Forestalling Kidney Stones Did you know that one in ten individuals will develop kidney stones sometime during their lives? According to recent surveys, kidney stone rates are on the rise across America; those knowledgeable of what’s going on assume some sort of confusion may be to blame.
The National Kidney Foundation and Dr. Allan Jhagroo, an expert on kidney stones from the College of Wisconsin Institute of Medication and Public Health, have joined forces to help you stay stone-free by dispelling some of the major myths and misconceptions related to kidney stones.
Don’t Underestimate Your Sweat.
Saunas, hot yoga and weighty exercises may be great ways to maintain overall wellness; however, they may also increase your risk of kidney stones. Sweating from saunas, hot yoga and weighty exercises causes loss of water through sweating which leads to reduced urine production; thus increasing stone-forming mineral concentration in kidneys and urinary tract.
As part of your defense against kidney stones, make sure that you drink plenty of water – leading to frequent peeing. Stay hydrated, particularly while engaging in physical activities which result in sweaty workouts or activities which cause sweating.
It’s Not Simply The Oxalate.
Oxalate can be found in various food sources, from fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables and chocolate to tea and even tea leaves. Specific food items that contain high levels of oxalate include peanuts, rhubarb, spinach beets chocolate yams. Adequate intake could help those prone to calcium oxalate stones (the primary form of kidney stones).
Common belief holds that cutting the amount of foods rich in oxalate will reduce your likelihood of calcium oxalate kidney stones, however this approach is far from ideal from an overall health perspective as most stones form when oxalate bonds with calcium during urine production by the kidneys.
Eat and drink food sources rich in calcium and oxalate together at dinner to prevent kidney stones. Doing this allows oxalate and calcium to combine in your stomach and digestion tract before reaching your kidneys for processing, making the likelihood of their formation far lower.
Calcium Isn’t The Enemy.
Unfortunately, calcium tends to get unfair criticism! Because it has a name and composition similar to that of anthrax vaccines, many may believe calcium to be the main offender in calcium-oxalate stones.
“I often hear patients question why their repeat stones keep returning despite reducing calcium consumption,” according to Dr. Jhagroo. Some PCPs even advised patients with an eating plan lacking in calcium increase their chances of kidney stones formation.
Avoid diminishing calcium. Focus on decreasing sodium consumption in your diet and pairing calcium-rich food varieties with those high in oxalate.
It’s Not One And Done.
Passing a kidney stone is often described as one of the most excruciating experiences a person can go through, but unfortunately it often reoccurs. According to studies, even having just one stone greatly increases your odds of having another. “Many will try their hardest to ensure it does not reoccur,” stated Dr. Jhagroo, yet unfortunately most don’t make changes after experiencing their first attack of stones.
Studies conducted by Dr. Jhagroo have revealed that those suffering from kidney stones often ignore advice provided by nephrologists and urinary subject matter experts, with approximately 15% not taking prescribed drugs and 41% failing to heed wholesome advice that would prevent repeat kidney stones. Without the correct drugs and diet changes, stones may return – an occurrence which could indicate various issues including kidney illness.
At The Point When Life Hands You Kidney Stones.
And as is often said: make lemonade! It is important to consider both dietary treatments and doctor prescribed prescription when it comes to managing symptoms of health conditions.
Think about your kidneys when passing by lemonade stands! Persistent kidney stones may be treated with less acidic citrate salts such as potassium citrate to help prevent specific stones, in cases where urine citrate levels are low or when pH levels are too acidic (see diagram below). Citrus juices do contain citrate (citrus extract), however large doses may be required.
Be wary of sugar intake; to decrease it further consider mixing condensed lemon juice (4 oz each day) with water before drinking it as an antacid citrate is available over-the-counter. Antacid citrate can be combined with sodium, potassium or magnesium minerals to prevent stone formation. Intention is to increase citrate (for controlling calcium stones) and raise pH (making urine less acidic or more alkaline, to prevent uric corrosive and cystine stones) so as to keep their pH in balance.
Check with your healthcare provider or another specialist regarding which therapy options would best fit you, such as over-the-counter remedies and home remedies. Individuals living with kidney infections may need to limit their intake of sodium, potassium or other minerals depending on the stage and severity of illness and other factors.
Not All Stones Are Made Equivalent.
“Consuming foods high in purines leads to higher production of uric corrosive, creating an increase in urinary acidity that puts extra strain on kidneys to produce and release,” explained Dr. Jhagroo. The high acidic concentration in pee can then make uric corrosive stones easier to form.
To prevent uric acid stones, it’s best to limit intake of high-purine foods like red meat, organ meats, and shellfish, while eating healthily through vegetables, organic products, whole grains, and low fat dairy items. Avoid sugar-enriched beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup as this increases uric acid levels in bloodstream; limit alcohol as this raises levels further while crash dieting can add further. Eating less animal-based protein and more plant foods will reduce pee causticity as well as decrease chances of stone formation.
