Kidney stones are hard mineral deposits that form inside your kidneys. They cause excruciating pain when they pass through your urinary tract.
1. Stay hydrated: Drinking more water is the best way to prevent kidney stones. If you don’t drink enough, your urine output will be low. Low urine output means your urine is more concentrated and less likely to dissolve urine salts that cause stones.
2. Eat more calcium-rich foods: The most common type of kidney stone is the calcium oxalate stone, leading many people to believe they should avoid eating calcium. The opposite is true. Low-calcium diets may increase your kidney stone risk and your risk of osteoporosis.
Low-fat milk, low-fat cheese, and low-fat yogurt are all good calcium-rich food options.
3. Eat less sodium: A high-salt diet increases your risk of calcium kidney stones. Too much salt in the urine prevents calcium from being reabsorbed from the urine to the blood. This causes high urine calcium, which may lead to kidney stones.
4. Eat fewer oxalate-rich foods: Some kidney stones are made of oxalate, a natural compound found in foods that binds with calcium in the urine to form kidney stones. Limiting oxalate-rich foods may help prevent the stones from forming.
Foods high in oxalates are: spinach, chocolate, sweet potatoes, coffee, beets, peanuts, soy products and wheat bran etcetera.
5. Eat less animal protein: Foods high in animal protein are acidic and may increase urine acid. High urine acid may cause both uric acid and calcium oxalate kidney stones. You should try to limit or avoid, beef, poultry, pork and fish.
