Kidney stones can affect up to 12 percent of Americans and I, unfortunately, fell into those statistics during my weekend vacation in Catalina. I was there to celebrate my birthday and a few hours later I was in the Emergency Room (ER). It all started when I awoke from a nap in excruciating pain. It was unbearable, but I tried to walk it off. However, the pain just kept rising and rising. That is when I called for a taxi and made my way to the ER. Once there, I was diagnosed with a kidney stone and spent the next 6 hours trying to pass the stone, which I successfully did.
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It was during that painful memorable moment that I knew I would do everything I could to prevent another kidney stone. If you are like me and have already had a kidney stone, then we are 50 percent more likely to have one in the next ten years. Although this may seem far into the future, we can still do our part to avoid this. A terrific way to do that is to watch how we care for our bodies and what we put into them. Keep reading to see how you and I can actively prevent our next kidney stone or aid someone in never getting one.
How to prevent kidney stones
1. Hydration
Staying hydrated is a sure-fire way to prevent a kidney stone. When you drink more, you produce a healthy flow of urine. Low urine means more concentration. So, try and drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Lemonade and orange juice are good options as well if you find yourself needing a break from water. A healthy color of urine is clear or pale yellow (like lemonade).
2. Consume Calcium-rich foods
Since the most common kidney stone is calcium oxalate, consuming these foods will aid you:
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- Low-fat milk
- Low-fat cheese
- Low-fat yogurt
- Collard greens
3. Less Sodium
Avoiding salty food increases your chance of preventing calcium-oxalate kidney stones. When you have too much salt in your pee, the calcium cannot be reabsorbed back into the blood. Avoid these foods and began to buy products that say less sodium and/or use less salt to flavor food:
- Chips and crackers
- Canned soups
- Condiments
- Lunch meats
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4. Less Oxalate-rich foods
Kidney Stones are made of Oxalate, eating less of these foods helps your body avoid making these stones:
