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Have you ever wondered how kidney stones and nutrition are related? Without any doubt, in the case of this disease, proper nutrition is vital. After all, the food you choose can both help you heal kidney stones and make your condition worse.
To clarify this issue, we suggest you read our article.
What you should know about kidney stones
Before we talk about the foods to avoid if you suffer from kidney stones, we would like to talk more about what this disease is.
Such stones are formed from microscopic particles - crystals. In most people, such particles do not appear in the urine. But the work of each organism has its own nuances.
In most cases, stones are formed from oxalates and calcium, such stones are found in people in 75% of cases.
Treatment is prescribed to each patient individually, as it depends on the substances that form kidney stones. The size of the stones and the frequency with which they appear in the patient are also important.
What signs and symptoms indicate the formation of kidney stones?
- Pain in the lower back, in the hypochondrium, as well as in the sides
- Intense pain for 20-60 minutes
- Pains spreading to the abdomen and groin
- Blood in the urine
- Dark urine with an unpleasant smell
- Pain during urination
- Constant urge to urinate. At the same time, when you go to the toilet, only a few drops of urine are released.
- Nausea
- Vomit
- Cold sweat
- High temperature (if infection has joined)
- Pain during urination and kidney stones
Kidney stones and nutrition
Correctly selected nutrition can be enough to prevent the formation of new stones. Most likely, your doctor will recommend that you limit your salt intake.
However, in addition to salt, you should avoid products containing such substances as:
- Calcium
- Sodium
- Oxalates
- Potassium
- Squirrels
If kidney stones are formed from calcium, it is necessary to exclude salt from the diet. This applies not only to salt separately, but also to products with a high content of this substance. At the same time, it is necessary to minimize the use of calcium.
It is also worth bearing in mind that in this case, kidney stones can provoke the development of such diseases and problems as osteoporosis and bone loss.
If the culprits of stone formation are oxalates, it is necessary to reduce the use of products containing these substances. These include:
- Peanut
- Coffee
- Beet
- Beans
- Blackberry
- Polunytsya
- Raspberries
- Currant
- Grapes
- Chocolate
- Parsley
- Green salads, spinach
- Orange
- Wheat flour
- Beer
- Brewer's yeast
- Tofu
- Pepper
- Walnut
- Potato
It has also been proven that the abuse of sugar can also become a catalyst for the development of the disease. This happens because sugar disrupts the process of assimilation of calcium, magnesium and other minerals found in the human body.
It is very important to pay attention to the amount of used proteins. Data from the results of various studies indicate that proteins of animal origin harm the health of people prone to kidney stones.
Of course, it is not at all about the fact that it is necessary to become a vegetarian in order to avoid this problem. But it is recommended to think about how many times a week you use such products as:
- Yalovichina
- Poultry meat
- Pork
- Fish
Eggs and dairy products are also sources of animal protein. Try to minimize the consumption of dishes with a high content of milk, cheese and butter.
Drink more fluids
Regardless of the type of stones, it is recommended to increase fluid intake. This will help you avoid the appearance of new stones, and existing ones will not increase in size.
The amount of liquid needed by our body depends on many factors, for example:
- Age
- Libra
- Sex
- Growing up
- Human physical activity
- Season
- The presence of other diseases (obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol)
Carbonated drinks and juices from supermarkets should also be treated with caution. As a rule, their labels indicate that the drinks have a low energy value. In fact, they contain a lot of sugar. Therefore, they cannot be attributed to the amount of liquid that must be drunk during the day.
Less concentrated and more diluted urine reduces the risk of stone formation. To achieve this, you need to drink more water.
In addition to plain water, it is recommended to drink natural teas and decoctions, as well as freshly squeezed juices.
Vitamins
And what about vitamins? Some of them can benefit you, while others can harm you. There are also such vitamins that do not affect the formation of kidney stones:
- Vitamin B (niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine): There are no data on the contraindications of these vitamins for patients with kidney stones. Do not forget that vitamin B2 gives urine a yellowish color. This can cause errors when analyzing the color of urine during an attack.
- Vitamin C: Citrus fruits and other fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of this vitamin. It protects our body from flu and colds and increases our immunity. But at the same time, vitamin C can provoke the formation of kidney stones.
If you suffer from kidney stones, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of foods with a high content of vitamin C.
Salt
When we consider kidney stones and nutrition, salt should probably be given special attention. Do not underestimate its importance in the development of this unpleasant disease. The issue of salt consumption is not as simple as it may seem at first glance.
Do not forget that if we eat a lot of salt, our kidneys are forced to work two or even three times more. The load on this organ is increasing.
When the doctor tells us about the need to limit the use of salt, we remove the salt shaker from the table and stop salting our dishes.
But what about food that already contains a large amount of this substance? But the counters of all supermarkets and markets are filled with such products.
It should be borne in mind that these products can seriously harm your health:
- Instant soups
- Broth cubes
- Meat products and sausages
- Fast food
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Flour for frying
So, kidney stones and nutrition are closely related. As we have already said, it is necessary to pay great attention to your diet. It is possible that the culprit of the formation of kidney stones is the food that you consume every day, and you do not even suspect it.
