Kidney stones are a common health condition under which hard salt and mineral deposits form inside the kidney.
Unfortunately, kidney stones are more likely to recur in persons who have already had them. People with this condition find passing these stones very painful. You can, however, take a few precautions to lessen this danger.
In this post, we will define kidney stones in detail and list 8 dietary approaches to prevent them.
Also known as renal stones or nephrolithiasis, kidney stones are composed of hard, solid waste materials that build up in the kidneys and form crystals.
Four main types exist, but about 80% of all stones are calcium oxalate stones. Less common forms include struvite, uric acid, and cysteine.
While smaller stones are usually not a problem, larger stones may cause a blockage in part of your urinary system as they leave your body.
The health condition – Kidney Stones are also referred to as renal stones or nephrolithiasis. These stones are made of hard, solid waste products that accumulate in the kidneys and crystallize. There are four basic forms, although calcium oxalate stones account for nearly 80% of all stones. Among the less popular varieties are struvite, uric acid, and cysteine.
Larger stones may cause a blockage in part of your urinary system as they exit your body, whereas smaller stones are typically not a concern.
The health condition may cause severe pain, bleeding as well and vomiting issues.
In fact, in the United States, 5% of women and 12% of men will get kidney stones in their lifetime. Furthermore, studies show that if you get a kidney stone, you are up to 50% more likely to do so again in the next five to ten years.
Here are 8 natural home remedies to lower your chance of developing new kidney stones.
When it comes to kidney stone prevention, drinking plenty of fluids is generally recommended.
Fluids dilute and increase the volume of the stone-forming substances in the urine, which makes them less likely to crystallize.
However, not all fluids exert this effect equally. For example, a high intake of water is linked to a lower risk of kidney stone formation.
It’s generally advised to drink enough fluids when trying to avoid kidney stones. Fluids increase the volume of the compounds that cause stones in urine, dilute them, and decrease their likelihood of crystallization.
However, not all fluids have the same impact. For instance, drinking a lot of water may reduce your risk of developing kidney stones.
A lower risk has also been linked to beverages like coffee, tea, beer, wine, and orange juice.
On the other hand, drinking a lot of soda may promote the development of kidney stones. Both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened sodas fall under this.
Soft drinks with added sugar often contain fructose, which is known to cause an increase in the excretion of uric acid, calcium, and oxalate. These are significant risk elements for kidney stones.
Due to the presence of phosphoric acid in these beverages, some studies have also connected a high consumption of sugar- and artificially-sweetened colas to an elevated risk of kidney stones.
Many fruits and vegetables have an organic Citrus fruits in particular contain citric acid, an organic acid that is present in many fruits and vegetables. This plant component is particularly abundant in lemons and limes. There are two ways that citric acid may help avoid calcium oxalate kidney stones.
Prevent Formation of Stones – It can bind to calcium in urine, lowering the likelihood of developing new stones.
Prevent Stone Enlargement – By forming a bond with existing calcium oxalate crystals, it stops stones from enlarging. Before they grow into larger stones, they can assist you in getting beyond these crystals.
Consuming more citrus fruits, such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, or limes, is a simple approach to increase your intake of citric acid. Adding lime or lemon juice to your water is another option.
Leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, chocolate, and other plant foods contain the antinutrient oxalate (oxalic acid). Additionally, your body makes a lot of it.
Oxalate excretion in the urine may increase with high oxalate consumption, which can be harmful to those who frequently create calcium crystals. crystals of oxalate.
Oxalate can form crystals by joining calcium and other minerals, which can result in the creation of stones.
A strict low-oxalate diet is no longer advised for everyone who gets stones, while foods high in oxalate tend to be highly healthful.
Only those with hyperoxaluria, a condition marked by high amounts of oxalate in the urine, are advised to follow a low-oxalate diet. If you think you might benefit from reducing your consumption of oxalate-rich foods, talk to your doctor or a nutritionist before making any dietary changes.
According to studies, taking supplements of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) increases your risk of developing kidney stones. Given that some vitamin C can be transformed by the body into oxalate, a high intake of supplemental vitamin C may lead to an increase in the excretion of oxalate in the urine.
As per another research, individuals who use vitamin C supplements may have twice the risk of developing kidney stones as those who don’t. But take note that dietary vitamin C from sources like lemons is not linked to a higher incidence of stones.
It’s a common misconception that you should consume less calcium to lower your risk of developing calcium-containing stones. This is not the case, though. In actuality, a diet rich in calcium has been linked to a lower chance of developing kidney stones.
In one trial, males who had previously developed kidney stones containing calcium were given a diet containing 1,200 mg of calcium daily. Additionally, the diet was minimal in sodium and animal protein.
In comparison to the control group, which consumed 400 mg of calcium per day, the men had a roughly 50% decreased risk of getting another kidney stone within 5 years.
Oxalate in the diet tends to bind with dietary calcium, preventing absorption. Consequently, the kidneys won’t have to pass it on to the urine system.
Milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent dietary sources of calcium.
The recommended daily amount (RDA) of calcium for most adults is 1,000 mg per day. The RDA is 1,200 mg per day for men and women over the age of 70, respectively.
Some people have an increased risk of kidney stones when they consume a lot of salt in their diet. One of the main risk factors for kidney stones is excessive consumption of sodium, which is found in table salt and may increase calcium excretion through urine.
However, some research involving younger adults has not managed to establish a connection.
The majority of dietary recommendations advise consumers to keep their daily sodium consumption to 2,300 mg. However, the majority of people consume significantly more than that. Limiting the consumption of packaged, processed foods is one of the best strategies to lower your salt intake.
Magnesium is a crucial mineral that many individuals do not get enough of. Numerous metabolic processes within your body, including energy production and muscle movement, depend on it.
Additionally, there is some evidence to suggest that magnesium may aid in the prevention of calcium oxalate kidney stones. Although the exact mechanism is unclear, it has been hypothesized that magnesium may inhibit the absorption of oxalate in the gut. However, not all studies support this claim.
Magnesium’s reference daily intake (RDI) is 420 mg per day. Avocados, lentils, and tofu are all excellent food sources of magnesium if you want to improve your dietary intake of this mineral.
Consume magnesium along with oxalate-rich foods to get the most benefit. If that isn’t possible, try to take this mineral within 12 hours of consuming foods high in oxalate.
An increased risk of kidney stones is linked to a diet high in animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, and dairy. High quantities of animal protein may cause an increase in calcium excretion and a reduction in citrate levels.
Animal protein sources are also a good source of purines. These substances can raise the chance of developing uric acid stones because they break down into uric acid.
Purines can be found in different levels in all meals.
Organ meats like kidney, liver, and other liver are particularly high in purines. Plant foods, on the other hand, have little of these ingredients.
Within five to ten years of having a kidney stone, you are quite likely to experience another. Fortunately, changing your diet may help lower this risk.
You might try drinking more water, eating more foods high in specific nutrients, consuming less animal protein, and avoiding sodium, for examples.
Painful kidney stones may be avoided with only a few steps. Try our above-listed home remedies to avoid any suffering.
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