The Best Foods to Eat if You Have Kidney Stones

Kidney stones form for a variety of reasons. Some people are more at risk of developing kidney stones than others, due to hereditary factors, illnesses, or medications they may be taking. Sometimes however, kidney stones can develop simply because of the foods you eat, or the lack of enough fluids in your body.

The kidneys are what filters waste and salts from our system. When too much of certain types of wastes build up, the kidneys may not be able to filter it as well, thus those wastes can form crystal like substances that are the beginning of kidney stones. As the crystals get larger and clump together, that's what creates the kidney stones.

Since the kidneys connect to the bladder, and send all converted waste to it in the form of urine, the kidney stones often try to pass through to the bladder as well. The tubes which connect the kidneys to the bladder are quite small however, so when a kidney stone enters those tubes it can cause severe pain.

There are four primary types of kidney stones, and each develops for different reasons. One type is quite rare and is only hereditary. The most common type of kidney stone however, is a calcium stone, and these are usually a combination of calcium and oxalate, a compound that occurs naturally in some fruits and vegetables.

If there are high concentrations of calcium and oxalate in the body, the calcium style kidney stones can develop. At one time it was thought that a good kidney stone diet involved reducing your calcium intake. Recent studies however, suggest that calcium foods might actually help reduce the kidney stone problems instead.

A good kidney stone diet must include a lot of water though. The water will help flush stones out of your urinary tract system that are not stuck. If you have kidney stones, it's suggested to drink two to three quarts of water every day. One gallon is needed in some cases.

Although you're not usually avoiding most high calcium foods such as milk, cheese and green leafy vegetables, you should avoid taking calcium supplements and Vitamin D, because these are not easily absorbed by the body. You might be advised to reduce your calcium intake a little if it seems excessive though.

You may also be asked to avoid foods high in oxalate as well. These can include peanuts, different types of berries such as strawberries and blackberries, chocolate, grapes, dark leafy green vegetables and instant coffee.

Since too much salt can make you lose more calcium in your urine, your doctor might advise you to cut back on salt and sodium as part of a kidney stone diet. Too much salt can put you at risk of getting another stone.

Talk to your doctor about the best kidney stone diet for you, because different types of stones may require different adjustments in foods.