Dr Blake Shusterman, MD: The holiday season has so many pitfalls there and it can either be a joyous time or a very difficult time. Having a plan for how to prepare and how to get through this season is really the key. And you also have to have some back up, delicious food to eat. Because if your food doesn’t taste good and bad food is in your plan, that’s not going to work, you need to have good food.

Christopher Springmann: That’s Dr. Blake Shusterman, MD, a practicing nephrologist in Greenville, South Carolina, and host of The Cooking Doc on youtube - in fact, he’s everywhere, even animated!

"Diabetes is a big deal in kidney disease. It’s the leading cause of both chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease that requires transplantation, dialytic therapy, or intensive conservative care."

That’s Dr. Graham Abra, a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University and Senior Director of Medical Clinical Affairs at Satellite Healthcare. Dr. Abra is joined by colleague Paul Bennett, PhD, Director of Medical Clinical Affairs at Satellite Healthcare.

Christopher Springmann: Before we get into the posters and the oral portions that you’re presenting at the ASN or American Society of Nephrology meeting, can you give us a linkage between diabetes and dialysis?

GA: It’s the leading cause of both chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease that requires transplantation, dialytic therapy, or intensive conservative care. It’s a major issue that nephrologists and other professionals who work with patients with kidney disease deal with.

Dr. Dyer Diskin, MD, is a Nephrology Fellow at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Christopher Springmann: Satellite Healthcare has funded your research into patients with end stage renal disease, ESRD, receiving in-center hemodialysis, patients who often suffer from high rates of frailty, physical inactivity and mortality. What is frailty? It's a word often used very casually by people, but what is the medical definition that is so significant to your work?

Dr. Dyer Diskin, MD: Frailty is something that we talk about very casually but it actually does have a very specific definition, and most of that medical definition is based off of how strong the patient's grip is and what their walking speed is which is sort of a reflection of gait, balance and lower, lower leg strength, and a lot more older people are getting access to dialysis at a later stage in their life, so it is something that is very important to focus on in the dialysis population.

NephTalk is a podcast series created with nephrologists in mind, from Satellite Healthcare, a not-for-profit dialysis provider and clinical researcher, with a special focus on home, as the industry's home dialysis leader. I’m Christopher Springmann.

I’m Christopher Springmann and this is NephTalk, a podcast series created with Nephrologists in mind, from Satellite Healthcare, a not-for-profit dialysis provider and clinical researcher, with a special focus on home, as the industry's home dialysis leader.

Nieltje Gedney: And I would have chosen to die, except that I was taking care of my mother, and the second was the fact that the nephrologist in the hospital who saw me on an emergency basis told me about home dialysis. And in all the years that I had been struggling against CKD, kidney disease, no one ever mentioned that option. Those two things really saved my life.

That’s our guest Nieltje Gedney, a home hemodialysis patient and hero to many with kidney disease, as an outspoken officer of Home Dialyzors United, an advocacy group committed to promoting innovative, accessible and often individualized patient-centered dialysis treatments at home.

I’m Christopher Springmann and this is NephTalk, a podcast series created with nephrologists in mind, from Satellite Healthcare, a not-for-profit dialysis provider and clinical researcher, with a special focus on home, as the industry's home dialysis leader.

CS: You really enjoy this work, don’t you?

Dr. Randy Chen, MD: I do.

CS: I can hear the passion in your voice.

RC: I hope that comes through. I mean, I can’t imagine anything else. And it’s just wonderful to be able to help your fellow man. And do it in a way in which you use knowledge, compassion, and just empathy for patients you are dealing with really, life-changing events and diseases.

That’s Dr. Randy Chen, MD, a full-time private practice nephrologist, a medical advisor for Satellite Healthcare, and Medical Director for Satellite Healthcare’s Dialysis Center in Daly City, California.

Hi, I'm Dr. Shusterman, The Cooking Doc. Now, you're heard me say, "Change Your Buds" in my videos, but what does Change Your Buds actually mean? It means learning to change your taste buds so they actually enjoy healthy food. But this doesn't happen quickly. It takes time.

You have to teach your taste buds to like healthier things; whole grains, vegetables, fruit. And that's what The Cooking Doc is all about. It's about teaching you to make those things actually taste good. And once you make these changes, you won't have to fight as hard against your cravings for unhealthy foods. Your cravings will actually go away over time.

This is NephTalk, a podcast series created with nephrologists in mind, from Satellite Healthcare, a not-for-profit dialysis provider and clinical researcher, with a special focus on home, as the industry's home dialysis leader. I’m Christopher Springmann and let’s get cooking!

Our guest is Dr. Ken Sutha, MD, a pediatric nephrologist at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

CS: I really get the impression that you feel an obligation because so much has been given to you not only by your father who gave you one of his kidneys, but of course, a recent donor.

KS: I’ve always felt it was important for me to pay it forward since I’ve been so fortunate in my journey. Minority communities are disproportionately affected by kidney disease. And so, being able to reach out to the Hispanic community here to share my story as a minority myself, Asian American, also having increased risk of kidney disease. That was a really important thing for me to be able to do.

March holds special significance for the kidney community. It’s National Kidney Month, and we also celebrate National Doctor’s Day. This unique pair of observances makes it the perfect time to reflect on the partnerships, research, and initiatives that improve kidney health.

During March, while we focus on the vital need to keep kidneys healthy, we acknowledge the great strides being made to help those with kidney disease live their best life possible.

Satellite Healthcare salutes Nephrologists for their tireless dedication; skill and expertise; care and compassion. Collectively and individually, you improve the lives of kidney patients.

Thank you for all that you do, today and every day. Satellite Healthcare wishes you a Happy Doctor’s Day!

Dr. Tara Chang, MD, is a nephrologist and a Satellite Healthcare research grant recipient who possesses three qualities I really admire: Curiosity, asking the big “why not?” questions; creativity, the kind you apply to problem solving; plus she’s known as a great collaborator and an inspiring partner.

Dr. Chang is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Let’s lead into our interview with Dr. Chang with a one-minute animated video she produced to support her successful grant proposal.

Stanford University Nephrologist, Dr. Shuchi Anand, MD, received a Satellite Healthcare research grant, inspired by provocative questions, like: What would happen if we, as nephrologists, intervened early in the patient’s chronic kidney disease journey before they started dialysis, by prescribing an exercise program?

Would that better prepare patients for the physical, social and emotional challenges of the dialysis experience and ultimately make them healthier candidates for a transplant?