For many of us, childhood memories of being forced to eat soggy, bland vegetables like plain canned carrots or spinach (before we could have dessert!) took away a lot of the appeal and interest in eating vegetables today. This is a shame – and a problem – as U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults eat 2 to 2½ cups of vegetables per day, but 90% of us do not meet this goal, probably in some part due to those negative childhood memories.

Have you ever stopped to think how important your kidneys are to long-term health? Kidneys are vital organs that usually fly under the radar when we think about a healthy lifestyle. Many key functions in our body depend upon our kidneys including:

• Removing waste and extra fluid as urine
• Balancing electrolytes, like sodium and potassium
• Producing red blood cells
• Regulating blood pressure
• Controlling pH balance
• Making an active form of Vitamin D to support bone health

Nearly 1 in 7 Americans have chronic kidney disease (CKD),