Unfortunately, chronic kidney disease often cannot be cured. But if you
                    are in the early stages of a kidney disease, you may be able to make
                    your kidneys last longer by taking certain steps.
                         If you have diabetes, watch your blood glucose closely to keep it
                         under control. Consult your doctor for the latest in treatment.
                         Avoid pain pills that may make your kidney disease worse.
                         Check with your doctor before taking any medicine.
                   Blood pressure
                   People with reduced kidney function (a high creatinine level in the blood
                    or a low creatinine clearance) should have their blood pressure
                    controlled, and an ACE inhibitor should be one of their medications. If
                    they also have proteinuria, the blood pressure should be maintained
                    below 125/75 mm Hg.

                    Diet
                   People with reduced kidney function need to be aware that some parts
                    of a normal diet may speed their kidney failure.

                   Protein
                   Protein is important to your body. It helps your body repair muscles
                    and fight disease. Protein comes mostly from meat. As discussed in an
                    earlier section, healthy kidneys take wastes out of the blood but leave
                    protein. Impaired kidneys may fail to separate the protein from the
                    wastes.

                    Some doctors tell their kidney patients to limit the amount of protein
                    they eat so that the kidneys have less work to do. But you cannot avoid
                    protein entirely. You may need to work with a dietitian to find the right
                    food plan.

                   Cholesterol
                    Another problem that may be associated with kidney failure is too much
                    cholesterol (koh-LES-tuh-rawl) in your blood. High levels of
                    cholesterol may result from a high fat diet.

                    Cholesterol can build up on the inside walls of your blood vessels. The
                    buildup makes pumping blood through the vessels harder for your heart
                    and can cause heart attacks and strokes.

                   Sodium
                    Sodium is a chemical found in salt and other foods. Sodium in your diet
                    may raise your blood pressure, so you should limit foods that contain
                    high levels of sodium. High sodium foods include canned or processed
                    foods like frozen dinners and hot dogs.

                   Potassium
                   Potassium is a mineral found naturally in many fruits and vegetables, like
                    potatoes, bananas, dried fruits, dried beans and peas, and nuts. Healthy
                    kidneys measure potassium in your blood and remove excess amounts.
                    Diseased kidneys may fail to remove excess potassium, and with very
                    poor kidney function, high potassium levels can affect the heart rhythm.

                   Treating anemia
                   Anemia is a condition in which the blood does not contain enough red
                    blood cells. These cells are important because they carry oxygen
                    throughout the body. If you are anemic, you will feel tired and look
                    pale. Healthy kidneys make the hormone EPO, which stimulates the
                    bones to make red blood cells. Diseased kidneys may not make
                    enough EPO. You may need to take injections of a manmade form of
                    EPO.

                    Preparing for end stage renal disease
                    As your kidney disease progresses, you will need to make several
                    decisions. You will need to learn about your options for treating ESRD
                    so that you can make an informed choice between hemodialysis,
                    peritoneal dialysis, and transplantation.