How to Avoid Kidney Stones

A kidney stone is a painful, disturbing, and most common disorder that relates to the urinary tracts of the body. Kidney stones are a condition that have existed in the human body from centuries. The evidence of their existence has also been found in a 7,000 year old mummy. Every year around 3 million people visit health care centers, out of which nearly half a million are diagnosed with kidney stone disorders. In some cases the stones pass out without any treatment or major operation by a surgeon. Kidney stones that cause severe damage to the body and have chronic symptoms may be diagnosed and treated using numerous techniques, most of which don't include a major surgery.

One needs to follow certain steps that lead to the prevention of kidney stones. Some of them are mentioned below:

Sufficient Water Consumption
The more water you drink, less are the chances of you getting a kidney stone. For the efficiency of the waste removal process, the body requires sufficient water. If it doesn't get the required amount of water, waste products start to accumulate in the kidneys, and these later transform into kidney stones. A person should consume water that would at least produce 2 liters of urine per day. Doctors advise to consume at least 8 ounce glasses of water every day, or include four 8-ounce glasses of water in whichever drink we normally consume during the day.

High Intake of Citric Acid and Vitamin C
If a person already suffering from kidney stones increases the intake of citrus in his diet, he can be cured as citrus enables the body to dissolve the stones. A simple way to consume citrus or vitamin C is to drink lime water. One can also drink different fruit juices which are rich in vitamin C, but care needs to be taken to ensure the amount of calcium in them.

High Fiber and Low Protein Consumption
Kidney stones can be prevented by a high intake of fiber and low intake of proteins in your daily diet. If your normal diet is too rich in proteins, it may lead to uric acid stones, which is a type of kidney stone disorder. Two servings of meat a day is also harmful for the body, wherein a single serve is less than 6-8 ounces. An excessive amount of acid in the urine is the primary cause of uric acid stones. They may also be formed if you are undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Low Intake of Calcium
Kidney stones are normally made up of calcium, hence excessive intake of calcium may admittedly lead to their formation. One should not consume dairy products in excess, as they contain high levels of calcium that may lead to other complications as well.

Low Intake of Sodium
If one overly consumes foods that are rich in sodium, he has more chances of being prone to kidney stones. Sodium consumption should be restricted to 1,500 mg per day. Excess salt should not be added to meals, and also consumption of foodstuffs that have high levels of sodium should be avoided. There are foods that don't really taste salty but do contain sufficient amounts of sodium.

Being Physically Active
A person who is bedridden or has an inactive lifestyle is more likely to be prone to kidney stones. Physical activities like regular exercise and outdoor sports are the best way to prevent the formation of stones.

Regular medical checkups are strongly recommended to ensure that your body is not home to kidney stones. Moreover, they can be prevented or cured in numerous ways such as a change in lifestyle, diet, medical therapies, and sometimes surgery.