Are There Natural Cures for Kidney Stones?

"What is natural is healthy, "so the cliche' goes. This is also true when curing any existing pathological condition in the body. If there are any natural therapeutic methods for treatment, then they should be utilized instead, because they yield fewer side effects and are therefore more beneficial than artificial drugs.

In the third world country where I live, natural cures are often instituted because of poverty. People could not afford to buy the expensive drugs that go with the condition. One of the most prevalent ailments is nephrolithiasis or kidney stones.

We often tagged it here as "sakit mayaman", meaning "illness for the rich". This is because the drugs for this type of condition are very expensive. It is for this reason that indigent people oftentimes could not complete the 1 week dosage usually required by doctors. It is also an extremely painful condition especially when it is in its advance stages.

There are several reasons why stones are formed and deposited in the kidney. This maybe because of improper diet, kidney dysfunction and other underlying processes related to the kidneys.

Their sizes may vary too, there is the staghorn which is a horse shoeshaped stone, the worst of the lot, and there are smaller stones which maybe the size of a grain of sand.

The most common types are uric acids, calcium oxalates and phosphate crystals. These crystals can come from a variety of foods that we eat. They can come from eggplants, cale, cabbage, legumes and sardines and many preserved and salted foods.

So what are the natural cures for kidney stones? The following are the natural cures that local folks discovered in their quest for cheaper ways to cure the condition. Although not all are documented, common folks often speak of how it had cured them.

* Water

Water therapy is the most recommended natural cure for kidney stones. This is most applicable if the stones are still not calcified. Through water, these small deposits could be flashed out of the system. Insufficient water intake would leave the crystals stagnant in the genitourinary system and could eventually amass and calcify into stones.

* "Sabaw Buko"

This is the natural juice that comes from a freshly opened coconut fruit. There should be no additives whatsoever, and it should be drunk fresh. This juice when processed can become trans fat which is not recommended for people with hyperlipidemia.

* "Banaba"

This is a locally found leaf which is also called the crepe myrtle. Any part of the plant could be boiled and then drank daily. It has been discovered that it also reduces blood sugar so care should be taken when the person is also on anti-diabetic drugs.

* Avoidance of food that could cause kidney stones

Legumes, canned goods, soda drinks, salty, preserved foods, caffeine and alcohol should be avoided. Diet is one major cause of kidney stones. Watching your diet could help a lot in curing kidney stones. Alcohol also reduces the rate of excretion of these crystals thereby increasing the risk of kidney stone formation.

* Fruits and vegetables

Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables avoiding the kale genus (cabbage, lettuce, eggplant) and the legumes (peanuts, peas). Aside from contributing essential substances to promote the excretion of unwanted crystals from the kidneys, they also are rich with anti-toxins and anti-oxidants which could help in maintaining the proper function of all the bodily organs, including the kidneys.

* Honey bee

The honey from bees had been used by the native folks for any type of illness. They usually take it in undiluted, at least one teaspoon 3 X a day. Sometimes they mixed it with the food that they eat or with their beverages. It has been observed that those who had previously kidney stones had started passing them out in small amounts.

Having kidney stones is a very excruciating condition. Surgical removal of the stones or laser treatment is inevitable if the stones are not dissolved making use of non-invasive techniques.

This condition however, could be cured if we treat it earlier with natural methods, and make a conscious effort to change our diet and lifestyle to something that is proper and healthier.