The Ayurvedic Approach to Preventing and Treating Kidney Stones

Passing kidney stones can be an incredibly painful and uncomfortable experience. And the worst part– If you’ve had a kidney stone, you are more likely to get another one within 5 to 10 years.

Ayurvedic treatments for kidney stones may help reduce this risk. Medicines like Krishna’s Kidney Relieve Juice, packed with powerful kidney-replenishing herbs, are among the few effective remedies.

Ayurveda offers many other natural and holistic methods to prevent and treat kidney stones. By utilizing natural herbs, diet, and lifestyle changes this traditional system of medicine addresses the root cause of health issues including kidney stones. Read ahead to explore the Ayurvedic approach to preventing and treating kidney stones.

What Are Kidney Stones?

Kidneys are vital organs that filter blood and remove excess waste and water from your body in the form of urine. These substances (salt and minerals) usually dissolve in urine, but due to insufficient fluid intake or certain medical conditions, their concentration in urine can rise, forming crystals that clump together to form solid irregular masses called kidney stones.

These solid masses may cause problems in the kidney or may travel anywhere in the urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, urethra, and urinary bladder). Once stones enter the ureter (the tube that connects the kidney and bladder), they may get stuck and obstruct the drainage of urine causing symptoms such as intense pain that comes in waves in the upper back (i.e., the flank) or lower abdomen, and other symptoms including frequent urge to pass urine, blood in the urine, a burning sensation while urinating, nausea, vomiting, and urinary tract infection.

In Ayurveda, kidney stones are referred to as “Mutrashmari,” with “Mutra” meaning urine and “Ashmari” translating to stones in Sanskrit.

Ancient Ayurvedic texts like Sushruta Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya, and Charaka Samhita describe various causes of kidney stones. These include Samshodhana, which means inadequate detoxification of the body due to a poor diet, consumption of junk or high-oxalate foods, holding in the urge to urinate, and constipation. Other contributing factors are Ati Vyayama (excessive exercise), Teekshnoushada (long-term use of strong medications or drugs), and Nidra Alpata (lack of sleep).

A significant factor is Apathya Sevana, which involves unhealthy eating habits such as irregular meal times, overeating, a sedentary lifestyle, indigestion, and poor metabolism, as well as insufficient water intake after meals. These habits can disturb the balance of the three doshas—kapha, vata, and pitta—leading to the hardening of waste materials in the body and the formation of kidney stones.

Ayurvedic Approach To Preventing Kidney Stones

Ayurveda emphasizes prevention as a key component of maintaining health. By following specific dietary guidelines, incorporating herbal remedies, and making lifestyle changes, you can reduce the risk of kidney stones and support overall kidney health.

Dietary Recommendations:

To avoid kidney stones, what you drink and eat is as important as what you should avoid. Here are a few diet tips that Ayurveda recommends to prevent kidney stones.

• Stay hydrated. Dehydration is the no. 1 reason why people suffer from kidney stones. Focus on drinking 10-12 glasses of water in a day so that urine output is at least 2-2.5 litres.
• Eat more citrus fruits. The citrate in these fruits binds with calcium in the urine, preventing it from combining with oxalates and forming stones. This helps dissolve some crystals before they can develop into stones. Good sources of citrate are fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruit.
• Eat calcium-rich foods. Although many people believe that reducing calcium intake can help prevent kidney stones, it’s important to know that calcium is not the enemy. In fact, calcium helps bind oxalates in the gut, preventing them from being absorbed into the bloodstream and excreted in urine, which reduces the risk of stone formation. So, if your calcium levels are low, oxalate levels may rise. Good sources of calcium include curd, milk, cheese, legumes, and dark green vegetables.
• Limit your salt intake. Having too much sodium in your diet can promote calcium buildup in urine. Having around 2,000 to 2,300 milligrams of salt a day will help you maintain a low-sodium diet, and help prevent kidney stones.
• Avoid animal protein intake. Consuming large amounts of animal protein like red meat, chicken, poultry, pork, and eggs reduces citrate in your urine, a chemical that helps prevent stone formation. These foods also increase the level of uric acid which can cause kidney stones.

Herbal Remedies:

Here are some Ayurvedic herbs and their benefits for kidney stones:

• Punarnava (Tar Vine). This flowering plant has strong diuretic properties that help flush out kidney stones and reduce water retention and swelling.
• Shigru (Moringa/Drumstick). Every part of the moringa plant—roots, stem, and leaves—is beneficial for kidney health. The root extracts are used in decoctions to enhance kidney function and treat kidney stones. Rich in antioxidants like flavonoids, quercetin, myricetin, carotenoids, and glycosides, moringa helps remove harmful free radicals and detoxifies the body.
• Shunti (Ginger). It is widely used to treat kidney stones. Its root contains gingerol, a potent anti-inflammatory agent, along with vitamin C and magnesium. Ginger can be consumed in minced form or as ginger tea, acting as a soothing kidney tonic that helps dissolve stone deposits and cleanse the kidneys.
• Sukshma Ela (Cardamom). A spice packed with antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds. It effectively treats urinary tract infections that can lead to kidney stones and serves as a diuretic, helping to expel fluids, calcium salts, and uric acid residues from the body.
• Kulattha (Horse Gram). A small legume rich in carbohydrates, fibers, proteins, and B vitamins, which aid digestion, metabolism, and kidney health. It also contains antioxidants like isoflavones that act as natural diuretics, helping to flush out kidney stones. Consuming a soup or rasam made from horse gram is an effective remedy for eliminating kidney stones and promoting kidney health.

Along with dietary recommendations and herbal remedies, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. This should include regular exercise and yoga poses like Ustrasana, Uttanpadasana, and Pawanmuktasana. Being active helps you maintain a healthy weight and reduce weight if you are obese, which is crucial for kidney patients.

Some other lifestyle tips are:

• Eat meals on time and avoid eating at odd hours, especially late at night.
• Don’t delay urinating when you feel the need. Holding it in can increase the risk of kidney stones.
• Drink two glasses of warm water first thing in the morning to help cleanse the bowels thoroughly.
• Include more fruits in your diet, especially those high in water content.

Ayurvedic Treatments For Kidney Stones

Being natural in origin, ayurvedic treatments for kidney stones are quite reliable, help dissolve the stones, reduce pain, and prevent new stones from forming without causing any major side effects. Here’s what the treatment includes:

Detoxification

As discussed earlier, according to Ayurveda, inadequate detoxification of the body is one of the causes of stone formation. So, the first thing that Ayurvedic practitioners advise is detoxification using Panchakarma therapy.

Panchakarma is a traditional detox method that includes therapies like massage, herbal steam baths, and cleansing techniques.

The process helps in flushing out toxins from your body and balancing the doshas, especially Pitta, which is linked to kidney stones.

Herbal Decoctions and Supplements

Next is using Ayurvedic supplements that are made from 100% natural ingredients and herbs.

• Patharchatadi Swaras: Also known as stone cracker. This medicine contains Pashan Bedh, Amla, Varun Chal, and many other herbs known for breaking down kidney stones and improving urinary health.
• Kidney Re-live Tablet: A supplement that dissolves stones and reduces pain by improving kidney function.
• Kidney Relive Juice: A liquid preparation enriched with Pashanbhed, Pushkarmool and 21 other herbs that aid in breaking down stones into smaller pieces, making them easier to pass.

Takeaway

It’s important to understand that most people who have had kidney stones are at a high risk of developing them again. If you don’t start focusing on prevention early, small stones can grow and turn into a much bigger problem. So consult a doctor today if you or your loved one is suffering from kidney stones and looking for a natural and safe treatment.