3 Lifestyle Changes Required to Prevent Kidney Stones

Around 12 percent of the Indian population suffers from the painful experiences of kidney stones. The bad news is that more people across the country are developing kidney stones each passing year, with the risk rising more quickly in younger adults.

If you’ve had a kidney stone before, you know the level of pain it can cause… and you’ll likely do just anything to prevent another one. Unfortunately, the recurrence rate of kidney stones can be as high as 50% within the next 10 years after having one stone.

But, with the use of ayurvedic supplements like Krishna’s Kidney Relive Juice and making small lifestyle adjustments many risk factors for recurring kidney stones can be within your control. Read on to learn about some simple lifestyle changes required to prevent kidney stones.

Prevention of Kidney Stones

Before we get into the details of lifestyle changes to make for kidney stone prevention, let’s first understand the basic functioning of your kidneys. The organ’s main job is to remove toxins, and balance minerals, acids, and water in your system.

Your kidneys control your body’s water levels by either holding onto water or sending extra water out through urine. They do the same with minerals and acids, keeping what’s needed and getting rid of the rest. Kidney stones can form when certain minerals, like salts in the urine, can no longer dissolve. If your urine becomes too concentrated with these substances, these minerals can turn into crystals, which may stick together to form stones. Fortunately, making a few simple lifestyle changes can lower your chances of developing kidney stones.

3 Simple Lifestyle Modifications to Prevent Kidney Stones

1. Drink More Water Than Usual

Drinking enough water is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent kidney stones. To understand why, imagine a pot of seawater being boiled on a stove. As the water evaporates, the salts that don’t dissolve well get concentrated and settle at the bottom. This is similar to what happens in your kidneys when you don’t drink enough water.

When you’re dehydrated, your kidneys have to pull more water from your urine, making it more concentrated. This concentrated urine contains higher levels of minerals and salts, such as calcium and oxalate, which can crystallize and form stones.

On the other hand, when you drink plenty of water, your urine stays diluted. This means that the minerals and salts are less likely to crystallize because they remain dissolved in the urine. Diluted urine also helps flush these substances out of your system more effectively, reducing the chances of stone formation.

You’ve probably heard that you should drink 8 cups of water a day, but it’s not that straightforward. Everyone is different. If you’re more prone to kidney stones, you might need more water than the average person. Plus, you’ll need more water in hot weather, compared to colder months, because you lose more water through sweat in the heat.

A study shows that just by drinking more water than usual, the risk of developing a second kidney stone can be reduced.

A simple way to know if you’re drinking enough water is to check your urine colour. You want your urine to be pale yellow, almost clear like water. If it’s dark, it’s time to increase your water intake.

If you find plain water too bland, squeeze a lemon in it. It will not only give you a better taste but also provide added benefits of the citrate that is present in lemon and other citrus fruits like lime and grapefruit. Citrate binds to calcium and prevents kidney stone formation.

2. Put Away the Salt Shaker

Reducing your salt intake is a key step in preventing kidney stones, and it starts with cutting back on the salt you add to your food.

When you consume a lot of sodium, your kidneys have to work harder to filter it out of your blood circulation. This increased load of sodium/salt on your kidneys can lead to increased calcium leakage in the urine. Since sodium and calcium are similar in structure, the excess calcium often gets flushed out along with the sodium. This higher concentration of calcium in your urine can contribute to the formation of Calcium Phosphate kidney stones.

Many foods contain hidden sodium, including canned and processed foods, as well as foods prepared in restaurants and fast foods. To reduce your sodium intake here are some practical tips that you can follow.

• Prepare your own meals at home. This way you control the amount of salt you use.
• Check the sodium content on food labels. Especially the ones that are processed. Opt for low-sodium or no-sodium versions when possible.
• Avoid Salty Snacks. Chips, Maggi, and other ready-to-cook foods are often high in sodium.
• Choose Fresh Foods. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins have lower sodium levels compared to their processed counterparts.

3. Cut Back On Your Meat Consumption

Staying away from meat is a good idea if you have kidney stones. Animal protein, which not only includes red meat but also eggs, chicken, pork, and fish can increase your risk of developing kidney stones. The reason is the presence of purines, chemicals that produce high amounts of uric acid. Meat also increases the acidity of your urine, which promotes the crystallization of compounds that can turn into stones.

Make sure you don’t eliminate other protein sources from your diet, as protein is necessary for overall health. Get enough protein through alternative plant-based sources such as tofu, soy, and legumes.

Summing it Up!

• Drink plenty of water to keep your urine very pale yellow.
• Use less salt in your cooking and avoid salty foods like processed foods, canned soups, and canned vegetables.
• Limit your meat consumption and alternate with plant-based proteins.
• Use ayurvedic supplements like Patharchatadi Swaras and Kidney Relive Juice