KINGSTON, N.Y.—HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley's Dialysis and Diabetes Education Center in Kingston is now providing medical nutrition therapy — or MNT — for chronic kidney-disease outpatients.
According to Rachel Carron, the center's program coordinator, medical nutrition therapy consists of evidence-based diagnostic, counseling and therapeutic services, designed to help chronic kidney disease patients learn to balance their food choices.
"The goal of medical nutritional therapy for chronic kidney disease patients who are not on dialysis is to maintain good nutritional status, slow down disease progression and treat complications," Carron said.
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading risk factors of chronic kidney disease, which slowly deteriorates kidney function over time, she added. Proper nutrition can help regulate or reduce these risks.
