What To Drink To Help Kidney Stones

Juices That Help Eliminate Kidney Stones

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13 July, 2022

To eliminate kidney stones, its vital that you follow your doctorsinstructions. At the same time, you must take steps to improve your lifestyle habits especially when it comes to diet and hydration.

Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys. They can be of very varied sizes and their expulsion can be painful. But, in general, they dont usually cause significant damage to this vital organ when they are treated correctly.

Drinking plenty of fluids is one way to help flush them out, which may be enough for some people. It is also possible to supplement with some juices, which help diuresis. Well tell you some of the most suitable below.

The Causes Of Kidney Stones

Like many other ailments, a poor diet is the leading cause of kidney stone formation. While genetics and environmental factors can play a role, your diet is the easiest thing you can change.

Specifically, sodas and sugary drinks are major culprits behind the causes of kidney stones. This reason being sodas are filled with unhealthy chemicals, including high levels of processed bleached sugar, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and high fructose corn syrup. These ingredients are harmful to your body and especially harsh for your urinary system.

These drinks cause kidney stones thanks to the high fructose corn syrup which metabolizes into oxalate and increases excretion of uric acid and calcium. This combination encourages kidney stone formation at a higher rate than normal. Plus, the phosphoric acid in soda can create an acidic environment in your kidney tract, leading to more kidney stones. Diets high in sodium are also associated with this condition. The amount of calcium in your urine contributes to kidney stones and should therefore be reduced in your diet.

Instead, eat a diet for optimal urological health that is full of fresh vegetables and fruits. Avoid processed foods and sugar to avoid kidney stones and maintain a healthy urinary system. Dont forget to keep hydrated!

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Benefits Of Cranberry Juice

Drinking cranberry juice is effective for treating bladder infection and also helps to keep your kidneys healthy as it gets through the kidneys first. It also helps to prevent kidney stones. Drinking a glass of cranberry juice daily can help to reduce recurrence or repeat Urinary tract infection.

If you have not been eating cranberries, so now it is the time to add it to your grocery list. Cranberries are small red fruits. Its juice can be a bit tart to take it directly, you can dilute it with water.

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Kidney Stones: Symptoms You Need To Watch Out For

1. If you have pain on the sides, at the back and belly area, do check for kidney stones.

2. Burning sensation or pain while urinating can also be an early sign of kidney stone or UTI.

3. If you see blood in urine, then you must get a urine test as it can be a symptom of kidney stones or other serious complications.

4. The urgency to urinate could also be a sign of kidney stones.

5. Cloudy urine with a foul smell is another symptom you need to watch out for risk of kidney stones.

6. Small spurts of urine could also be a sign.

7. Fevers, chills, nausea, vomiting are common symptoms.

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Benefits Of Stinging Nettle

Nettle has been also used as a diuretic to remove excess water from the body and to treat urinary tract infection. It is also used to flush bacteria out of the kidney and the urinary tract. Nettle is anti-inflammatory and also high in oxidants.

Make a routine to drink nettle tea, and also drink an extra glass of water along with the nettle tea as it will help the kidney to flush out all the waste and excess water. However, nettle tea is not recommended for pregnant women because due to its allergic reaction it may increase the risk of miscarriage.

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When To Call The Doctor

Only a doctor can definitively diagnose the presence of a kidney stone. You should see a doctor if you have the following symptoms of a kidney stone2:

• You cant get comfortable or alleviate belly pain no matter what position you are in: standing, sitting, or lying down
• You have nausea and serious pain in your abdomen or lower back
• You notice blood in your urine
• You have a hard time trying to pee

1 University of Wisconsin, How Common are Kidney Stones?,

2 Web MD, When should you see a doctor about symptoms of a kidney stone?, 12/21/2018,

3 WebMD, Orange Juice Fights Kidney Stones, 9/7/2006,

What Is The Most Important Factor To Prevent Kidney Stone Formation

One of the best things you can do to avoid kidney stones is to drink plenty of water every day. This will help make sure that you urinate frequently to avoid any build up of calcium or uric acid.

Don’t underestimate your sweat! Saunas, hot yoga and heavy exercise may sound good for your health, but they also may lead to kidney stones. Why? Loss of water through sweating whether due to these activities or just the heat of summer may lead to less urine production. The more you sweat, the less you will urinate, which allows stone-causing minerals to settle and deposit in the kidneys and urinary tract.

Hydrate with water. Be sure to keep well hydrated, especially when doing exercise or activities that cause a lot of sweating. You should drink 2-3 quarts of liquid or 8-12 cups per day to produce a good amount of urine. Speak with a healthcare professional about the right amount of water that’s best for you. Try to avoid sodas , sweetened iced tea and grapefruit juice.

