Diet for Kidney Stone

A majority of patients suffering from kidney stones can be treated successfully by proper dietary regulations. These regulations will also prevent a recurrence of the symptoms. Only a few cases require surgery.

The general precaution in dietary treatment of kidney stones is to avoid foods, which irritate the kidneys, to control acidity or alkalinity of the urine and to ensure adequate intake of fluids to prevent the urine from becoming concentrated. The foods which are considered as irritants to the kidneys are alcoholic beverages, condiments, pickles, certain vegetables like cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, watercress and those with a strong aroma such as asparagus, onions, beans, cabbage and cauliflower, meat, gravies and carbonated waters.

In calcium phosphate stones, over secretion of the parathyroid hormone causes loss of calcium from the hones resulting in a high blood level of calcium, with increased excretion of calcium in the urine. An abnormally high intake of milk, alkalis or vitamin D may also result in the formation of calcium phosphate stones.

Diet for Kidney Stones:

For controlling the formation of calcium phosphate stones, a moderately low calcium and phosphorus diet should be taken.


The intake of calcium and phosphates should be restricted to minimal levels consistent with maintaining nutritional adequacy. The maintenance level of calcium is 680 mg. And have Phosphorus 1,000 mg.


In this diet, milk should constitute the main source of calcium and curd or cottage cheese, lentils and groundnuts should form the main sources of phosphorus. Foods which should be avoided are whole wheat flour, Chickpea, pea soyabean, beet, sp ina3ch, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, almonds and coconuts.

When stones are composed of calcium and magnesium phosphates and carbonates, the diet should be so regulated as to maintain acidic urine.


In such a diet, only one pint of milk, two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables (200 grams) should be taken. The vegetables may consist of; asparagus, fresh green peas, squash, pumpkins, turnips cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes. For fruits, watermelons, 9'apes, peaches, pears, pineapples, papayas and guavas may be taken.

On the other hand, the urine should be kept alkaline If oxalate and uric acid stones are being formed. In this diet vegetables should be liberally used and acid forming should be kept to the minimum necessary for satisfactory, when the stones contain oxalate, foods with high id content should be avoided. These foods include almonds, beets, brinjals, brown bread, cabbages, cheeries chocolates, French beans, potatoes, radishes and soyabeans.

Uric stones occur in patients who have an increased uric acid in the blood and increased uric acid excretion in the urine. Since uric acid is an end product of purine metabolism, foods with large purine content such as sweet breads, liver, and kidney should be avoided. The patient should take a low protein diet, restricting protein to one gram per kg. Of food. A liberal in take of fluid unto 3,000 ml. Or more daily is essential It the production of urine at the concentration leve1 where the salts precipitate out.

The patient should be given a large hot enema, followed lath with a hot bath with a temperature of 100°F., gradually increased top 112 o F The head should be kept cold with cold application, Hot Fomentation applied across the back in the region of the kidneys will relieve the pain. Certain yogasanas such pavanmuktasana, uttampadasana, bhujangasana, dhannurasana. Ardhmatsyendrasana and halasana are highly beneficial as a stimulate the. Kidneys.

TREATMENT CHART FOR KIDNEY STONES

A - DIET

I. Take Carrot or orange juice diluted with water on 50:50 basis every two hours for three days, and use warm enema daily during this period.

II. An all-fruit diet for further three days, with three meals a day at five-hourly intervals.

III. Fruit and milk diet for further five days. In this regimen, add fresh milk to each fruit meal.

IV. Thereafter, gradually adopt a well-balanced low-protein diet on the following lines: -

I. Upon arising: 25 black raisins soaked overnight in water along with water in which they are soaked.

2. Breakfast: Milk sweetened with honey and fresh fruits,

3. Lunch: Freshly prepared steamed vegetables, whole wheat wheat tortilla, unsalted butter and buttermilk.

4. Mid-afternoon: Carrot juice or coconut water.

5. Dinner: Fresh green vegetable salad, with lemon juice dressing and green gram beans sprouts.

6. Bed time snack: A glass of milk sweetened with honey.

Avoid: Tea, coffee, alcoholics beverages, flesh foods, Salt, Condiments, sugar. Denatures. Cereals, and foods containing oxalic acid.

Specially beneficial: Garlic, cucumber, French beans, carrot, papaya, watermelon, and pineapple juice.

Note: Short juice fast followed by all-fruit diet and fruit and should be repeated every two months.

