Kidney Stones Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

Kidney Stones Are Painful And Discomforting

By Tracy Kerr-Walshe

Anyone who has ever gone through the ordeal of passing kidney stones, or ever talked to someone who has, understands that there is no doubt about it being a painful situation that anyone would want to avoid, if at all possible.

Kidney stones or calculi, are actually mineral deposits that form and harden in the kidney. They start out as microscopic particles and over time develop into the larger formations that are called stones. Nephrolithiasis is the technical medical term for this condition and it is also referred to as renal stone disease.

Crystals Left Behind In The Kidneys Can Evolve Into Kidney Stones

The kidney is a sophisticated filter that removes waste elements from the blood and then passes the waste on through the urine, which is produced by the kidneys. When the waste matter in the urine is not dissolved completely there are crystals left behind, which can evolve into kidneys stones.

In the process of passing through the system and exiting the body, even small kidney stones can produce significant pain for the person. The stone has to travel from kidney to bladder through the ureter, the small tube that connects the two organs. When it gets stuck in this pathway it becomes painful. The pain generally emanates from the lower back region and can often spread out to the side or the region of the groin.

Kidney Stones May Impede The Flow Of Urine

The lodged stone will also impede the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder and cause pressure to build up in the ureter and the kidney. This increased pressure causes stretching and spasms, which adds a second element to this already painful condition.

Kidney stones are formed when there are high concentrations of uric acid (hyperuricosuria), oxalate (hyperoxualuria) or calcium (hypercalciuria) in the urine. They also begin to form when there is a deficiency of citrate in the urine or when there is a lack of water intake to allow the kidneys to dissolve the waste products.

Drink Plenty Of Water To Help Your Kidney Functions

It is important for the kidneys to have sufficient water available so that it can properly function and remove the waste products from the body. When dehydration happens, increased levels of materials that cannot completely dissolve can form into crystals, which essentially become the seeds of kidney stones.

Urine typically contains the components such as citrate, magnesium and pyrophosphate, that are able to hinder the development of crystals, but having levels that are too low of these inhibiting elements can contribute to the emergence of kidney stones. Of these inhibitors, it is generally thought that citrate is the most important among them.

Medical Conditions And Your Diet Can Also Lead To Kidney Stones

There are also several medical conditions that can lead to the development of kidney stones, such as high blood pressure, gout, joint inflammation, urinary tract infections, intestinal disorders or excessive parathyroid hormone levels.

Your diet can also significantly impact the potential for developing kidney stones, and this is especially true for patients who have a predisposition to the condition or have one of the previously mentioned medical conditions.

People who consume diets that are high in sodium, fat, sugars, and animal protein have a higher risk of renal stone disease, especially if their diet is also low in fiber, vegetable proteins and unrefined carbohydrates. Those who are highly sensitive to the byproducts of eating animal protein may end up dealing with kidney stones on a recurrent basis and therefore should review their options and make changes to their diet.

This Article was about Kidney Stones.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for general information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

About the Author:
Tracy Kerr-Walshe is an author of articles on health, diet, weight loss and nutrition including Whole Foods, Organic Foods, Healthy Snacks, Effective Weight Loss, Full Body Detox, Juice Fasting.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.