I feel as though kidney stones have always been portrayed in
movies as comedy. The classic scene shows a guy in the urinal saying “Oh boy! Here
comes another big one,” followed by dramatic screaming with that fake sitcom
laughter in the background. On the contrary, if you have actually ever had the
painful experience of passing a kidney stone, you know that they are the
furthest thing from humorous.
Kidney stones are composed of tiny, dense mineral deposits
that form inside the kidneys. They can have an effect on any part of your
urinary tract from your kidneys to the bladder. Stones can form when urine
becomes concentrated, which allows minerals to crystallize and clot together. Many
of the painful symptoms include; pain on urination, discolored urine, sever
pain in the side, pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin, and even chills
if there is an infection. There are a number of causes that can lead to kidney
stone development and increase your risk.
Diet
Try to lay off those heavily seasoned meats. A high protein
diet along with immense amounts of sodium and sugar can increase your risk. In
fact, too much sodium increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter
which leads to the formation of stones.
Obesity
Considerable waist size and weight gain have been related to
increased risk of kidney stones.
Family and Personal History
If anyone in your family has ever had kidney stones you’re
at a greater risk for developing them as well. That goes also with saying; if
you have been affected by kidney stones in the past you are much more likely to
attain them again.
Dehydration
Not drinking enough water to increase your urine flow puts
you at a higher risk.
So these are all the causes, but what steps can you take to
prevent kidney stones? For starters, try to drink more water throughout the
day. Many doctors recommend passing about 2.6 Quarts of urine every day. Exercising
on a daily bases or living in a hot climate increases your sweating so make
sure to compensate for the loss of water. Your target urine color should be
either light yellow or clear.
You can continue to eat calcium abundant foods (unless
instructed by your doctor otherwise), just be careful with your intake on
calcium supplements. Calcium rich foods do not have an effect on the
development of kidney stones, but for some people, calcium supplements have
increased the risk of kidney stones while others it has decreased the risk. Ask
your doctor what is right for you.
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