5 Types of kidney stones - What not to eat...

What is a kidney stone?

A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine.

Common symptoms include

1. severe pain in the lower back

2. blood in your urine

3. nausea/vomiting,

4. fever and chills,

5. urine that smells bad or looks cloudy.

Urine has various wastes dissolved in it. When there is too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form. The crystals attract other elements and join together to form a solid that will get larger unless it is passed out of the body with the urine. Usually, these chemicals are eliminated in the urine by the kidney. In most people, having enough liquid washes them out or other chemicals in urine stop a stone from forming.

After it is formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. But stones that don't move may cause a back-up of urine in the kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethra causing hydronephrosis and permanent damage to the kidneys. The stone-forming chemicals are calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate.

1. Calcium Oxalate Stones.

More people get this kind than any other. It forms when calcium in your urine combines with oxalate, a chemical that's naturally in many foods. If you’ve had one of these, watch out for: High-oxalate foods. Many plants contain oxalate, so it’s hard to avoid it entirely. But some foods have much more than others. Try to limit:

VEGETABLES: Spinach, Bhindi, beetroot, sweet potato

Nuts: Almonds and cashews

chocolate

fruits::Raspberries

artificial sweeteners: stevia

High Salt: canned foods, packaged meats, fast foods,

Animal proteins. Limit beef, pork, eggs, cheese, and fish,

Vitamin C: don’t take more than 500 mg a day.

Did you know

"Contrary to popular belief drinking milk does not cause kidney stones".

2. Calcium Phosphate Stones

These form when calcium in the urine combines with the mineral phosphorus. It is produced in alkaline urine.

Avoid:

1. Animal proteins :

Organ meats, like chicken or beef liver

Milk, cheese, and other dairy products

Eggs

Seafood

2. alkaline juices: Fresh fruit juices (except orange, cranberry, and nectarine)

Vegetable juices

3. Processed foods. Phosphorus is a common additive and preservative. So limit fast foods, bottled colas, frozen foods, and luncheon meats. 4. Sodium

3. Uric Acid Stones

You get these if your pee is too acidic. These stones contain uric acid, a substance the body produces as it breaks down chemicals in food.

Avoid: 1. Animal proteins: red meat, poultry, eggs, and shellfish

2. Sugary drinks: hold back on foods and drinks flavored with sugar or, especially, high-fructose corn syrup.

3. Alcohol To get enough protein, you can swap your meat and poultry for:

• Beans, dried peas, lentils, and peanuts

• Soy milk, soy butter, and tofu

• Nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and cashews

• Tart drinks like lemonade, limeade, and fruit juices are naturally high in citrate that helps keep kidney stones at bay.

4. Cystine Stones

These come from a condition that runs in families. It makes a natural substance called cysteine leak into your urine. Cystine stones tend to be larger than other types. Some issues you can watch for: 1. Too little water 2. Too much acid. Cystine stones grow more easily in acidic pee. curb your appetite for meat and eat more plant-based proteins, which have lower acid levels. 3. Sodium: French fries, canned soups, packaged meats, and other salty foods.

5. Struvite Stones

More common in women, struvite stones form as a result of certain types of urinary tract infections. These stones tend to grow quickly and become large, sometimes occupying the entire kidney. Left untreated, they can cause frequent and sometimes severe urinary tract infections and loss of kidney function.