Kidney stones, which stand among the most common and excruciatingly painful urinary tract disorders, have long been recurring and plaguing people’s lives throughout history. Records show that people from ancient periods were not spared from the painful urologic disorder, and currently, kidney stone problems compel millions of people to resort to conventional health care treatment.

What is fortunate is that recurrences can possibly be prevented through natural methods, notably by adhering to certain dietary regulations. Recent research evidences have confirmed this through investigating the effects of DASH-type diet in kidney stone prevention and risk reduction. It seems that centuries-long recurrences can be put to a halt, given proper food consumption.

Study findings

A study from an issue of the Clinical Journal of American Society Nephrology recently concluded that a dietary management system to avoid hypertension can prove useful in preventing kidney stones. The research was conducted in the Nurses’ Health Studies (NHS) I and II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) — studies focused on the lifestyle health, activities, and practices of female and male health care employees.

The research team recommended the diet, consisting of generous amounts of fruits, legumes, and vegetables, after they found out that it has efficient components and properties that lower blood pressure; as based on the former findings of Dr. Eric Taylor, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Besides Dr. Taylor, the research team of the more recent study consisted of Brigham and Women’s Hospital doctors including Dr. Meir Stampfer, MD, DrPH, Dr. Gary Curnhan, MD, ScD, and Dr. David Mount, MD.

Reinforcing the effects of DASH-type diet

“A DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, along with dairy products and whole grains, may have potent kidney stone-fighting properties,” according to Dr. Eric Taylor.

Basing on the recent study’s 24-hour urine samples and results, Dr. Taylor’s conclusions were bolstered. The study involved 3426 participants, who were also a part of the former venture by Dr. Taylor— some of which had kidney stone histories while some did not. Those who adhered to the DASH-type diet excreted more amounts of urine than the others. Interestingly, levels of fluid intake were similar despite the results.

Higher food water content in DASH-type diet was linked as a general cause that resulted in higher urinary excretion amounts. Furthermore, a high concentration of citrate—an essential calcium stone inhibitor— were found in the urine of DASH dieters. Though currently unidentified at the moment, researchers also deduced that dairy products and plants may have more important kidney stone inhibitors.

Further ventures

Following Dr. Taylor’s data, researchers concluded that the results suggested a need for a randomized trial, to further investigate DASH diet’s effects on the reappearance of kidney stones. This supplemented Dr. Taylor’s suggestion that a DASH-type diet is essential for victims, especially those who will choose to employ natural remedies against kidney stone recurrences.

More natural remedies for kidney stone recurrences

There are general pieces of advice to combat the disorder.

For one, oxalates are chemicals that primarily comprise kidney stones; so it is important to limit one’s intake of foods containing high oxalate amounts, such as beets and spinach. The only regrettable part is that such foods have several favourable benefits for other health conditions.

One theorized cause of kidney stones is heredity, which implies the significance of knowing if the kidney stones run in the blood, or if an individual is genetically predisposed to develop kidney stones so as to optimize ways of preventing kidney stone formation. If so, the need to adhere to natural remedies against kidney stone recurrences will intensify, even if the individual is yet to notice its symptoms or feel excruciating kidney stone-related pain.

Of course, drinking plenty of water is the easiest way to naturally combat the formation of kidney stones and their recurrences; and it also remains to be one of the most effective remedies, undisputedly.

Other simple dietary inclusions and modifications include:

Dietary changes

Apart from the DASH-diet, former ventures have supplied evidence on the importance of diet in kidney stone prevention and risk reduction.

A study was conducted to assess the effects of a low-salt, low-protein diet as compared to a low-calcium diet. The low-calcium diet has been perceived as an effective risk-reducer for kidney stones, which is even recommended by doctors, primarily due to the fact that kidney stones consists of high levels of calcium and oxalate. However, the particular study proved that the low-salt and low-protein diets offer far more impressive results.

In the low-in-calcium group of 60, 23 experienced a kidney stone recurrence. On the other hand, a smaller fraction of just 12 participants out of 60 experienced another kidney stone incidence in the other group. Through a simple change in diet, recurrence rate was further reduced by half.

Adding lemon

The risk-reducing potentials of one’s daily food intake can also be enhanced through simply adding lemon to the list.

Loyola University researchers claim that lemons have effective anti-kidney stone properties through possessing high contents of citrates. These substances deconstruct salts that gradually lead to kidney stone formation. Health care practitioners even prescribe consumption of potassium citrate because of citrate’s favourable effects.

However, a caveat: The researchers referred to actual lemon, not the type of lemonade that has been artificially-flavored. This is important to note because several available lemonades bought by consumers have lost the original nutrients found in the actual fruit.

Supplements

The urinary tract needs vitamin A to augment its proper function. A 5,000-international unit amount of Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin A is advised for adults. Still, it is important to maintain only a balanced amount of vitamin A in one’s system: Excessive amounts pose a possible build-up of the said vitamin in the body, which in turn has toxic effects. This happens when the body is rendered unable to excrete the surplus.

Risks of kidney stone formation have a chance to be reduced, after scientists discovered that oxalates that can be found in the blood may be lowered by vitamin B6. They also added that magnesium is also a reliable aid in preventing kidney stone formation. It is advisable to get daily supplements of vitamin B6 with a combination of magnesium, though consumption should not exceed 25 milligrams per day.

Sources
sciencedaily.com
thehealthierlife.co.uk
naturalhealthontheweb.com
kidney.niddk.nih.gov
health.howstuffworks.com