Episode 59 - Diet and kidney disease -

29 April 2026

April 2026.

Listen here:

And available everywhere you listen to podcasts, via Podlink: https://pod.link/thehealthyhandful

About this episode

In this episode of The Healthy Handful, host Belinda Neville speaks with Professor Kelly Lambert about the rising prevalence of kidney disease, the major risk factors including high blood pressure and diabetes, and the important role nutrition plays in protecting kidney health.

Professor Lambert explains how nutrition can help manage chronic kidney disease (CKD), with a focus on the benefits of plant-based eating patterns. She discusses how these diets may support a healthier gut microbiome and help reduce the production of toxins that can place further strain on the kidneys.

The conversation also explores how dietary advice should be tailored according to the stage of kidney disease and any co-existing health conditions. Finally, they unpack the findings of a recent systematic review examining the potential role of nuts in reducing non-traditional CKD risk factors, including chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

Key take-outs:

CKD is becoming more common, driven largely by rising rates of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Nutrition plays a central role in the management of CKD, with plant-rich eating patterns showing strong benefits for kidney and overall health.
Emerging research suggests nuts may benefit some people with CKD, particularly through their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

About today’s guest

Kelly Lambert is a Professor and Discipline Leader in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. She is also a Fellow of Dietitians Australia.

Kelly has extensive experience as a clinical dietitian, with more than two decades of her clinical career as specialist kidney dietitian.

Kelly’s research interests focus on helping people with kidney disease live better lives. Her research career has focused on cognition and health literacy in people with kidney disease and how this intersects with the way people learn about diet.

She is passionate about helping people living with kidney disease to make optimal diet and lifestyle choices. To achieve this, she works as Co-Director of the Kidney Lifestyle Research Group and Deputy Director of the Health Innovations Research Centre at the University of Wollongong.