|  |
 |
|
Preventing Kidney Stones, Part Two |
Dr. Joseph Mercola | 6/24/09
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read Part One
A 1999 South African study found that drinking soda exacerbates conditions in the urine that lead to formation of calcium oxalate kidney stone problems.
Diets high in processed salt are also bad news. Salt increases the amount of calcium and oxalate in your urine. And processed foods are extremely high in salt.
Dr. Bruce L. Slaughenhoupt, co-director of pediatric urology at the University of Wisconsin, reports a huge increase in the salt load of children’s diets — from salty chips, French fries, sandwich meats, canned soups, and sports drinks like Gatorade, which are now sold in child-friendly juice boxes. He believes the over-consumption of processed foods by children today is the cause of increased kidney stones in children.
Consumption of soy can predispose you to developing kidney stones due to high levels of oxalate present in many varieties of soybeans. One more nail in the coffin for non-fermented soy!
And finally, caffeine has been linked to kidney stones. In one study, caffeine was given to people with a history of kidney stones, after which their urine was examined. The subjects showed elevated urine calcium, putting them at higher risk for kidney stones.
 In the past, kidney stone sufferers have been warned to avoid foods rich in calcium. However, there is now evidence that avoiding calcium may do more harm than good. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study of more than 45,000 men. The men who had diets rich in calcium had a one-third lower risk of kidney stones than those with lower calcium diets.
Why would this be? It seems counterintuitive. After all, calcium is the largest component in the stones.
The answer is that high dietary calcium actually blocks a chemical action that causes the formation of the stones. It binds with oxalates (from foods) in your intestine, which then prevents both from being absorbed into your blood and later transferred to your kidneys.
So, urinary oxalates may be more important to formation of calcium-oxalate kidney stone crystals than is urinary calcium.
It is important to note that it is the calcium from foods that is beneficial — not calcium supplements, which have actually been found to increase your risk of kidney stones by 20 percent.
In the 1990s when the Atkins diet reached huge popularity, critics claimed that high protein intake leads to kidney stones. This turned out to be a complete myth, but the misinformation is still being circulated.
Although protein restricted diets are helpful for people who already have kidney disease, eating meat does not cause kidney problems. Furthermore, the fat-soluble vitamins and saturated fat found in animal foods are pivotal for the proper functioning of your kidneys.
As with most things, the best approach is the safest and simplest — letting the stone pass on its own. This might take days, or weeks in some cases, but the key is to drink enough water — NOT soda — to decrease the concentration of solids in your urine to the point that the stone will be dissolved. Avoid drinking tea since it is high in oxalates.
There are several medical procedures and surgical techniques that can be used to treat kidney stones, but the risks are high enough that physicians typically shy away from them, unless there's no other choice. This is actually a good thing, considering the multitude of problems American patients face due to medical errors.
Pain medications will usually be offered, if your pain level is intolerable.
Some medicinal herbs have been identified to be helpful for acute episodes, including:
- nettle leaf
- bearberry
- cleavers
- corn silk
- crampbark
- gravel root
- kava kava
- khella
- hydrangea
- stone root
You should always consult an expert herbalist, since herbs can be every bit as potent as pharmaceuticals and may cause harm if used improperly.
Of course, even better than letting a kidney stone pass naturally would be if you never had to deal with this very painful problem in the first place.
In summary, a few lifestyle modifications will go a long way toward preventing a painful kidney stone attack:
- As discussed previously, stay well hydrated
- Eat a diet based on your body’s unique nutritional type
- Avoid taking prescription drugs that harm more than they heal
- Avoid sugar, soy, caffeine, excess salt, and processed foods
- Get plenty of exercise to keep your body’s fluids moving
- Make sure you’re getting adequate magnesium and vitamin B6 in your diet, which have both been suggested to help prevent kidney stone formation
Lifestyle changes always take some effort and might seem inconvenient at first. But compared to the painful process of passing a kidney stone, a few lifestyle changes are a cinch!
Dr. Joseph Mercola writes daily columns on health at his website, Mercola.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|