney Dietitian – Melanie’s Blog Melanie’s Instagram Melanie’s Facebook Page Kidney Healthy Recipes Michigan State University Rush University Dietetics University of Chicago Medical Center Melanie’s Publications and Presentations What is supersaturation? What is PRAL & How Does it Affect Kidneys? 24 Hour Urine Collection – LithoLink Harvard Oxalate List Melanie’s version of Harvard Oxalate List Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) Medullary sponge kidney (MSK)

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Alexandra Cleanthous of Food & Thoughts. Alex is originally from the island of Cyprus- she is a chef living and working in Melbourne, Australia. She is the creator of the blog called Food & Thoughts, which is a space dedicated to simple recipes, food history and some of Alex's random thoughts.  When she is not cooking, Alex enjoys doing yoga to find some stillness outside of the noisy kitchen environment. She can also be found scrolling through Pinterest for interior design inspiration or relaxing and watching Friends. In this episode, we chat a little bit about her experiences becoming a chef and then Alex walks us through her processes for infusing oils and pickling your own vegetables, and then shares one of her own recipes with us, adding a little extra flavor to a simple and delicious meal.  Be sure to follow Alex on Instagram here and check our her blog as well. Let me know what you think of the episode. If you like it and want to leave a review wherever you are listening that would be awesome. I hope you enjoy!

[02:30] Alex talks about what it was like growing up in Cyprus [05:43] Studying and going to culinary school in Greece and France [09:47] Internships in Paris and at a Michelin star restaurant in Bordeaux [15:51] How to make your own homemade infused oils [21:50] Alex's go to infused oils [25:22] How to pickle your own vegetables [35:18] Spiced Beef Patty with Herb Yogurt Recipe

Alex's Blog - Food and Thoughts Alex on Instagram How to Make Homemade Infused Oils Samin Nosrat Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat Book and Documentary on Netflix A Pickling Guide For Beginners: How To, What To Use, and Other Tips Spiced Beef Patty with Herb Yogurt Recipe

[If you are interested, Amy and a friend of hers are hosting a free online meditation event this Tuesday, May the 26th at 7PM and anyone is welcome to join. If you want to sign up for that, you can click the link here to register. If you aren’t able to attend, make sure to follow Amy on social to be notified of upcoming events. Click here to sign up for the Live Online Meditation Event Tuesday, May 26th at 7PM  

In this episode, I sit down with actress, singer, artist, meditation instructor and my beautiful girlfriend Amy Rutledge.

This episode may be a little bit different than what you would expect, but I want to make sure I’m creating content for everyone that’s on this diet. That includes people that have issues with kidneys and kidney stones, any women out there that are struggling with oxalate issues that seem to be specific to them, and also just anyone who is having a tough time with their health in general, and feel like oxalates might be a contributing factor.

Amy has had quite the ride in the life as far as health issues go, and has done an unbelievable amount of work, both physical and emotional, to get to a place where she is feeling good and able to help other people get to that same place.

We sat down to talk a little bit about her journey, and how mindfulness and meditation have helped her along the way. She also shares a 14 minute meditation that is perfect for anyone who is struggling with their physical health.

If you are like me, wanting to get into meditation, and have had some trouble finding a style that fits you, maybe this can be that resource you have been looking for.

There are lessons in this episode for everyone, no matter your spiritual or religious beliefs. Mindfulness is, in extremely plain terms, just focusing on and enjoying the present moment, and meditation can be whatever you want it to be for you, so I hope you will enjoy this episode.

Feel free to reach out to me or Amy if you have any questions, and send her an email at [email protected] if you are interested in her current schedule of online meditation classes that you can join.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

[02:32] Amy shares her health struggles over the years with Lyme Disease and fibroid tumors [06:35] How things changed when meditation entered the picture [09:20] Serendipitous introductions to the work of Deepak Chopra and Louise Hay [10:38] Types of meditation and meditation tools[14:45] What is mindfulness? [19:48] Mindfulness in daily tasks, mindful walking and showering [23:20] Safe space/calm place creative visualizations [28:35] Meditation (~14 mins)

Click here to sign up for the Live Online Meditation Event Tuesday, May 26th at 7PM Deepak Chopra 21 Day Meditation Challenge Book – You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay Nalanda Institute Sound Bowl Meditation Cushion Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Soap Amy’s Instagram Amy Rutledge on Insight Timer Amy’s Facebook Page Dr. Wayne Dyer Manifesting Your Destiny YouTube series

In this episode we talk to biologist and chef Alysha Melnyk.

Alysha has combined her background in biology with her passion for making food delicious, eye-catching, and accessible

She is the Founder and Content Creator for The Kitchenologist©, a blog that is dedicated to healthy eating and experimenting in the kitchen.

In addition to creating content for her blog, Alysha is the Recipe Creator for Taproot Farm, an organic farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania. 

When she’s not cooking in the kitchen or dreaming up a recipe, she works full time as an Implementation Specialist at an international medical nonprofit called ECRI, which is located in suburban Philadelphia and is dedicated to improving patient safety worldwide. 

Alysha finds her many career passions revolve around the power of knowledge and that equipping people with the right tools and resources can help them make better informed decisions.

In this episode, we talk to Alysha about how she got into cooking, and then talk about a few recipes of hers that are low in oxalate. Enjoy and be sure to let me know what you think!

