How Your Diet to Prevent Kidney Stones Make Your Life Better
With the rise of kidney stone cases, it is but natural that there have been a need to identify a diet to
prevent kidney stones. Here are the numbers, up to 4% of the population in the United States have kidney
stones. About 12% of the male population have renal stone by the age of 70. More than 200,000 Americans require
hospitalization for treatment of stones each year.
Conventionally, too much calcium in the urine is the main identifiable cause of kidney stones. It accounts for more
than 70% of total occurrence. While formation mechanisms vary, some factors are present in most cases such as
drugs, medical conditions, and dietary factors.
Part of the diet for kidney stones involves preventing them from happening again. Preventive measures include:
• Drinking a large amount of water
• Changes in diet
• Medication
Drinking large volumes of water each day will dilute the mineral or stone-forming salts in the urine. Many experts
advise people who are prone to kidney stones to drink 12 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Stones cannot form in
urine that is diluted.
Since kidney stones and diet play a very interrelating role to one another, it is but fitting that your diet should
be adjusted to prevent kidney stone formation. Because calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone,
some experts recommend a low-calcium and low-oxalate diet. The diet to prevent kidney stones comprises of the
exclusion of this foods:
• Foods high in calcium include dairy products.
• Foods rich in oxalate include colas, chocolate, peanuts, leafy vegetables, and tea.
Restricting these foods in the diet should lower the concentration of calcium and oxalate in the urine.
In many cases of uric acid stones, a diet low in animal proteins is recommended. Foods that are high in purines,
which contribute to uric acid stones, include poultry and red wine.
Even with careful regulation of water intake and diet, stones still may form. But there are some medications that
can help prevent this.
These medications can reduce the level of stone-forming chemicals such as uric acid, calcium, oxalate, or cystine
in the blood. They also can inhibit an enzyme required by the bacteria that cause struvite stones to form. Other
medications can be used for relief of pain from kidney stones.
This diet to prevent kidney stones is very effective when you follow it. With these
guidelines, you’ll have a happy, healthy and kidney stone-free life!
More resources:
Kidney Disease Diet
Kidney Diet Effective
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