Specifically, molecules contributing to stone formation include calcium, oxalate, urate, cysteine, xanthine, and phosphate. These molecules must be eliminated in your urine via your kidneys. But, if too little fluid is present, they can combine to form a stone. For those who have had a kidney stone in the past, protect yourself by increasing fluid intake to generate at least two liters of urine per day. This could reduce the recurrence of calculations at least by half.
Drink more water to prevent kidney stones
To do this, an increase in fluid intake throughout the day is recommended. Tap water and mineral water are beneficial. Research shows, for example, that in patients with kidney stones, those who increase hydration to generate two liters of urine a day have a 12% recurrence rate, compared to 27% in those who do not. their fluid intake. To get an idea, you have to drink more than 12 glasses of water a day. However, an easier way to tell if you’re drinking enough water is to check the color of your urine. It is best if your urine is very clear, pale yellow (darker urine is more concentrated).
Water reduces the risk of kidney stones but soda increases it
An important point: not just any liquid will increase your urine output. While tap water and mineral water are protective, soda consumption is associated with kidney stones. Probably because the phosphoric acid it contains acidifies your urine, which promotes the formation of stones. Additionally, drinking soda exacerbates the conditions in your urine that lead to the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.
Watch out for sugar
Sugar, including fructose, is also problematic. A diet high in sugar can set you up for kidney stones. Because sugar disrupts mineral relationships in your body by interfering with the absorption of calcium and magnesium. The consumption of unhealthy sugars and soda by children is a major factor by which children as young as 5 years old now develop kidney stones. Sugar can also increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in your kidneys, such as the formation of kidney stones.
Exercise and avoiding overeating prevent kidney stones
Exercise and a light diet are two more powerful tools to prevent kidney stones. You are more prone to kidney stones if you are bedridden or very sedentary for a long period of time. Partly because limited activity can cause your bones to release more calcium. Exercise will also help you resolve high blood pressure, a condition that doubles your risk of kidney stones.
Specifically, research has shown a lower risk with three hours of walking per week, four hours of light gardening activity, or just one hour of moderate jogging. When it comes to diet, women who ate more than 2,200 calories a day increased their risk of kidney stones by up to 42%. While obesity also increased this risk.
3 additional dietary approaches to avoid kidney stones
1. Make sure you get enough magnesium
Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in your body. Deficiency of this mineral has been linked to kidney stones. Magnesium plays an important role in the absorption and assimilation of calcium by your body. This is because if you consume too much calcium without the proper amount of magnesium, the excess calcium can become toxic and contribute to health issues like kidney stones. Magnesium helps prevent calcium from combining with oxalate. It is the most common type of component of the kidney stone. Green leafy vegetables like spinach and chard are excellent sources of magnesium. Just like beans, nuts like almonds and seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Another good source is lawyers.
2. Consume calcium-rich foods (but watch out for supplements)
In the past, people with kidney stones were warned to avoid calcium-rich foods. Because calcium is a major component of the majority of kidney stones. However, there is now evidence that avoiding calcium may do more harm than good. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study of over 45,000 men. Men who ate a calcium-rich diet had a one-third lower risk of kidney stones than those whose diets were low in calcium.
It turns out that a calcium-rich diet actually blocks a chemical action that causes stones to form. It binds to oxalates (from food) in your gut. This prevents the two from being absorbed into your blood and later transferred to your kidneys. Thus, urinary oxalates may be more important for the formation of calcium oxalate crystals in kidney stones than urinary calcium. It is important to note that it is the calcium from foods that is beneficial, not calcium supplements. Indeed, they have been shown to increase the risk of kidney stones by 20%.
3. Avoid unfermented soy
Soy and soy foods can promote kidney stones in those who are prone to them. They may contain high levels of oxalates that can bind to calcium in your kidneys to form kidney stones. That’s just one reason why unfermented soy (the kind found in soy milk, soy burgers, soy ice cream, and even tofu) isn’t a food. healthy. If you want the health benefits of soy, choose fermented soy. This is because after a long fermentation process, soy’s phytate levels (which block your body’s absorption of essential minerals) and anti-nutrient levels (including oxalates) are reduced and their beneficial properties become available to your digestive system.
