Contributed by – Healthians Team
Did you know that almost 15 % of people in India suffer from kidney stones. Are you one of them?
Kidneys play such a major role in the normal functioning of the body, it regulates the salt, mineral and water balance, removes toxins from the body.
Kidney stones are really common health problem which can be easily treated if detected on time. Also known as nephrolithiasis, kidney stone is a solid mass that consists of a collection of calcium salt, uric acid which can affect your kidney’s health and urinary tract. A kidney stone can range from the size of a speck of dust to the size of a ping-pong ball. The most common symptoms of kidney stones are:
- Severe pain in the side and back
- Pain while urinating
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Increased urge to urinate and reduction in the urine amount
It is necessary to seek medical assistance if you experience the above mentioned symptoms. Diet plays such a major role in managing kidney stones and it is also important to manage your diet accordingly. One of the major cause of kidney stones is dehydration, thus making changes in the daily dietary intake can do wonders in dealing with the problem of kidney stones. Some of the major dietary do’s and don’ts for kidney stones are listed below, make them a part of your life.
The Important Dietary Do’s
Food is such a major part of our lives; do not eat your meals thoughtlessly put some love and care into it. The major dietary suggestions to include in your diet are:
- Increase your water intake as it will assist in the passage of stone through urine. Atleast 3 litres of water per day is highly recommended
- Indulge in foods which have high magnesium content like banana, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds. You can chew on them to satisfy your hunger pangs between meals
- Have low calorie diet as to reduce your body mass index as a high BMI makes you more prone to stones
- Eat plenty of wholes fruits like apples, grapes, pomengranate, they help in maintaining urine pH balance
- Have diary products like milk, cheese, cottage cheese, curd etc. daily
- Add green and fresh vegetables in your diet, also have salads with your regular meals
The Important Dietary Don’ts
It is important to know what to avoid to deal with the problem of kidney stones, diet can be really helpful in dealing with it. Just a few changes and precautions can bring major results, the major dietary don’ts for kidney stones are:
- Avoid high calorie diets and processed foods
- Oily, deep fried and spicy foods are a huge no, do not have them
- Avoid over consumption of multivitamin which can cause hypervitaminosis boosting kidney stones
- Avoid consumption of green vegetables with dairy products, it can cause damage and lead to calcium deposition
- To prevent stone formation avoid cauliflower, potatoes, beans, tomatoes etc
- Cashewnuts, chickoo, groundnut etc. should be avoided
- Protein rich foods like fish, meat, chicken, legumes, pulses etc. can be really harmful
- Avoid heavy alcohol consumpion as it can interfere with uric acid metobolism as well as add extra calories
- Over consumption of vitamin d supplements is not recommended
Even if you are cured there is always chances of reoccurrence of kidney stones, so combine the dietary suggestions with regular exercise of atleast 30 mins. Make sure to do your best to protect yourself and avoid serious complications.
