Okay, now kidney stones are terrible. Most of all, they are terrible because they can cause severe pain on your sides combined with nausea and vomiting. Consequently, after having seen and treating 1000’s of patients with a kidney stone problem, I have now come to a conclusion that
“Preventing a stone is better than curing one”
Either way, the most commonest question I get from relatives of patients I treat is that
Dear doctor, how to avoid a kidney stone the next time?
This is not surprising…
Since in over 25 to 30 percent of patients a recurrence of kidney stone’s is commonly seen. The best way to avoid a kidney stone is then by following specific dietary habits sincerely. Researchers still do not know exactly as to why kidney stones occur. The kidney stone problem is among the oldest diseases in the world.
Given below are 10 actionable tips, that will teach you on how to avoid a kidney stone problem.
TIP 1: Drink and keep drinking water
I cannot emphasize this strongly enough, but drinking water is THE MOST important thing to do. Water has the ability to dissolve small stones spontaneously.
Do yourself a favour and consume at least close to 4 liters of water per day. Drinking copious amount of water also helps kidney stone recurrence.
TIP 2: Restrict salt intake to avoid stones
Salt and stones go hand in hand. You see they are best friends. Keeping your salt intake to less than 2300 mg per day will prevent not just kidney stone formation but also hypertension and other health issues.
TIP 3: Optimizing your body weight
Once again, the link between excessive body weight and stone formation has been well established. Being on the heavier side definitely leads to kidney stone disease.
Moreover, this link between kidney stone disease and obesity is seen in both men and women uniformly. Cut down on body fat to prevent stones.
TIP 4: Avoid oxalate-rich diet
Food should always be taken in moderation. Too much of anything is not healthy.
Calcium oxalate-rich foods like spinach, soybean, sweet potatoes and tinned grapefruit juice are best taken in limited quantity. More interestingly, calcium oxalate stones are the most common stone type. This shows the extent to which dietary habits can influence stone formation.
TIP 5: Avoid Alcohol and Smoking
Alcohol, whether in little or large amounts is bad for kidney stones.
Quit alcohol and you quit the risk of developing kidney stones forever. The same can also be told for smoking. Want to learn how to avoid a kidney stone?. Stop alcohol and smoking first.
TIP 6: Are you a caffeine lover?
Restrict intake of coffee and tea. Caffeine, when consumed in excess, can result in dehydration and ultimately stone formation.
Soda’s, pop drinks and other nasty drinks all contain caffeine. Learn to control your caffeine intake if you do not want stones. Do not drink more than 2 cups of coffee per day.
TIP 8: Avoid animal protein
Interestingly, uric acid stones are seemingly more common in patients who eat animal meat. While animal meat is a rich source of protein, it is best to take it in moderation.
Where possible you should avoid products like Beef, Pork and Red meat. It is best to substitute this protein source with vegetable-based protein sources like lentils and tofu.
TIP 9: Getting adequate calcium
Taking in adequate calcium from soy milk, tofu and orange juice can also go a long way in preventing stone formation. Give it a try! Moreover, you can always change your diet if you find no benefits.
TIP 10: Avoid supplements
Unfortunately, there is more misinformation out there than we can manage!
Initially, numerous supplements were promoted for treating kidney stone problems. However, none of these supplements were actually found to be beneficial in any way.
Therefore, save yourself the hassle and do not buy or take these supplements.
