About three years ago, I experienced my first kidney stones. Within a year, my son was having kidney stones too. Then last year, my daughter who is only 14, started having them. Boy do I believe in sharing my DNA, huh?
I have done research on how to try to prevent or lessen kidney stones. Anything that can cut down on possible future kidney stones, can be helpful. For anyone who has had them, it is something that you want to try to avoid.
The doctors state that there are four types of kidney stones. They all are caused by different things. There is a calcium kidney stone, which is caused by excess calcium. These are the ones that I had. The next is a struvite kidney stone. If you have repeated bladder or kidney infections, this might be the one you are apt to get. The third kind is uric acid stones, which of course are caused by too much acid in the urine. The fourth, and least common are cysteine kidney stones. Any body builder or people taking amino acids, are familiar with L-cysteine. It is a body building amino acid.
Whether you decide to go the medical route or herbal and natural route to get rid of kidney stones, be sure to contact your doctor. Some of the medicines they might prescribe you are Zyloprim, or Calcibind. Both are effective in diminishing the attacks you might have, but they can take several weeks or longer to work.
There are several natural ways to fight kidney stones. A homeopathic store, or natural food store can give you ideas. One thing they suggested was using cell salts along with berberis vulgaris. This is more commonly known as Bilberry, and is often used for vision problems. Some suggest using cranberry pills, as they clear out the kidneys and bladder. The salesperson at the natural food store stated that these both have been proven to work. I am sure your natural food store can give you other ideas of what will help eliminate your bouts with kidney stones..
Some people believe you can limit or eliminate your episodes with kidney stones by the foods that you eat. If your kidney stones are calcium caused, as almost 90 percent are, it is a good idea to have a good ratio of calcium to magnesium in your diet. The ratio should be 2:1. The best foods to eat are whole grains, beans and green vegetables. These will result in your calcium and magnesium ratio being appropriate. It is also suggested that you eat split peas or lentils from time to time, as they will help to prevent the recurrence of kidney stones.
It is also helpful to watch what you drink. It is best to stay away from caffeine. Although is isn’t the best drink in the world, lemonade is known to help break down uric and calcium kidney stones. However, it is best to use fresh lemons rather than concentrated or bottled. I keep a jug of fresh squeezed lemon juice in my refrigerator at all times. Cranberry juice also seems to help in cutting down the amount of kidney stones you might get. Again, it seems to break down the stones in the kidneys. Drinking the proper amount of water every day helps too.
Whichever method you chose, be sure to check with your doctor in how to treat and prevent kidney stones.. It is always advised to check before taking any herbal remedies, as some can interact with your medicine.
Here is hoping that these hints help you or a family member avoid another round of kidney stones!
