To get rid of kidney stones, you can use many nutritional treatment methods. If you want to prevent the formation of kidney stones in your body, we suggest not to neglect the consumption of fluids. Also, avoid consuming salt, foods containing oxalate, caffeinated drinks and foods containing acid.
Kidney stones are minerals and salts deposited and crystallized in the kidney. Usually, the urine liquid prevents the wastes from contacting each other; But when there is not enough fluid in the urine or the amount of solid waste in the urine is high, kidney stones are formed.
There are many ways to prevent the formation of kidney stones, the most important of which are the following:
1-Liquid consumption
When urine is more fluid, minerals and salts are less likely to accumulate and form stones. Dark urine is a sign of dehydration and ideally the urine should be pale yellow in color.
For many people, consuming 8 glasses of water during the day is not enough and you should drink at least 12 glasses of water a day to reduce the risk of kidney stones. At least half of the fluids consumed by a person should be pure water. Sweet, carbonated and caffeinated drinks increase the possibility of kidney stone formation.
2- Reduce salt consumption
Sodium or salt causes water retention, resulting in dehydration. Adults should keep their daily salt intake under 2300 mg (one tablespoon).
Salty foods include:
Smoked foods
Most prepared foods
chips
canned food
Ready noodles
Foods that contain other sodium such as sodium bicarbonate, disodium phosphate, monosodium glutamate, baking powder, nitrites, and sodium nitrite..
Weight control
3- Excess weight can put pressure on the kidneys, but choosing a safe way to lose weight is also important. Rapid weight-loss diets, very low-carb diets, and diets based on animal protein can all increase the risk of kidney stones.
4-Limiting the consumption of foods containing oxalate
Kidney stones are made up of various substances such as uric acid, sterol and cysteine; But the most common type of kidney stone is calcium oxalate.
According to a study conducted in 2014 on 50,000 kidney stones, 67% of the stones are mainly composed of calcium oxalate. Limiting oxalate intake is only recommended for people who are at risk of kidney stones and have high oxalate levels. If calcium is consumed along with foods containing oxalate, the possibility of stone formation is reduced.
Foods rich in oxalate include the following:
Grapefruit juice
potato
Soy
Some seeds such as peanuts and cashews
Chocolate
rhubarb
Asparagus
celery
spinach
Tea
Whole grains
Parsley
5- Reduce caffeine consumption
Caffeine increases the rate of metabolism and can cause dehydration. The maximum recommended amount of caffeine consumption per day is 400 mg (4 cups of coffee). It should be noted that chocolate, tea, energy drinks and some other drinks contain caffeine.
6- Avoiding sweetened drinks
Consumption of sweetened beverages is directly related to the risk of kidney stone formation.
7-Consumption of calcium
Although oxalate is the most common type of kidney stone, calcium in some foods can reduce the possibility of kidney stone formation. Most dairy products are a good source of calcium.
Other sources of calcium include the following:
Orange juice
soya sauce
Canned fish with bones such as sardines
tofu
Some series
8- Take citric acid
60% of people with kidney stones have low citric acid.
Sources of citric acid include the following:
Lemon and unsweetened lemon juice
Orange juice
Grappa
9- Control the consumption of foods containing acid
Acidic urine increases the likelihood of kidney stone formation and makes passing the stone more painful.
Foods rich in acid include the following:
Red Meat
Chicken
Most fish
Most cheeses
egg
Acidic foods cannot be completely avoided, as these foods are sources of protein. However, if a person regularly suffers from kidney stones, the consumption of these types of foods should be controlled.
10-Consumption of vitamins and food supplements
There are many vitamins and supplements to help prevent kidney stones, the most important of which are as follows:
Vitamin B6, which is found in foods such as bananas, mangoes, soybeans, and avocados.
fish oil
Potassium citrate
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