Kidney Stones Diet
Many people suffering from kidney stones resort to kidney stones diet in order to get rid of these stones. What they normally do is to eat the right kinds of food in order to help pass the stones and to reduce them.
Kidney.org provided some valuable information with regards to diet and kidney stones. It stated that, if you have kidney stones, you may need to follow a special diet. First, your doctor will run tests to find out what type of stones you form. From these, the doctor can determine which diet changes may be right for you. A registered dietitian can help you make the necessary changes in your diet.
Sometimes following a special diet may be enough to prevent you from forming more kidney stones. Other times, medications, in addition to a special diet, may be needed.
You may be asked to make changes to the amount of salt (sodium), calcium, oxalate, protein, potassium and fluid in your diet.
To lessen your risk of forming a new stone, it is very important that you drink at least three quarts (12 cups) of fluid throughout the day. In hotter weather, you may need to drink more to make up for fluid loss from sweating. This will help keep your urine less concentrated. Less concentrated urine reduces the risk of stone formation. Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Try to drink a glass of water before bed and if you wake during the night to use the bathroom, drink another glass before going back to bed.
Source: Kidney.org
One of the things that is usually included in a kidney stones diet is limiting the amount of sodium that is taken.
According to the National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, learning the sodium content of foods can help people control their sodium intake. Food labels provide information about sodium and other nutrients. Keeping a sodium diary can help a person limit sodium intake to 2,400 mg. When eating out, people should ask about the sodium content of foods they order.
Some foods have such large amounts of sodium that a single serving provides a major portion of the daily allowance. Foods that contain high levels of sodium include:
- hot dogs
- canned soups and vegetables
- processed frozen foods
- luncheon meats
- fast food
People who are trying to limit their sodium intake should check labels for ingredients and hidden sodium, such as
- monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- sodium bicarbonate, the chemical name for baking soda
- baking powder, which contains sodium bicarbonate and other chemicals
- disodium phosphate
- sodium alginate
- sodium nitrate or nitrite
Many foods and beverages contain oxalate, but only a few have been shown to increase the amount of oxalate in urine:
- spinach
- rhubarb
- nuts
- wheat bran
Avoiding these foods may help reduce the amount of oxalate in the urine. Eating foods containing calcium also reduces oxalate in the urine. Calcium binds oxalate in the digestive tract so it is not excreted into the urine.
Source: National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse
Always remember these things for your kidney stones diet. Kidney stones should not be neglected, otherwise they would become big and hard to pass and would require surgical removal. So from this point on, take note of the abovementioned tips. It will work for your health benefit, whether or not, you suffer from kidney stones.
Kidney Stones Diet – Helping You Get Rid Of These Stones is a post from: Natural Health Magazine