Kidney stones happen to be the hard mineral deposits formed inside the kidneys. It causes a lot of pain when they go through the urinary tract. Lots of people are affected by kidney stones. Also, the moment you have one kidney stone, and then you are likely to suffer another in another next ten years.
However, a healthy diet and changes in lifestyle and medication can also reduce the risk of getting kidney stones. In this article, you will get to learn ways on how you can prevent kidney stones.
Reducing Salt Intake
Increased intake of salt leads to water retention and also dehydration. Keep your salt intake less than one teaspoon each day.
Foods that contain high salts include; potato chips, most canned soups, smoked meat, most ready meal and lastly most side dishes.
When your urine has a lot of fluids, then it’s rare for salts and minerals to form together and form stones. In case you have darker urine, it shows that you are dehydrated. Your urine should be faint yellow. One is recommended to drink eight glasses of water every day but to reduce the risk of kidney stones, and then you can drink up to twelve glasses of water each day.
Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight
Overweight can add stress to your kidneys. But it’s crucial for you to lose that weight in the right way. High protein diets, low carb diets, and crash dieting can lead to increased risk of kidney stones.
Avoid Excessive Intake of Caffeine
When you take excess caffeine, it speeds the metabolism which can end up causing dehydration. You should make a limit of 400mg of caffeine per day adding to four cups of coffee. There are also special energy drinks, sodas, teas and chocolate that has caffeine.
Avoiding Sugary Drinks
Avoid drinks that are sweetened. Such beverages contain a lot of fructose corn syrup, and they have been found to increase the risk of kidney stones. So make sure you avoid taking such drinks.
Getting Enough Dietary Calcium
Some calcium oxalates are the main compound for kidney stones, but there is some of this calcium in food that helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones. You will find that a lot of dairy products contain an essential source of calcium. Foods with the source of calcium include soy sauce, orange juice, soya milk and certain cereals which can help to reduce the risk of developing kidney stones.