How To Prevent Kidney Stones Or Kidney Stones

If a close relative suffers from kidney stones, consult your doctor, as it is possible that you have a hereditary predisposition to this disease.

Renal lithiasis, better known as kidney stones, is a silent condition that we do not notice until pain appears and progresses rapidly to produce renal colic (urinary obstruction), which many compare to the pain of childbirth.

Kidney stones or stones affect more than 10% of the population, mostly young men and adults, according to the World Health Organization.

Although hereditary factors may influence, we can help prevent them by following some eating guidelines. Of course, if a direct relative has suffered from this discomfort, we recommend that you consult your doctor so that he can evaluate the best preventive steps to take.

It is very important to prevent stones before they cause infections or kidney colic, which produces intense pain in the lower back that can radiate to other areas of the body. Sometimes it is accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and sweating.

According to the University of Navarra Clinic, the way to diagnose kidney stones is through X-rays, urography and ultrasound, in order to determine the size of the stones and their composition.

Kidney stones can be made up of different substances, although the most common are those derived from calcium (calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate) and uric acid.

If we have already suffered from them, we will take into account their composition, since there are different remedies for each of them, in addition to the general advice.

Kidney stones in traditional Chinese medicine

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are the house of power, as it supplies energy reserves when it is scarce. For that reason, they recommend deep and effective breaks and mental relaxation.

The main herbal treatments of Chinese medicine for the kidney are based on astralagous, a plant that they consider helps to cleanse and purify . It is worth noting that many of the natural remedies in Chinese medicine are not endorsed by scientific studies.

Acidity in blood

It is believed that renal lithiasis would develop in acidic pHs that would favor crystallization. For that reason, one of the measures to prevent its appearance would be consuming alkaline foods.

Following the recommendations of an article published in Harvard Health Publishing , a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts and seeds could help. We will monitor the excesses of the following foods that tend to acidify the body:

• Meat
• Viscera
• Shellfish
• Dairy products
• Fried
• Refined
• Saccharose
• Sugars

You can check the acidity of your urine with test strips that are sold in pharmacies. This should be alkalized to at least 6 or 6.5.

Another ingredient to avoid would be salt (especially “table salt or refined salt”). It is also recommended to drink at least two liters of water a day, outside of meals.

Magnesium salts

Magnesium salts would help us prevent stone crystallization, based on data from a 2016 study. For this, it could be interesting to incorporate magnesium carbonate or citrate into the diet.

Another option for taking magnesium naturally is by consuming green leafy vegetable smoothies. Magnesium chloride is not recommended, although it could be beneficial to alleviate some diseases, it would raise acidity.

Vitamin C

Although natural medicine maintains that vitamin C would help prevent stone crystallization, this claim is not supported by existing scientific evidence. In fact, a study published in 2017 has found a link between vitamin C supplementation and increased risk of kidney stones.

Consult with your doctor before increasing the consumption of foods rich in vitamin C following the recommendations of Ayurvedic medicine.

Medicinal plants

It is believed that some medicinal plants would act by preventing and undoing the stones:

• Arenaria and stonebreaker: with the name they would already indicate what their function is. They are supposed to work as a diuretic and help reduce inflammation of the urinary tract. Both plants would thus help prevent stone formation. However, we have not found studies on this.
• Bearberry : the article ” Herbal and Nutritional Treatment of Kidney Stones ” suggests that this plant would be suitable for all types of bladder problems and would help prevent infections due to its powerful antiseptic function on the mucosa.

• Nettle : Nettle is a plant that is attributed diuretic and cleansing properties that would help eliminate mineral salts through urine.

Trace elements for each type of stone

If you have previously suffered from kidney stones, you could consult with your doctor about the advisability of taking the appropriate trace element for each type of stone:

• Manganese-Cobalt or Manganese-Copper:  If they are oxalic.
• Copper-Gold-Silver or Lithium:  If they are phosphates.
• Manganese or Manganese-Cobalt:  If they are uric.

In any case, if you suspect that you may have kidney stones, it is best to always consult your doctor first.

Images courtesy of doc (q) man, Sir_Iwan and lornagrl