Diet Plan to prevent Kidney Stones
It is advisable to follow Diet Plan suggested by your doctor to dissolve and flush Kidney Stones. Simple list of foods that you require to take and foods you should stay away from can help you prevent or reduce any types of kidney stones.
Kidneys and Kidney’s Function
Kidneys are one of the vital organs of the body whose main function is to filter blood off all the waste products and excrete it out of the body in the form of urine. It also helps regulate the electrolyte composition of the body, controls blood pressure, helps in production of red blood cells and strengthens bones. It passes the wastes and extra water into the bladder and finally passing it out through the ureter. Nephrolithiasis, commonly known as Kidney stones are a condition related to the dysfunctioning of the kidneys, caused due to renal calculi or stones formed in the ureter. These stones are a result of the solid crystallized aggregations made up of dissolved urinary minerals. These stones are very tiny in size initially but have the tendency to grow to 1/10th of an inch or more.
Whilst the stone is still in the kidney it does not cause any major problems or show any kind of symptoms, but by the time it falls into the ureter it causes a blockage. As a result, on further production and passage of urine from the kidneys to the ureter a pressure is built behind the stone due to its obstruction thus causing abnormal swelling of the kidneys. This is when the actual pain is caused by kidney stones but the pressure also facilitates a forward pressure exerted on the stone thus pushing the stone along the course of the ureter. This way it enters the bladder and is gradually passed out of the body for good. In some cases, the stones are unable to make its way out on its own and in such cases a doctor’s help is sought.
Earlier, stones were removed by surgery but modern medicine has introduced easier ways to remove kidney stones and they are either by the use of shock waves that help in breaking the stones into smaller pieces so that it passes through urine or tunnel surgery where a tunnel intrusion is made at the back of the patient and doctor finds the stones through special equipments and removes it. The latter procedure is also known as Percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Another alternative is the use of Ureteroscope that is inserted through urethra with the help of a tiny camera targets the stone situated in the ureter. The stone is either captured and brought out directly or crashed into pieces.
What to eat and drink if you have kidney stones?
To every health related problem there is always ways and means to prevent it initially to spare you the trouble of painful curator methods. In order to eliminate the existing kidney stones or avoid the formation of new ones you need to take into consideration the following tips:
- Consume a lot of water regularly so that 2-2.5 liters of urine is produced.
- Reduce the amount of salt consumed.
- Introduce more of fresh vegetables in your diet and avoid canned vegetables.
- Avoid outside and processed foods and encourage intake of home-made food using suitable substitutes of flavoring agents instead of salt in them.
- Oxalates being the biggest factors causing kidney stones, food rich in the same should be avoided. These are beetroot, spinach, rhubarb, strawberries, nuts, chocolate, tea, wheat bran and all dry beans. Also, avoid anchovies, caviar, asparagus, broth, mussels and organ meats like liver, kidney and brains.
- Add calcium rich items to your diet like, yogurt, cheese and other milk based products.
- Intake of protein rich diet consisting of foods like meats, nuts, eggs, soybeans and dairy products is also advised under the doctor’s allowance since a lot of protein can also cause stones.
