Prevention of kidney stones – continued
This week I am again looking at the prevention of stones. A few weeks ago, I emphasized the need to drink fluids, in the tropics. I said not just water, but fluids meaning water containing something else, like a small amount of salt, lemon, and lemonade or fruit juices. I said this drink should be alternated with water for those who like to drink water only. I tend to find people who drink water only and sometimes excessively (for a period of time) and those who hardly drink at all. Both extremes are bad, as the body needs a constant supply of fluids to keep itself clean. The ideal is a sensible amount of fluids, so you have to empty the bladder at least four times in the day and at least once at nights. That translates into six to eight glasses of fluids per day, but this depends on oneâs activity level.{{more}}
In the tropics, the single most important thing to do is to increase fluid intake. Studies done have shown that reducing calcium intakes actually may increase your risk of forming calcium stones and weak bones, as the body will actually take the calcium from the bones and make the stones. The best thing to do is to reduce oxalate intake and reduce uric acid production (the two most common chemicals combined with calcium to form stones). The next thing to do is to have your calcium intake assessed; if the dietitian thinks that your calcium intake is excessive, then she may reduce it to normal, but not to less than normal.
The main sources of uric acid are foods high in proteins and alcohol, especially red wines. Oxalate rich foods include coffee, teas, nuts and oats, grapes, tangerines, spinach, green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, yams, popcorn, to name a few. That’s why the main thing is to increase fluid intake and leave the rest to a urologist or an internist who specializes in kidney diseases or metabolic disorders. Most of the persons on these restrictive diets still form stones, as do most of them using so-called “herbalâ treatments to get rid of stones. Kidney stone reduction, like most of medicine, is based on science and is therefore rational. The first thing to do is to either analyze a passed stone or find a cause of the stone before changing your diet. Before that, the simplest thing to do is to increase the fluid intake!!!
For comments or question contact:
Dr Rohan Deshong
Tel: (784) 456-2785
email: deshong@vincysurf.com
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