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Best Foods To Eat While Passing A Kidney Stone

Kidneys are the organs that remove excess fluids and waste materials from the body through stool and urine. Kidneys maintain balance in the body. However, when the balance is disrupted and kidneys do not function normally, crystals get formed in the urinary tract which over time increase in size and take the form of kidney stones. This blocks the urinary tract and causes pain and bleeding during urination. When the stones are small in size, it is possible to pass them through homely remedies. If you are suffering from kidney stones, it is necessary that you follow a certain diet that would help to pass the kidney stones easily.

Kidney Stones: Symptoms And Causes

Kidney stones form when there is a high level of minerals in the urine. These become crystals and, over time , end up coming together to form stones. Depending on the material that forms them, a distinction is made between different types of these stones: calcium, struvite, uric acid, or cystine stones.

There are some risk factors or conditions that favor its formation. For example, family history, dehydration, certain dietary aspects, obesity, or taking certain medications and supplements.

When they are small they pass through the urinary tract and are eliminated with little or no pain. However, a larger stone can get stuck, block urine flow, and cause severe damage or bleeding.

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Diet Lemon Lime Soda & Lemonade

Diet citrus drinks often have some citrate in them. Citrate is a powerful inhibitor of kidney stones.

Crystal Light Lemonade* has a surprising amount of citrate in it. A liter has about 20mEq of citrate, the same amount that is commonly prescribed to people with kidney stones with potassium citrate.

One liter of diet lemon lime soda has 8-10mEq citrate. This varies by brand and type of soda. This is much less than Crystal Light Lemonade* and isnt likely to make a huge change in your urine citrate. But, diet lemon lime soda is a great way to switch up your fluid and keep it interesting!

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Here are 6 tips to make sure youre drinking enough water and to keep your kidneys healthy:

Eight is great, but not set in stone. There is no hard and fast rule that everyone needs 8 glasses of water a day. This is just a general recommendation based on the fact that we continually lose water from our bodies, and that we need adequate water intake to survive and optimal amounts to thrive. The Institute of Medicine has estimated that men need approximately 13 cups of fluid daily, and that women need approximately 9 cups of fluid daily.

Less is more if you have kidney failure . When the kidneys fail, people dont excrete enough water, if any at all. For those who are receiving dialysis treatment, water must actually be greatly restricted.

Its possible to drink too much water. Though it is not very common for this to happen in the average person, endurance athletes like marathoners may drink large amounts of water and thereby dilute the sodium level in their blood, resulting in a dangerous condition called hyponatremia.

Your urine can reveal a lot. For the average person, water wise means drinking enough water or other healthy fluids, such as unsweetened juice or low fat milk to quench thirst and to keep your urine light yellow or colorless. When your urine is dark yellow, this indicates that you are dehydrated. You should be making about 1.5 liters of urine daily .

Remember.when water wise, healthy kidneys are the prize!

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Hydrate To Help Prevent Kidney Stones

Half of people who have had a kidney stone will develop another one. A key way to reduce the risk of forming stones is to drink extra water. This dilutes the substances in urine that lead to stones. To prevent repeat stones, try to drink at least 3 quarts of liquid a day.

The amount of liquid you need to drink depends on the weather and your activity level. If you live, work, or exercise in hot weather, you may need more liquid to replace the fluid you lose through sweat.

Here are some tips to drink more water:

• Add color and flavor to your water without the calories by freezing grapes, or lemon, lime, or orange peels, and using them instead of ice cubes.
• In winter, drink hot water with lemon and honey.
• Though water is best, other liquids such as citrus drinks may also help prevent kidney stones. Some studies show that citrus drinks, such as lemonade and orange juice, protect against kidney stones because they contain citrate, which stops crystals from turning into stones.
• Choose sparkling or mineral water instead of soda.
• Use an app to track how much water you drink. Download one to your phone to set daily reminders and alarms.

If you have kidney stones, you may need to follow a special diet. First, your doctor will run tests to find out what type of stones you form. From these, the doctor can determine which diet changes may be right for you.

Alcohol And Kidney Stones: Whats The Relationship

There is not significant evidence that alcohol directly causes kidney stones. Alcohol use particularly excessive alcohol use in which a woman drinks four or more alcoholic drinks in a single occasion or a man drinks five or more drinks during a single session is, however, linked to the development of a variety of other health problems. Some of these health issues include kidney damage, kidney failure, high blood pressure, various cancers, weakened immune system, mental health problems, social problems, and alcohol use disorders .2,3 Some of these issues directly or indirectly negatively impact the renal system.

