**UPDATE** I figured out that the cause of my skin issue was not the overall renal diet but the cashew milk I was drinking. I can only drink it in small amounts. I switched to macadamia milk but I like the cashew more! I now switch back and forth - depending on price - and just am careful about amounts. Amazon has both types in their Subscribe and Save program. This is the macadamia milk I use and this is the cashew milk. I can also find this Silk brand of cashew milk in local stores.
Um, why did none of my doctors warn me that a renal diet can mess with my skin?
As my body is falling apart on the inside from the sarcoidosis and meds, I have managed to maintain my skin. My parents may have passed me some problem genes but the skin genes are awesome. Until the past couple of weeks.
Normally, I don't need to use anything on my face but a mild oil-based cleanser and some German-made Nivea, L'Oreal Age Renew, or some of that amazing Moistfull Collagen Cream from Etude. Sometimes, I use nothing but some water and oil.
Normally, I said.
For the past few days, I have been making masks of flour or oatmeal or turmeric and honey to calm down the skin on my face. I keep a bottle of water in the freezer so that I can cool down the irritated areas.
There is no visible breakout but my face just feels irritated. When I asked around about why this could be, an acquaintance who knows a little something about skincare told me to think about any changes in lifestyle or diet. Now I would love to be able to say the problem is due to the walks I've been taking, but... Nope. I thought back over everything and it has to be my diet. Right?
Well, after doing some Googling, I think I might be on to something.
I know that I am not getting enough oil in my diet - olive, coconut, ghee - and I sure as hell haven't been eating enough vegetables. That stops today.
Of course, CKD can affect the skin, but I've had CKD for a while and my skin was fine until made such drastic diet changes. In my quest to take the best care ever of my kidneys, I think I may have gone overboard. I haven't just cut back on vegetables and beans and dairy - I've cut all that out like I'm scared of it.
Anyway, I need to check with the Reddit group to see if anyone else has noticed this kind of problem. And I need to go to InstaCart with a quickness and order some skin-rescue food.
Thank Jesus I hate wasting food and still have some beans - pinto, lentils, and black beans - in the pantry somewhere. Now I need to order some green stuff with leaves and some tuna and anything with that I can sprinkle turmeric and other antioxidants on.
My health problems are going to run me into the poorhouse. It's not time for a grocery order yet (according to that joke that I call a "budget") but desperate times and all that...
So I am going to let this oatmeal-water-olive oil paste do its thing while I say a prayer over my credit cards and put in this grocery order. I'll follow up at some point about how my rescue plan is working out.
God forgive my vanity but, if I have to feel like crap, I want to look good doing it.
Peace
--Free
