Kidney stones, hard mineral deposits formed inside the kidneys, can cause excruciating pain as they pass through the urinary tract. It is a common health problem, and people around the world suffer because of it. If you have had experience with kidney stones, the chances of the health issue recurring are very high. Furthermore, the prevalence of kidney stones is on the rise, with the risk increasing at a faster pace in women, younger adults, and even kids, according to experts. However, there are several ways in which you can reduce the risk of a recurrence of this health problem. There is no one surefire way to reduce the risk, but a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes can be of great help.

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated by drinking sufficient water every day is by far the best way of reducing the risk of the formation of stones in the kidneys. Not drinking enough water can seriously reduce your urine output. This leads to your urine becoming more concentrated and less soluble salts starting to crystallize, causing kidney stones.

You can seek the advice of the best nephrologist in Chennai to find out how much water you should drink in a day. It is a good idea to drink orange juice and lemonade as they both contain citrate, which may help reduce the risk of kidney stone formation.

In general, drinking approximately eight glasses of fluid every day or enough quantity to pass about two litres of urine may be of great help. If you have the tendency to sweat a lot, exercise, or have a history of cystine stone formation, you may have to drink more fluids. The colour of your urine gives you an indication of whether you are sufficiently hydrated or not. When you pass urine, it should be either clear or pale yellow in colour. If it appears dark, then you should drink more fluids.

Eat More Foods That Are Rich In Calcium

The most commonly seen kidney stone type is that of calcium oxalate. As a result, many people start thinking that they have to avoid eating calcium-rich foods. If you consult with a nephrology specialist in Chennai, they will tell you that kidney stones are not caused by the consumption of calcium-rich foods. In fact, eating low-calcium diets regularly may actually increase the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis. However, it is best to avoid having calcium supplements as they may increase the risk of kidney stones. The risk may be a little lower if you take your calcium supplement along with a meal. Low-fat milk, cheese, and yoghurt are good options.

Reduce Your Sodium Intake

A diet high in salt increases the risk of calcium stones occurring in your kidneys. Studies have shown that calcium doesn’t get reabsorbed into the blood if the salt content in the urine is high. This may increase the risk of kidney stones. Eating less salt enables you to maintain lower urine calcium levels. This, in turn, lowers the risk of the development of kidney stones.

Now, it is important to carefully read food labels in order to reduce your intake of sodium. This is because processed foods, such as chips and biscuits, readymade soups and vegetables, ready-to-cook meat products, condiments, and foods containing monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrate, and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), have high levels of sodium in them. Flavour foods with fresh herbs or salt-free herbal seasoning blends instead of using salt.

When you fix an appointment next time with the nephrologist, make sure to find out how much sodium you can consume in a day. Based on the doctor’s input, you can adjust your diet to ensure that you are consuming within the specified limit.

Cut Down On Your Oxalate-Rich Food Intake

Some types of kidney stones are caused by oxalates. This natural compound in foods binds with calcium present in the urine and forms kidney stones. Therefore, limiting the consumption of oxalate-rich foods may help reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. Foods rich in oxalates include:

• Spinach
• Chocolate
• Sweet potatoes
• Coffee
• Beets
• Peanuts
• Rhubarb
• Soy products
• Wheat bran

Calcium and oxalates form bonds in your digestive tract even before you have your food which causes potential danger to your kidney. But you can break this bond by having oxalate-rich and calcium-rich foods together.

Eat Less Animal Protein

Foods that are high in animal protein content are acidic in nature. They may increase the acidity of urine. High levels of urine acidity may exacerbate uric acid-related problems and hasten the process of formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones. As such, you should restrict or avoid the consumption of beef, poultry, fish, and pork.

Avoid Taking Vitamin C Supplements

Taking vitamin C or ascorbic acid supplements regularly for a long period of time can lead to the development of kidney stones, especially in men. According to a study, men taking vitamin C supplements in high doses doubled their risk of kidney stone formation. However, vitamin C from natural foods may not carry the same risk, according to researchers. Therefore, it pays to increase your consumption of citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and melons.

Avoid Consuming Sugary Beverages

Sugar is very harmful to your body as it contributes to increasing your body fat and leads to the development of the degenerative condition diabetes. In addition, sugar is best avoided by people who have a tendency to form stones. Avoiding sugary beverages, therefore, reduces the risk of the occurrence of kidney stones. Actually, you should cut down on your consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, which is used in sugary beverages and processed foods. It can also contribute to the development of stones.

Try To Maintain The Right Body Weight

Being overweight puts a lot of stress on your kidneys. That is why you must strive to maintain the right body weight.

Kidney Stones And Medication

If you continue to experience kidney stone problems even after changing your dietary choices, consult with a nephrology specialist to know how you can reduce the risk through medication. However, laparoscopic ureterolithotomy is performed to remove the stones from the ureter, which resides between the kidney and the bladder. Sugam offers you the best laparoscopic surgery in Chennai with the help of advanced technology and specialized tools. When meeting with your doctor, tell him/her about the medications that you are currently taking. This is because taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications such as decongestants, diuretics, protease inhibitors, anticonvulsants, steroids, chemotherapy drugs, and uricosuric drugs can lead to the development of kidney stones. The longer you consume these medications, the higher the risk of kidney stone development. Your doctor may prescribe alternative medications if you are using any of the above-mentioned drugs. You should never stop or change any prescription medication without the approval of your doctor.

Sugam Hospital

Sugam Hospital is a leading multispecialty health care centre in North Chennai. At Sugam, we offer ultramodern facilities such as a state-of-the-art operation theatre complex that can handle all major surgeries in different specialities; a clinical laboratory consisting of the latest testing equipment; and round-the-clock radiology and pharmacy departments, among other facilities. Sugam Hospital is one of the few hospitals in Chennai that has been approved for renal transplantation surgeries. The laminar flow air conditioning system fitted with a HEPA filter keeps the operating theatres clean and sterile by maintaining positive pressure. Sugam is one of the hospitals with a blood bank in Chennai. Furthermore, we implement an infection control policy through the CSSD module to improve patient safety by preventing cross-infection.