One of the most emerging health conditions many people experience these days is kidney stones. The formation of stones in the kidneys can be painful and severely affect the quality of your life. The stones may develop in the kidneys, urinary tract, ureters, or bladder and may lead to excessive pain and discomfort, which may as well intrude with the daily activities. Kidney stones form when there is an excessive amount of minerals or salts in the urine that can come together and deposit to form a hard stone. Uric acid, oxalate, and struvite are the common substances that may crystalize, leading to the formation of stones.
What are the Causes of Kidney Stones?
Although there happens to be a connection to genetic predisposition, many times, kidney stones are caused as a result of diet and lifestyle. There is no specific cause, and several risk factors may contribute to its formation.
- A high protein diet, including poultry, red meat, sodium, sugar, and more
- Not drinking enough water leads to dehydration
- Digestive disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease
- Family history of kidney stones
- Obesity
- Medication, including diuretics
- Other medical conditions such as hyperparathyroidism condition.
Which Food Items Should I Not Eat if I Have Kidney Stones?
When you experience the symptoms of the condition, the doctor may give you a prescription involving the medication to take for kidney stones. But besides medicines, they will recommend you make certain lifestyle changes, including what to eat and avoid. Here are the food items that you must not consume if you have kidney stones.
Salty Foods
High sodium levels are linked to a higher risk of developing kidney stones as more calcium is passed through the urine. It increases the risk of stones. You must limit your salt intake as it will increase your sodium levels and even increase the size of the stone inside your body. Check for the sodium content on the food label if you want to eat any premade food.
Vitamin C Supplements
While Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients for the body, it is not recommended in a high content for people with kidney stones. This nutrient gets converted into oxalate when taken in excessive amounts. Therefore, you must avoid using such supplements unless prescribed by the doctor and try to get your daily intake from natural sources only.
Calcium Supplements
Similar to Vitamin C supplements, calcium supplements are also not healthy for people with kidney stones and must be avoided to prevent the condition from worsening. Taking calcium through food sources doesn’t increase the amount of calcium in your urine. However, excessive intake of its supplements provides the body with much more calcium than it requires, leading to more calcium being passed out through urine. It may increase the chances of the formation of stone.
Fruits
Fruits are a part of a balanced diet, but certain food items are not recommended to people with kidney stones as they may worsen the condition. The list includes rhubarb, raspberries, dates, etc. All these fruits are high in oxalate content.
Vegetables
Like fruits, some vegetables are high in oxalate, causing more harm than benefit to people suffering from kidney stones. While we do not suggest avoiding them per se, it is advised to limit their intake. These vegetables include potatoes, spinach, carrots, and beetroot.
Caffeine
Caffeine causes the body to pass more urine, leading to dehydration. Low levels of water in the body may increase the risk of kidney stones. It is, therefore, recommended to limit the intake of caffeine. The amount of caffeine to include in your daily diet should be discussed with your doctor. While they may allow some of it, they will strictly advise against the consumption of caffeine in the form of energy drinks and colas.
Animal Proteins
Animal proteins are harmful for people with kidney stones as they may lead to uric acid build-up in your body. Besides calcium oxalate, uric acid is another substance contributing to the formation of kidney stones. If you only get protein from nonveg foods, you are at a higher risk of uric acid kidney stones. You can switch to a veg protein diet to cover protein intake.
Processed Foods
Processed food items include phosphorus, a common ingredient, and preservative that leads to the formation of kidney stones. Packaged or frozen food contains this preservative in high amounts. If ingested in excess, it may lead to excessive discomfort in the abdominal area.
Takeaway
The treatment of kidney stones is characterized by the type of stone and its source. While medication solves your problem, lifestyle and dietary changes help you manage the condition in the long run so that the problem doesn’t recur. A healthy diet is the foundation of a healthy body. But when it comes to kidney stones, you have to customize your diet a little more to avoid any discomfort. Speak to your doctor about the foods you can eat.