Concentrated urine can occur when the body is dehydrateda leading cause of kidney stones.3 Dehydration can occur when people do not drink enough water to help the kidneys remove waste from the blood.3

Other causes and risk factors of kidney stones include:

• Past kidney stones.
• Conditions that causes your urine to contain high levels of cystine, oxalate, uric acid or calcium.
• Conditions that cause swelling or irritation in your bowel or your joints.
• Certain medicines, such as diuretics or calcium-based antacids.

If you are concerned about the way your drinking may be impacting your health, treatment for compulsive drinking can help. Reach out to our admissions navigators to learn about your alcohol treatment options at .

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Top 5 Healthy Drinks For People With Kidney Disease

Many of us love reaching for a refreshing, ice cold drink on a hot summer day, or cozying up with a warm beverage during the dead of winter. But did you know that the drinks you choose to quench your thirst can have a tremendous impact on your kidney health?

As a nephrologist and Kidney Kitchen® contributor, drink-related questions are some of the most common questions I get. Whether you need to watch out for certain nutrients or have fluid restrictions that you need to stick to, there are ways to enjoy healthy drinks for your kidneys. Remember: each person with kidney disease should stick to the food and fluid plan you discussed with your doctor and dietitian, as it addresses your specific kidney function, fluid needs and electrolyte imbalances . Here are five of my favorite drinks that are generally healthy for people with kidney disease:

Black coffee: Every year, there seems to be a new study that publicizes the benefits of coffee. Drinking coffee my favorite morning beverage may help protect you from developing kidney disease and keep your kidneys filtering at a higher level for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, not all coffee drinks are healthy, and if you have kidney disease, you may be limited in what you can add to your coffee. Drinking black coffee, instead of coffee with high-potassium and high-phosphorus milk or high-calorie sugary drinks, will be your best bet.

Start with water that is not quite boiling .

Add a tea bag and steep for 24 minutes only.

Kidney Stone Pain: Firsthand Recollections Of The Experience

Ive never had a kidney stone. I dont know what its like. Thats why I spent hours reading personal experiences to understand kidney stone pain better. Wikipedia told me the basics, and ArsTechnica, StraightDope, and Reddit gave me the personal stories and recollections that created an overall picture of how unpleasant and dreadfully painful kidney stones can be .

Was bad enough that I left the party and went to myoffice and spent a large part of the night rolling backand forth on the floor in my cube debating calling my ex to come get me. Sheended up laughing, then took me to the hospital. I still owe her for helpingme.

It was what I can imagine a knife stuck in my back beingtwisted all around would feel like.

A female nurse told me its the worst pain a man canever feel, because a man cant go through labor. I had mine when I was 25 itlooked like a coffee grain. Before it passed, I literally thought I was goingto die. They gave me a morphine shot right in the vein, and it didnt do athing. They followed that with Vicodin and I passed out. I woke up a few hourslater feeling just ok.

Someone told me that the pain from a kidney stone isclose to what a woman feels while having a baby. If that is true, I dont blamethem at all for screaming.

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Drinks That Help To Clean The Kidneys

The Kidneys are two bean-shaped small organs located just below the ribcage one on each side of the spine. They are of the size of a fist but play a vital role in your body. Kidneys filter the blood in our body, remove waste and extra fluid and transform the waste into urine. They are part of the urinary tract. In this post, the planet today will tell you about 10 instant drinks that can help your kidneys stay healthier and active.

A healthy kidney filter half cup of your blood every single minute. They also remove acid produced by the cells of your body, maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals in the body. Without a healthy balance, the nerves, muscles and other tissues of the body may not work properly. A healthy kidney also helps to control blood pressure, make red blood cells in the body and also maintain a healthy body with strong and healthy bones and muscles.

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Treatment Options For Passing Kidney Stones

Natural remedies typically work for small stones, but if these methods are not effective, then you may have a kidney stone that is too large to pass naturally. If this is the case, you should seek help from a nephrologist. Your nephrologist may prescribe medication, known as an alpha blocker, which is able to relax the muscles in your urinary tract. The purpose of this medication is to help you pass the kidney stone faster and with less pain. If medications do not work, you may need one of the following procedures to remove your kidney stones:

• Shock wave lithotripsy: uses sound wave to break up stones
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy: minimally invasive surgical technique to remove stones
• Ureteroscopy: uses a scope to find and extract stones

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Decrease The Consumption Of Animal Protein

A diet that is high in animal protein such as fish, meat, and even dairy products, is linked with a higher risk of kidney stones. This is believed to be because animal protein is known to increase calcium excretion and, at the same time, also reduce the levels of citrate in the body.

Additionally, sources of animal protein are also rich in purines, which are compounds that get broken down into uric acid and increase the risk of forming uric acid stones.

While all foods contain purines in different amounts, but liver, kidney, and other organ meats are known to contain very high amounts of purines. Plant foods are low in purines and, therefore, a preferred food to include in your diet if you are prone to developing kidney stones.