Kidney Stone Prevention

While there may be other solutions to consider, the following is a list of some things that can be done to help prevent kidney stones. You may already be aware that kidney stones are very painful and can recur. Your ability to prevent kidney stones may depend upon the type of stone you had previously. Some general prevention guidelines follow:

1. Drink water regularly. While you must consider your climate, there is a popular formula to determine the exact quantity you should consume. The formula says that you should drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should consume 80 ounces of water per day.

2. Be sure to consider your climate when determining the quantity of water because your body needs more water to regulate temperature in a hot, dry climate and may require less in a cold, moist region. Use your own discretion to determine what seems the best to you. Consumption of water effectively flushes the kidneys and urinary tubes. If you currently have stones, your chances of getting a urinary tract infection are substantially increased. This only makes everything all the more complicated.

3. Be sure to intake water in equal quantities throughout the day. Water will serve to dilute the calcium which causes kidney stones.

4. If you consume liquids other than water, be sure that at least half your liquid intake is water.

5. One of the other liquids you should consider is freshly made lemonade (from real lemons). The concentration of citric acid helps prevent urinary tract infections.

6. Depending upon the type of kidney stone you may get, your doctor may suggest a diet that will decrease your risk. The doctor may recommend that you cut back on consumption of meat, salt or foods high in oxalate such as chocolate, nuts or green leafy vegetables. I admit that I need to do more research on the items that you might want to avoid. Stay tuned.

7. There are remedies you may consider which can decrease the likelihood that you will form kidney stones in the first place. I will personally research this and post more information about possible preventatives.