Andrew Kowalski

Carla Valencia-Ochoa, MD In early January 2026 , the U.S. government released updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans . The main idea is simple: “eat real food.”  These guidelines encourage people to eat mostly whole, minimally processed foods and avoid added sugars and highly processed products, as we described in this blog before. This new focus aligns with growing scientific evidence on inflammation  and chronic disease, including kidney disease . What Is Inflammation? Inflammation is...

Andrew Kowalski, MD, FASN Hypertension, one of the most common manifestation in CKD, and as described in previous blogs, CKD impacts how efficiently the kidneys function, making it more difficult for the body to control fluids, electrolytes, toxins and salts. This is why many people with CKD develop high blood pressure, and then run the risk of potentially serious health problems including heart disease or stroke. In these patients high blood pressure can exacerbate their kidney disease and...

Andrew Kowalski, MD, FASN The Scale of the Problem CKD has quietly emerged from the shadows of nephrology to become a defining challenge in global health. Current estimates suggest that approximately 850 million people worldwide live with CKD, with roughly 4 million receiving dialysis or living with a kidney transplant (Herrington et al., 2025). These numbers are staggering, but what makes them truly alarming is the trajectory: based on current trends, CKD is projected to become the fifth...