According to the NHS, there are four different types of kidney stones; the most common type being calcium stones, atruvite stones which contain magnesium and ammonia, uric acid stones that are brown in appearance and cystine stones which look like yellow crystals. You can identify and diagnose the type of kidney stone you’re experiencing, via a discussion with your GP.
Although as mentioned there are four different types of kidney stones, the most likely type of kidney stone you may be experiencing are calcium stones. Calcium stones are formed when the level of oxalates in the body is too high causing crystals to form that clump together to produce the stone.
Risk Factors
The National Kidney Foundation records a number of factors increasing the likelihood of calcium stones forming:
- Obesity
- Dehydration
- An excessively high in oxlates, sugar, sodium and protein diet.
- Digestive disorders such as: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
- Medical conditions, for example Hyperparathyroidism where a high level of the hormone parathyroid hormone generates a loss of calcium. Calcium is essential for binding to the oxlates and allowing them to exit the body.
- Genetic disorders: Dent Disease, a rare, chronic hereditary condition affecting the kidneys and is most widely reported in men.
Dietary Switches
There are a number of dietary changes you can make to preclude kidney stones from forming; organising a weekly meal plan will further allow you to control the causes of your kidney stones. The National Kidney Foundation strongly recommends drinking 12 glasses of water a day to reduce the risk of kidney stones emerging.
First and foremost, remember to stay hydrated as drinking plenty of water will aid with preventing the forming of crystals. Harness H2O’s full potential for relieving kidney stones by spicing it up with lemon water. The citric acids in lemons increase acidity in urine and thus prevent the onset of kidney stones.
Alongside ensuring you’re 100 percent hydrated, it is imperative you cut down on your animal protein intake if you are experiencing kindhey stones. A diet too rich in lean protein has been associated with the body’s excretion of calcium and lower levels of urine acidity. Similarly, consuming too much salt is another cause of calcium being dispelled from the body.
Calcium is paramount to preventing the formation of kidney stones, as they olay a key role in expelling oxlates from the body through binding to them. Make sure you’re consuming calcium from a selection of different sources: chia seeds, cow’s milk, soy milk, almonds, sunflower seeds and yoghurt. The added dietary fibre in varied sources of calcium will additionally aid with lowering the onset of kidney stones.
See Also:
Get Healthy With Coconut Water
