Kidney Stones and its treatment
A majority of patients suffering from kidney stones can be treated successfully by proper dietary regulations. These regulations will also prevent a recurrence of the symptoms. Only a few cases require surgery. The patient should avoid foods which irritate the kidneys, to control acidity or alkalinity of the urine and to ensure adequate intake of fluids to prevent the urine from becoming concentrated. The foods considered irritants to the kidneys are alcoholic beverages, condiments, pickles, certain vegetables like cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, spinach, rhubarb, watercress and those with strong aroma such as asparagus, onions, beans, cabbage and cauliflower, meat, gravies and carbonated waters.
In calcium phosphate stones, over-secretion of parathyroid harmone causes loss of calcium from the bones resulting in a high blood level of calcium with increased excretion of calcium in the urine. An abnormally high intake of milk, alkalis or Vitamin D may also result in the formation of calcium phosphate stones. For controlling the formation of calcium phosphate stones, a moderately low calcium and phosphorous diet should be taken. The intake of calcium and phosphates should be restricted to minimal levels consistent with maintaining nutritional adequacy. The maintenance level of calcium is 680 mg. and of phosphorous 1000 mg. In this diet, milk should constitute the main source of calcium while, lentils and groundnuts should form the main source of phosphorous.
Foods which should be avoided are whole wheat flour, peas, soya beans, beets, spinach, cauliflower, turnips, carrots, almonds and coconuts. When stones are composed of calcium and magnesium phosphates and carbonates, the diet should be so regulated as to maintain an acidic urine. In such a diet, only half a liter of milk, two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables should be taken. The vegetables may consist of asparagus, fresh green peas, squash, pumpkins, turnips, cauliflower, cabbage and tomatoes. For fruits, you may consume watermelon, grapes, peaches, pears, pineapple, papayas and guavas may be taken.
On the other hand, the urine should be kept alkaline if oxalate and uric acid stones are being formed. In this diet, fruits and vegetables should be liberally used and acid-forming foods should be kept to the minimum necessary for satisfactory nutrition. When the stones contain oxalate, foods with high oxalic acid content should be avoided. These foods include almonds, beetroots, brinjal, brown bread, cabbage, cherry, chocolate, potatoes, radish, spinach and soya beans. Uric stones occur in patients who have an increased uric acid in the blood and increased uric acid exertion in the urine. Since uric acid is an end product of purine metabolism, food with a high purine content such as sweet bread, liver and kidney should be avoided.