Preventing Kidney Stones with Diet and Nutrition

The worst time to start thinking about kidney stone prevention is when you have a kidney stone. With kidney stone prevention, diet and nutrition can be your greatest asset or liability. 

That’s why our experts at Golden Gate Urology in Berkeley, California, take the time to discuss how to tweak your diet plan to support kidney health and keep painful kidney stones at bay.

Hydration: Your best weapon against kidney stones

By far, the best way to prevent kidney stones is to drink plenty of water every day. Staying hydrated forces you to urinate frequently, clearing out calcium and uric acid buildup. 

We recommend drinking 8-12 cups of liquid daily to produce adequate urine. Our favorite hydrating drinks include water, milk and milk alternatives, sports drinks, coconut water, and certain teas. 

Adding lime or lemon juice to your water is another kidney health hack. Lemons and limes contain citrate, which neutralizes acid in urine and can prevent calcium stones from forming.

Snacking on fruits like watermelon with a high water content also boosts hydration. 

Avoid sugary sodas and fruit juices, and remember that caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages are dehydrating. 

Let’s talk about your diet

Salt is the primary enemy in the battle against kidney stones, but unfortunately, our modern American diets are rife with it.

We recommend limiting your salt intake to 1,500-2,000 milligrams daily (less than a teaspoon). That means paying close attention to the labels on packaged foods and dressings to check for hidden salt content. 

Here are some other diet changes to consider:

Watch how you eat healthy foods

Many healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, contain high levels of oxalate, an organic compound linked to a type of kidney stone. 

You don’t have to eliminate your favorite healthy foods, but we recommend eating them with dairy to allow the calcium to bind to the oxalates and force them into your body’s waste.

Don’t cut out calcium

Speaking of calcium, since it’s a key ingredient in kidney stones, it might make sense to cut it out of your diet. However, you need calcium to support other areas of your health, so we don’t want you to quit cold turkey. 

The main problem occurs when you add large numbers of calcium supplements to the calcium in your diet. We may suggest you change your supplement plan to tone down the amount of calcium you get daily. 

Limit your meat consumption

Animal proteins can cause high acid levels in your urine, leading to the crystallization of compounds that turn into kidney stones. They can also reduce the amount of citrate in your urine, which aids in stone prevention. 

As with oxalate-rich foods, you don’t have to quit altogether, but we recommend you scale back your consumption.

The bottom line

Your habits, especially your diet and nutrition, play a crucial role in preventing kidney stones. With our help and a few simple adjustments, you could stay kidney stone-free for life. 

If you’d like more information about kidney stone prevention, or you suspect you may have a kidney stone, call our friendly staff at 510-255-0013 today or use our online booking tool to schedule a consultation with one of our experts.