

Of course, high-protein fad diets should also be avoided. Other foods high in purine to watch out for include beer, brains, heart, kidney, liver, sweetbreads, and wine.

Some of these foods include anchovies, fish roe, herring, mackerel, mussels, sardines, and shrimp. If you suffer from uric-acid stones, you also may need to cut back on protein, particularly foods high in purine. Uric acid also forms when purines in protein foods are broken down. Animal protein can accelerate formation of uric acid and calcium in the urine, which may, in turn, cause stones to form. Individuals who form uric-acid stones are usually found to eat diets high in animal protein. (Vitamin C is essential - the Recommended Dietary Allowance for men is 90 mg a day and for women, 75 mg a day - so don't think of trying to go without it.)Įat less meat and certain fish. If you have had a kidney stone, your safest bet is to get your vitamin C from foods, not high-dose supplements. That's because the body converts this vitamin to oxalate. Although some regard it as a wonder vitamin, in very high doses - more than 3,000 milligrams daily - vitamin C can be a potential problem for those who tend to form kidney stones. In most cases, these foods can be eaten in limited amounts. But don't completely avoid these foods without first talking to your doctor. People prone to forming calcium-oxalate stones may be asked by their doctor to cut back on the following foods if their urine contains an excess of oxalate: Beets, chocolate, coffee, cola, nuts, parsley, peanuts, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, tea, and wheat bran. Eating large quantities of fruits and vegetables provides you with lots of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients however, some of these foods also provide oxalates, which you may need to go easy on if you have a tendency toward kidney-stone formation. (Pharmacies generally carry measuring devices that fit right inside the toilet bowl.) During a typical day, your body should produce 40 to 45 ounces of urine. That's why measuring your urine output may provide a better indication of your fluid intake. Sometimes, it's not easy to keep track of how much fluid you've taken in during the course of the day. For more information about treating disorders of the kidney and gallbladder, try the following links:Ĭheck it out. Read the next section for home remedies that will prevent the pain of kidney stones. There are also simple lifestyle changes you can make to help keep kidney stones from forming. Symptoms include severe pain and tenderness over the affected kidney, frequent and painful urination, blood in the urine, nausea, fever, chills, and extreme exhaustion.ĭiet may be a major contributor to why some people develop kidney stones.

But when they grow large enough to block the flow of urine through the ureter (one of two tubes that allow urine to drain from the kidneys to the bladder), the pain can be excruciating. Kidney stones may be present for years and never produce symptoms. Like gallstones that go undiagnosed, kidney stones don't always cause problems. Most first-time victims are between 30 and 40 years old and are otherwise in very good health. Kidney stones also tend to run in families, so individuals with a close relative who has been through a stone episode should be careful.