B - OTHER MEASURES

1. Yogic asanas, fresh air and outdoor exercises, especially walking every morning and evening.

2. Avoid all hurry, excitement and late hours.

Kidney stones is a urological disorder, which occurs in the form of crystallized minerals and acids that stick together to form small or large kidney stones. Kidney stones may also occur due to a urinary tract infection. While most small kidney stones will pass during urination, medication and drinking fluids can help. In certain cases, where the kidney stone has grown to a large size, surgery may be necessary.

Some individuals tend to suffer from recurrent kidney stone problems. A kidney stone diet may help to prevent the formation of multiple kidney stones.

Kidney stone diet:

A kidney stone diet plays a very important role in the prevention of recurring kidney stones.

•  Calcium stones are often the main culprits of a kidney stone condition. When your diet is high in calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate, calcium crystals can form in your urine. A diet to prevent kidney stones must restrict fruits and vegetables high in calcium oxalate. Tomatoes and dark vegetables like spinach, Swiss chards, beets, okra, and rhubarb are high in oxalates and should not be included in a kidney stone diet. Other oxalate rich food items include nuts, chocolate, and soy based products.
•  A high protein diet may also cause kidney stones. A high protein diet causes uric acid levels to increase. In the absence of fluids or due to concentrated urine, these uric acid salts can clump together to form crystals. Dehydration is another cause of kidney stones. Drinking plenty of water and fluids is an integral part of a kidney stones diet. Individuals suffering from kidney stones should restrict their intake of high protein foods and may consult their doctor or dietician for alternate low protein foods in place of animal proteins.
•  High sodium or high sugar foods may be restricted in a kidney stone diet. Reduce your salt intake. Often, individuals with diabetes may suffer from kidney stones. A sugar-free diet for kidney stones may be recommended for such individuals.
•  A kidney infection or a urinary tract infection that has spread to the kidneys can be responsible for stones called struvite stones. These stones can develop quickly and grow to a large size. If you suffer from symptoms like fever and chills, nausea and severe pain in the lower back, and so on, you must consult your doctor immediately. A kidney infection diet may include fluids in the form of water, juices and soups to help flush out the urinary tract and prevent the spread of the infection. If you have a kidney infection, your diet must include foods that are easy to digest so that there is less pressure on the kidneys.
•  Kidney stones can also be a hereditary condition when the urinary system pumps out excess amounts of amino acids called cystinuria. If your medical history reveals kidney stones in some members of your family, you are at a heightened risk of suffering from them as well. It is also common to suffer from multiple kidney stones if you have experienced them once.
• A kidney stone diet could include the consumption of green tea or black tea twice a day. However, check with your doctor if you have kidney stones due to oxalates. Tea is high in oxalates and may not be advisable for you. Freshly squeezed citrus juices could also neutralize the effect of calcium in the urine and help in the prevention of kidney stones.

Ask your doctor or dietician to evaluate your diet and seek their help to make changes to a kidney stone diet accordingly. Your doctor may recommend pain medication to pass the kidney stone and a prescribed diet for kidney stones to prevent the recurrence of kidney stones.

Gall Stones Diet

Gallstones and kidney stones are unrelated. Even though, they both occur due to abnormalities in the digestion process; however, the factors that affect them are different. Kidney stones are the occurrence of crystallized formations in the kidney, which hinder proper functioning of the kidney. These formations may occur due to excessive consumption of acidic foods, inadequate intake of fluids, lack of vitamin C and excess of vitamin D, etc. In the case of a person suffering from gallstones, a single large gallstone or several smaller stones may form in the gallbladder. This no clear indication as to what specifically leads to gallstones; however, experts believe that low-fiber, high cholesterol diet could well be the main contributing factor. To successfully remedy gallstones, a person needs to adopt a gallstone diet, which is rich in fiber. Consumption of vegetables is believed to be effective for gallstones treatment. Gallstones diet and kidney stone diet should essentially include high-fiber grains, vegetables, fruits, and certain nuts and seeds. It is essential for the person to avoid fatty food, sugars, coffee, and alcohol. If a person is prone to kidney stones, they should avoid rhubarb, black tea, coffee, peanuts, wheat germ, spinach, and chocolate. Consumption of food high in purine; like, yeast, meat, organ meat, herring, shellfish, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies should be refrained from completely. Most importantly, drink plenty of water throughout the day.