Staying Healthy with Kidney Disease : A Complete Guide for Patients

Patients with kidney disease often find it difficult to understand and undertake the lifestyle changes that will help them stay as healthy as possible. This book offers patients information and guidance on how to stay healthy with kidney disease in a clear, comprehensive, and encouraging way. The first section explains the basics of the disease and how it interacts with other common health issues, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and aging. The second section breaks down the changes a patient can make to their exercise, treatment, and diet to maximize their kidney function, including helpful tips and healthy recipes.

Written by top nephrologists with experience writing for non-specialists, this easy-to-read guide will help kidney disease patients and caregivers manage the illness and keep patients healthy.​

Stephen Z Fadem, MD, FASN

Stephen Z. Fadem has garnered over 40 years of professional experience as a practicing nephrologist, and in the fields of research, technology, consulting, and education. He is a frontrunner of cutting-edge research, and specializes in kidney disease management with a special interest in delaying the progression of chronic disease. He has worked on clinical research projects relating to anemia in chronic kidney disease, vitamin D management, and polycystic kidney disease. Previously serving on many Technical Expert Panels, he has extensive experience as a consultant to the computer industry in the development of CKD management software and developed the Touchcalc® line of medical calculators. He originated the website nephron.com which was the first to feature guidance on education for patients with chronic kidney disease – Fadem’s Kidney Guide. In addition to caring for patients at Kidney Associates he also serves as a Clinical Professor ofMedicine at Baylor College of medicine. He lectures frequently on dialysis management, COVID-19, disaster preparation, patient safety, preventive nephrology, vascular calcification, anemia, patient education, CKD education, information systems, computer technology, and computer security. 

Dr. Fadem graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine with his Medical Degree. He went on to complete his internal medicine residency from the University of Texas Health Science Center. Subsequently, he began practice in 1978 after completing his renal fellowship at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. 

Dr. Fadem has previously served national leadership positions on several professional boards and committees. He is currently the Medical Advisory Board Chairman of the American Association of Kidney Patients. He also serves as Medical Advisory Board Chairman of the National Kidney Foundation Serving Texas and is on the NKF Scientific Advisory Board. He is a diplomate and fellow of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. He is a fellow and active member of the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology, a past board member of the Renal Physicians Association, the American Association of Kidney Patients, and a current board member of the National Kidney Foundation Serving Texas. Dr. Fadem has served as editor of AAKPRenalife, and has contributed heavily to this magazine. It is directed to kidney patients.

Dr. Fadem has received several awards and accolades including the American Association of Kidney Patients Nova Award and the National Kidney Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award. He has also been awarded the National Kidney Foundation’s President's Award, the Myron L. Jenkins Award, the Samuel Orenstein Award, the AAKP Visionary Award and Peter Lundin Award for his contributions to patient education. He is the recipient of the 2013 Core ValueAward for Continuous Quality Improvement, which is given yearly to the DaVita Medical Director who best exemplifies the core value of CQI through outcomes-based leadership. Furthermore, he is a 2014 recipient of the NKF Crystal Slipper Award and was awarded the Lifetime Academic and Professional Achievement Award by AAKP in 2018. In 2019, Dr. Fadem received the Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed upon a physician by AAKP. Dr. Fadem has been ranked among the Top Doctors in the USA by U.S. News and World Report and Castle Connolly and is a Texas Super Doctor. He was ranked among the top nephrologists in Houston by the Houston Chronicle and is listed as a Top Doctor by H Texas Magazine.

Dr. Fadem is widely published. He has edited three textbooks on kidney disease, Issues in Dialysis (Nova Science, Hauppauge, NY, March 2012), Essentials of Chronic Kidney Disease (Nova Science, Hauppauge, NY, June 2015), and Essentials of Chronic Kidney Disease 2nd edition (Nova Science, Hauppauge, NY, October 18, 2018). Each has a new edition in progress. Dr. Fadem is currently editing texts on acute kidney injury and kidney transplantation.