Diet to prevent kidney stones
How can you prevent kidney stones?
The following tips may lower your chance of getting kidney stones:
- The most important thing you can do is drink more fluids, especially water if your doctor says it is okay. Water helps to wash away the substances in the kidneys that could form stones. Try to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. If you don't already drink that much, slowly increase how much you drink. For example, add one more glass of water each day until you are drinking 8 to 10 glasses a day. This slow increase will give your body time to adjust to the extra fluids. You are drinking enough water when your urine is clear or light yellow. If it is dark yellow, you are not drinking enough fluids.
- If you had a calcium kidney stone, it may help to:
- Eat less salt and salty foods. One way to do this is to not add salt when you cook or eat. Try removing the salt shaker from your table.
- Talk to your doctor or dietitian about how much calcium you need every day. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are all good sources of calcium.
- If you had an oxalate kidney stone, your doctor may ask you to limit certain foods that have a lot of oxalate. You don't have to give up these foods, just eat or drink less of them. These include:
- Coffee, teas, colas, and chocolate.
- Dark green vegetables, such as spinach.
- Peanuts.
- Beets, rhubarb, berries, and cranberries.
- Beans and tofu.
- Draft beer.
- Oranges and sweet potatoes.
If you have had kidney stones in the past, it may also help to:
- Eat a balanced diet that is not too high in animal protein. This includes beef, chicken, pork, fish, and eggs. These foods contain a lot of protein, and too much protein may lead to kidney stones. You don't have to give up these foods. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about how much protein you need and the best way to get it.
- Avoid grapefruit juice.
- Drink lemonade made from real lemons (not lemon flavoring). It is high in citrate, which may help prevent kidney stones.
- Talk to your doctor if you take vitamins or supplements. He or she may want you to limit how much fish liver oil or calcium supplements you take. Also, do not take more than the recommended daily dose of vitamins C and D.
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| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: May 30, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Philip Belitsky, MD, FRCSC - Urology | |
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