[2:00] How Alysha got started experimenting in the kitchen [3:33] Takeaways from Sustainable Food Systems course [5:02] What's in Alysha's home garden [6:05] Sun curing spaghetti squash [8:25] What's in Alysha's tea garden [10:35] How Alysha got involved with Taproot Farms [14:30] Kohlrabi Hashbrowns recipe [20:15] Egg Stuffed Sweet Peppers recipe [24:30] Spaghetti Squash "Pasta" recipe [31:12] Growing your own sprouts/microgreens [34:35] About ECRI [40:38] Making cooking easier and more fun

Susquehanna University Sustainable Food Systems Taproot Farms The Kitchenologist© Savory and Delicious Kohlrabi Hashbrowns Fluffy Egg Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce Frontera Tomatillo Salsa Spicy Kale, Bacon and Asiago Spaghetti Squash “Pasta” ECRI Institute Mandolin Kale Destemmer Kitchen Scissors Connect with Alysha on Instagram Check out Alysha's Blog - The Kitchenologist© Connect with Alysha on Linkedin

When I first was told I needed to go on a low oxalate diet, it was after I had my first kidney stone analyzed. The doctor told me my stones were made from calcium oxalate, and that I should start a low oxalate diet as soon as I could.

They then proceeded to hand me a couple-page printout that looked like it hadn't been updated in 20 years. It had a little bit of information about oxalates and a list of maybe 10 or 15 foods that I should avoid. So I went home, stopped eating spinach, peanut butter and chocolate and thought I was good to go.

Soon after, I learned that things are a lot more complicated than they seemed, and that the internet doesn't make it easy for people looking for reliable information.

In Episode 1 of the Low Oxalate Kitchen Podcast, Dr. Michael Liebman I attempt to help clear the waters for people just starting out on a low oxalate diet. We also give a bit more detail for the people who have been trying to figure this out for some time and are at the point that they want take a deeper dive.

We talk about the factors that affect the oxalate content of foods, and also the factors that affect how much oxalate is actually getting absorbed into the body once its ingested.

[03:40] What are oxalates and oxalic acid, where are they found? [05:14] Factors affecting oxalate content of foods [06:25] Importance of serving size and cooking methods [10:50] Soluble vs insoluble oxalates [12:54] Impact of maturity/ripeness of foods [14:40] Grains/breads/soil conditions [17:26] Factors affecting absorption [18:35] How is absorbed oxalate measured? [22:31] Dietary and supplemental calcium and it's effect on oxalate absorption [26:26] Oxalate absorption compared to other vitamins and minerals [28:20] Including cheese and other low oxalate sources of calcium in the diet [30:23] Probiotics, oxalobacter formigenes and oxalate degrading bacteria [39:15] Questions from Low Oxalate Kitchen Facebook Group [42:26] General nutrition guidelines while on a Low Oxalate Diet [47:50] Spreading out oxalate consumption vs. all in one meal [48:51] Endogenous oxalate production, primary hyperoxlauria, and Vitamin C

In this episode, we talked briefly about if there were any probiotics currently on the market that might be useful in helping to break down ingested oxalates, and Dr. Liebman mentioned VSL #3.

The current formulation of that probiotic is similar to the original that was used in Dr. Liebman’s studies. But as of 2016, the original inventor of that formulation has moved on to a new company called Visbiome and taken the patent for it with him to this new company. 

If you are interested in getting a probiotic VSL #3 may still be a good choice, but if you want the formulation that was used in the studies by Dr. Liebman and his colleagues, that is currently  available as Visbiome. 

Both of these should be available over the counter, but maybe only at certain pharmacies. They are a bit pricey, but it’s because they are such high quality and are meant for pretty serious health conditions.

They should be kept refrigerated so if you don't see them outside the pharmacy, ask if they are keeping them behind the pharmacy counter in a refrigerator. Even though they are kept back there sometimes, you still shouldn’t need a prescription. 

If you can’t find them or just want to order online, there are links below to each. You can also check out this article that talks about the difference between VSL #3 and Visbiome and what happened there if you want more information.

Michael Liebman - University of Wyoming Faculty Page Low Oxalate Vegetable List Article - Best Practices for Integrating Cheese into A Low Oxalate Diet Trying Low Oxalates Facebook Group OxThera Oxabact Clinical Trial VP Foundation VSL#3 Probiotics Visbiome Probiotics Tang M., Larson-Meyer D. E., Liebman M. (2008) Effect of cinnamon and turmeric on urinary oxalate excretion, plasma lipids, and plasma glucose in healthy subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 87(5):1262–1267

Chai, W, Liebman, M. (2005), Effect of different cooking methods on vegetable oxalate content. J Agric Food Chem. 53, 3027–3030. J. Armesto, et al., (2019) Effects of different cooking methods on the antioxidant capacity and flavonoid, organic acid and mineral contents of Galega Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala cv. Galega)". International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 70(2), 136-149. Oulai, P. D., Zoue, L. T., Niamke, S. L. (2015). Evaluation of Nutritive and Antioxidant Properties of Blanched Leafy Vegetables Consumed in Northern Côte d’Ivoire. Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 65(1), 31-38. https://doi.org/10.1515/pjfns-2015-0003