Kidney stones appear like crystals in the urine and are made up of hard mass. These are of different types and cause problems in the kidney.
The most typical kidney stones found are calcium stones and uric acid stones. When these stones are formed in the kidney, it causes extreme pain when passed through the urinary tract.
Tips To Prevent Kidney Stones
Following are some adjustments so that you can add up in your diet to prevent kidney stones:
- Minimize the intake of animal protein
Foods that contain animal proteins in high content should be consumed less or in minimum amount as these include high amounts of urine acid which follows the formation of calcium oxalate and uric acid kidney stones. Thus, try to eat less some of the following animal proteins:
- Poultry
- Pork
- Fish
- Beef
2. Herbal remedies
Herbal remedies help in the prevention of kidney stones as it helps in the formation of calcium-oxalate kidney stones and also help in reducing the size of the existing kidney stones. An herb called “chance piedra” is known as “stone-breaker” is a famous folk herbal remedy for kidney stones. Although herbal remedies in adequate quantities as intake of herbs are not yet proven to help in preventing kidney stones.
3. Remain hydrated
Always drink more water to prevent kidney stones. Intake of less water can lead to less urine output and further results in concentrated urine which contains less amount of urine salts which ultimately causes kidney stones.
Orange juice and lemonade help in preventing kidney stones as they contain citrate.
In case you have a history of cystine stones or exercise daily, then you need an additional amount of fluids. The normal amount of fluids you need to drink is around eight glasses and also you should pass at least two liters of urine in a day.
If your urine color is pale yellow or clear, then it is fine. If it is of dark color, then you need to drink more water.
4. Minimize oxalate-rich foods
Few kidney stones are made up of oxalate which binds with calcium to form kidney stones. These are natural compounds that bind in the urine. Thus, to prevent kidney stones, you should eat oxalate-rich foods in lower amounts. Following are some of the oxalate-rich foods which you should take in a fewer amount:
- Soy products
- Peanuts
- Coffee
- Spinach
- Chocolate
- Beets
- Wheat bran
- Sweet potatoes
- Rhubarb
Eating foods rich in calcium and oxalate at the same time makes the formation of stones harder as these both bind in the digestive tracts before reaching the kidneys.
5. Eat more foods rich in calcium
The most common kidney stone is calcium oxalate stone as it is found in most people and they believe that eating less calcium can decrease the risk of kidney stones formation. However, it is the opposite, as eating foods containing no calcium can lead to osteoporosis and increase the risk of kidney stone formation.
Eating calcium supplements with your meal can reduce the risk of kidney stones like low-fat yogurt, low-fat milk, and low-fat cheese as these are rich in calcium.
Avoid eating calcium supplements alone as they can increase the risk of kidney stones.
6. Avoid eating Vitamin C supplements
In men, Vitamin C can increase the risk of kidney stones as these foods contain ascorbic acid in abundance. Although, according to researchers, vitamin C food does not carry the risk factor for the formation of kidney stones.
7. Eat less sodium
According to the Urology Care Foundation, high levels of salt in the urine can prevent calcium from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream. The high urine calcium, thus, can lead to the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, it is recommended to eat a less-salt diet which helps in the prevention of calcium kidney stones.
The lower the level of urine calcium, the lower the risk of forming kidney stones. So, eating less salt helps in keeping the urine calcium level low.
Following are the foods which contain high sodium content:
- Canned soups
- Foods rich in sodium bicarbonate
- Lunchmeat
- Foods containing monosodium glutamate
- Processed foods like crackers and chips
- Canned vegetables
- Condiments
- Foods containing sodium nitrate
You can also try fresh herbs or salt-free, herbal seasoning blend to flavor foods without salt.
8. Fruits and vegetables
Eating fruits and vegetables are healthy in any diet. Eating vegetables helps in preventing the formation of kidney stones and fruits can be eaten dried, frozen, or fresh.
Kidney stones can be prevented with the help of medical treatment and proper diet depending on an individual. Eating according to the correct nutrition plan can prevent these stones from forming in the kidney.
