The title may sound a touch odd, asking whether it’s a good idea to start a kidney stone diet or maybe not. Yet, considering the way that people tend to react to circumstances, it may be a better question to ask than most people think. As a precursor to the rest of this article, it must be made clear this article is not meant as medical advice. It is imperative that you consult with your physician in any case of concern or otherwise, and adhere to his or her counsel and instructions. Concerning the matter of a kidney stone diet, this message may carry more weight for people who have not yet had a kidney stone, but might have an acquaintance of some sort who has deal with one recently, and is now concerned as to how they can avoid a similar set of circumstances.
The easiest, most simple way to explain what a kidney stone actually is, is to note that it is the formation of crystals in the kidney, forming a stone. In normal functions, a small amount of these minerals is passed through urination, however at times, they may not be flushed properly, or there may be an abnormal buildup. These build ups stand a much better chance of developing into a kidney stone than under other circumstances. Generally, there may be trace amounts of these minerals in the urine. When they are not flushed properly, there may be the prime environment for a kidney stone to develop. Sometimes really bad cases result in the need for surgial intervention to go in and get the stone. Most though, should be able to pass the stone naturally, and sometimes dietary practices are introduced to aid this process, though we won’t discuss those here as they are not common. In the event that the stone is passed naturally, it is almost always really unpleasant and painful.
Getting into whether or not a kidney stone diet is really a good idea or not, the answer really depends. If you have had a stone to deal with recently, your doctor or may be a dietitian has hopefully advised you on how you should eat and drink so that you hopefully will not get another stone later on in your life. The advice is almost always going to dependon which type of stone you’ve got. The common type of kidney stone is comprised of calcium and oxalate, but there are others which each require a different set of dietary guidelines.
Foods that contain calcium and/or oxalate would be spinach, tea, beets, and beans. In general, the belief is that all of these foods listed are good for you, but may need to be reduced in some diets.
It is almost always going to be counter productive to try and start on a dietary set of strategies that is specific to a medical condition that you don’t have. If you’ve never had a kidney stone, and want to keep it that way, how do you start? If you are trying to target each stone, how would you know which foods to eat less of, which ones to eat more of etc? Basically, the easy answer is that there is no real way to know how to start, or which direction to move. It is not a good idea, in general, to start a diet recommended for a medical condition, and assume you can customize it to what you think our needs may one day be.
Of course, most people would do well to drink a bit more water, to eat a bit less processed food, and to be a little more active, assuming their health is good enough for this. And that may just be the perfect starting point.
And remember that if a kidney stone diet is something you are considering, without ever having a stone before, that you may just want to try and be a little healthier in general.
