HEALTH
AND FITNESS: Kidney Stones-What they are and how to Prevent Them
A kidney Stone is a hard mass formed in the kidneys, typically consisting of insoluble
calcium compounds, oxalate, and phosphorus; a renal calculus. A larger stone may get
stuck along the urinary tract and can block the flow of urine, causing severe
pain or bleeding. Kidney stones
are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract.
Each year in the United States, people make more than a million visits
to health care providers and more than 300,000 people go to emergency rooms for
kidney stone problems.
Anyone can get a kidney stone, but some people are more likely to get
one. Men are affected more often than women, and kidney stones are more common
in non-Hispanic white people than in non-Hispanic black people and Mexican
Americans. Overweight and obese people are more likely to get a kidney stone
than people of normal weight. In the United States, 8.8 percent of the
population, or one in 11 people, have had a kidney stone.
Certain foods may promote stone formation in people who are susceptible,
but scientists do not believe that eating any specific food causes stones to
form in people who are not susceptible. People who do not drink enough fluids
may also be at higher risk, as their urine is more concentrated.
People with kidney stones may have pain while urinating, see blood in
the urine, or feel a sharp pain in the back or lower abdomen. The pain may last
for a short or long time. People may experience nausea and vomiting with the
pain. However, people who have small stones that pass easily through the
urinary tract may not have symptoms at all.
The health care provider may ask the person to collect urine for 24 hours after a stone has passed or been removed to measure daily urine volume and mineral levels. Producing too little urine or having a mineral abnormality can make a person more likely to form stones. Kidney stones may be prevented through changes in eating, diet, and nutrition and medications.
People can help prevent kidney stones by making changes in their fluid
intake. Depending on the type of kidney stone a person has, changes in the
amounts of sodium, animal protein, calcium, and oxalate consumed can also help.
Drinking enough fluids each day is the best way to help prevent most types
of kidney stones. Health care providers recommend that a person drink 2 to 3
liters of fluid a day. People with cystine stones may need to drink even more.
Though water is best, other fluids may also help prevent kidney stones, such as
citrus drinks.
Recommendations based on the specific type of kidney stone include the
following:
Calcium Oxalate Stones
- reducing sodium
- reducing animal protein, such as meat, eggs, and fish
- getting enough calcium from food or taking calcium supplements with food
- avoiding foods high in oxalate, such as spinach, rhubarb, nuts, and wheat bran
Calcium Phosphate Stones
- reducing sodium
- reducing animal protein
- getting enough calcium from food or taking calcium supplements with food
Uric Acid Stones
- limiting animal protein
Besides a
healthy diet, exercise might contribute enormously.
A study by the
University of Leicester, in England, for example, has shown that walking for half an hour, three to five days a week can
significantly reduce kidney disease symptoms and their frequency, including
tiredness, joint pain and muscle weakness.
The study,
funded by Kidney Research UK and conducted by the Leicester Kidney Exercise
Team at the University of Leicester, involved 40 pre-dialysis patients and
lasted six months.
Regardless the diagnosis your doctor prescribed you, don’t underestimate
your kidneys health. Get ready to achieve a healthy life controlling what you
eat, and your weight. Don’t forget your quota of liquid every day.
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