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THE BEAN:
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 Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown is a book that explores the power of independence, courage, and belonging. Brene uses the term “wilderness” as a metaphor to describe the elements we must face to find belonging: solitude, vulnerability, vast and dangerous environments, and the beauty of nature. You must find your own way through the wild, straying from the beaten path, listening to yourself. It’s about intentionally putting yourself with those who are different from you in culture, beliefs, and ideologies and learning to be with others without sacrificing who we are. Brene uses the acronym BRAVING to help assess trusting others and yourself.
Boundaries: Asking for and respecting boundaries Reliability: understanding competencies and limitations to do as you say Accountability: owning mistakes, apologizing, and making amends Vault: not sharing things that are not yours to share and upholding confidences Integrity: choosing courage over comfort and what is right versus what is easy Nonjudgement: speaking without judging or being judged Generosity: extending the most generous interpretations of intentions, words, and Actions Brene goes on to discuss topics around boundaries. She explores how to embrace our own humanity to connect with others, practicing civility, and conflict management. She explains that changing perspective and working with the mind can be more beneficial than changing physical surroundings to make someone more at ease or comfortable. Life isn’t comfortable. Brene courageously shares her own vulnerable stories of connection, fear, and longing to help show that we are not alone, but we can certainly stand alone. How it helped us: Braving the Wilderness has helped our Patient Educator, Kayla, in her ability to grow as a professional. “I was able to connect with others on a more personal level. I was more courageous to admit mistakes and failures. We are all human. We are not alone in our mistakes, faults, and struggles. I felt like I was able to handle tough conversations and conflicts with ease and civility.” How it can help our patients: Braving the Wilderness can help our patients realize that they are not alone in their chronic illness and the associated challenges. Gaining perspective on vulnerability and connection can greatly benefit patients and how they connect with their care teams and support people. How can you practice braving the wilderness in your daily life?  Regular follow ups with primary care and other specialists are vital to maintaining overall health and wellness. Below are lists of vaccines, suggested screenings, and testing that is recommended on a regular and/or annual basis.
Vaccines:
Suggested Annual Screenings for Adults: Most of this is taken care of by a Primary Care Physician (PCP). It is important to maintain a relationship with your established PCP to ensure timely care and referrals. In addition to the recommended annual physical, it is important to ask about the following:
Preventative Care Testing May Include:
This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your physician for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.  Eating healthy can seem like an impossible task nowadays. However, it may be easier than you think. Listed below are some tips to keep your health on track and your wallet happy. What is “healthy eating”? Healthy eating can look different for everyone based on dietary needs and health conditions. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines “eating healthy” as a “healthy eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods and drinks. It also means getting the number of calories that’s right for you (not eating too much or too little).” It is especially important for patients with kidney diseases or on dialysis to consult with their healthcare providers and dieticians when considering changes in diet. Tips:
For more information on healthy eating, we have provided some resources below. Please contact your healthcare provider(s) before changing your diet or health habits should you have any conditions that require dietary restrictions. Health.gov World Health Organization CDC Eating healthy doesn’t have to be scary or a chore. Let us know what works best for you! As always, stay safe and healthy!  What is sodium?
Sodium is an electrolyte with a positive charge. This differs from salt (sodium chloride) in that salt is a chemical compound while sodium is an element. We will be discussing sodium. What does sodium affect?
Common Sources of Sodium
How Dr. Munjal Helps: Dr. Munjal can make dietary change recommendations, order Basic or Comprehensive Metabolic Panels (BMP/CMP) to check electrolyte levels, or order various supplements or infusions. Munjal’s Musings: Sodium can come from a variety of sources, salt being one of them. One of the other most common sources of sodium is food preservatives. While it may be tasteless and not “salty,” it does not mean that it does not have sodium. A low sodium diet is generally recommended for patients with high blood pressure and kidney diseases. If you have any concerns or questions regarding sodium, please contact your Primary Care Physician or Nephrologist for recommendations. As always, stay safe and healthy! Resources CDC: 10 Sources of Sodium UCSF: Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your physician for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.  Walking is an underrated form of exercise that has a long list of useful benefits. Here are 10 benefits of walking that can improve your health.
Safe Walking Practices:
Consult with your healthcare provider(s) before altering or increasing your exercise habits to ensure that walking is a safe exercise for you. As always, stay safe and healthy! Resources: Sharma A, Madaan V, Petty FD. Exercise for mental health. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;8(2):106. doi: 10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a. PMID: 16862239; PMCID: PMC1470658. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-walking#muscle-tone https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Walking-the-benefits-for-older-people This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your physician for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.  Your demographic information is a vital part of your care. It is protected by HIPAA and therefore cannot be shared or altered without patient consent.
What is considered demographic information?
Why is it important? Demographic information is vital for medical billing, insurance, communications, and patient identification. Out-of-date demographic information can lead to:
How you can update your information:
We try to update this information on an annual basis. You can review our previous post on HIPAA (Be HIP(PA) and Know Your Rights) to learn how we protect your information. If you have questions, concerns, or any changes in the new year, please do not hesitate to call our office.  We believe in recognizing and acknowledging the growth and hard work our team has shown. To do this, we began a program within the office we call KUDOS+. Our team is able to give praise and acknowledge exemplary work by their teammates throughout the quarter. At the end, the teammate with the most KUDOS+ given by their team is appointed the teammate of the quarter. Samantha, our Remote Patient Monitoring Care Coordinator is our fourth quarter teammate of the Quarter for 2022. We had the opportunity to sit down and learn more about what makes her an outstanding employee.
What is your schooling, background and experience?
We are so thankful to have Samantha on our team, empowering our patients every day. Way to grow, Sam!  Did you know that your electrolytes play a vital role in the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance?
What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are substances that hold a positive or negative charge and can thus conduct electricity when dissolved in water. Electrolytes (and their charges) found in the body are:
What do electrolytes do? Electrolytes assist in regulating the fluid balance in the body and muscle contraction through chemical reactions. What can cause changes in electrolytes?
How Dr. Munjal Helps: Dr. Munjal can order a Basic or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (BMP/CMP) to measure the electrolytes’ levels present in the blood. From there, more specified tests can be ordered to determine a precise cause or imbalance. Supplements, infusions, or dietary recommendations can be ordered. Follow-up appointments will be necessary to monitor progress and changes. Munjal’s Musings: The electrolyte levels in your body are not necessarily a reflection of your nutrition or intake, but a measurement of their balance in your blood. In the next Kidney Korner installations, we will be going into more detail on sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. If you have any concerns about your electrolyte levels, contact your Primary Care provider or nephrologist. As always, stay safe and healthy! Resources: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21790-electrolytes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7369961/ This website is for informational and educational purposes ONLY. While we strive for accurate, general medical information, this does not replace professional medical advice. Do not rely solely on this information. Please consult with your physician for more information regarding your specific needs. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.  “The best time to do something significant is between yesterday and tomorrow.” Zig Ziglar
With the start of the New Year comes the start of new personal and professional goals. We want to help you set and reach and exceed them. We have provided a list of goal ideas from all areas of life. We also have downloadable goal sheets on our website to help you kick-start your plans. Health Goals
Personal Goals
Professional Goals
Check out our previous post, New Years Preparations, to learn more about goal setting!  Having a strong support system is crucial for anyone living with a chronic illness. Kidney disease is no different. It is complex and can be potentially life altering. We’ve compiled some tried and true ways to support a loved one who is living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Learn about the kidneys and their disease.
The Jacksonville Nephrology Team is here to support you on your journey with CKD. Should you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to our office. Resources: National Kidney Foundation National Kidney Foundation Renal Support Network |
