About Kidney Stones

start as crystals that form when dietary minerals in the urine are too concentrated. Most kidney stones contain calcium and almost any calcium stone former can benefit from three simple dietary interventions:

• Increase to produce 2 to 2.5 liters of urine daily
• (beef, fish, pork, poultry) in the diet
• intake to less than 2000 milligrams a day

More specific dietary recommendations can be given after testing of urine and blood shows exactly which mineral levels are abnormal. For example, the most common form of kidney stone is calcium oxalate. These stones can form when the calcium and/or the oxalate levels in the urine are too high. If testing has confirmed a high oxalate level, then a might be recommended.

It is important, however, not to reduce calcium in the diet too much as that can actually increase kidney stones and might have other bad effects on the body. Calcium stone formers should moderate their – not too much, not too little.

Another common cause of kidney stones is having low urinary levels of citrate. Supplementation of this important inhibitor of kidney stone formation can either be through medications or natural sources to in your diet. 

There are other dietary and medication considerations to prevent kidney stones and using testing of urine and blood can help determine the best treatment for you.