As many as one in ten people in their lifetime will suffer from kidney stones with its predominance expected to increase. Even if you haven’t suffered from them, you’ll undoubtedly still be familiar with the term, but what exactly are those stones? In addition, these hard deposits are minerals that have crystallized due to their excessive concentration in the urine and inadequate fluid to dilute them. Although always small enough to move painlessly, they can often get trapped in either the ureter or the urethra tubes, when they do, they cause significant pain.
Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones, with about 70 percent developing when calcium binds with oxalate and another 10% composed of calcium phosphate. Uric acid stones, which form when uric acid is high, make up around 5-10 per cent of stones. Struvite stones, commonly associated with an infection, consist of calcium phosphate and ammonia that make up about 10% of all stones. The least common, cystine stones are a mere 1%, which are inherited and formed when cystine enters urine.
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As the best approach to prevention and treatment varies, you may want to consider studying the stone to determine its exact composition, so you can adjust your diet or treatment plan accordingly. For example, uric acid stones prefer a more acidic environment, while calcium and phosphate crystallization containing stones favors a more alkaline ph. The trick for struvite stones is to flush the kidneys out and eliminate bacteria.
Normal medical care requires an anti-sickness or pain relief drug. In case the pain continues and the stones don’t dissolve naturally, a CT scan is normally the next course of action to remove them with a view to surgical treatments or procedures. This article considers preventive measures and remedies for all stones except for cystine, the rarest type. The following are all ideas which can be carried out at home before obtaining medical assistance.
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Stay Hydrated
The first and most important thing to do with all kidney stones is to ensure that you are properly hydrated by reducing sodium intake and consuming enough of the water. By this way, it dilutes the concentration of minerals in the urine. The best way to test this is to track the urine color, it should be a light straw-like color.
Chanca Piedra
Used in the care of both gallstones and kidney stones by thousands of Amazon indigenous people, Chanca Piedra literally translates as ‘stone breaker.’ It is the common name given to Phyllanthus niruri, a little shrub-like plant of the genus Phyllanthus. Studies have shown that the plant interferes with several stages of stone formation, decreases accumulation of crystals, and changes their structure and composition. For those with hypercalciuria, it has also been shown to reduce urinary calcium, excessive calcium in the urine. Indeed, there are several success stories online of this plant breaking down and moving stones with it.
It can be purchased either as a substitute or as a tincture form. However, if you buy online, be sure to get the Chanca Piedra lab grade, as consistency can vary depending on the quality of the soil, etc. Over a duration of 3 months, the recommended dosage is up to 400 mg 3 times daily. In general, it seems to be well tolerated, but as with the ingestion of any herbal search to see if any potential interactions occur. For example, it is assumed that it can influence blood sugar levels and therefore not appropriate for diabetes sufferers.
Lemon Juice
Lemons contain plenty of natural citrate, a proven urinary crystallization inhibitor of calcium stone. In addition, potassium citrate is a normal treatment recommended by physicians for those susceptible to calcium stones. It is believed that the effectiveness of citrate is due to the fact that it binds in urine with calcium. However, it can also in fact prevent crystals from binding together and therefore becoming larger. Citrate is also good news for those with uric acid stones as these stones prefer an acidic atmosphere and citrate helps to elevate ph, thus reducing urinary acidity.
Clinical studies are underway but preliminary results indicate a adequate daily dose of citrate can be given by consuming 1/2 cup concentrated lemon juice a day. This can be mixed with 7 cups of water and drank all day long. Sufferers have also posted great results with this treatment in online forums. Many citric juices, such as cranberry, although high in citrate, due to a higher oxalate content, have been deemed less beneficial.
Pomegranate Juice
As well as pomegranates having an antioxidant activity three times higher than that of red wine and green tea, it has also been shown that drinking fresh pomegranate juice is helpful in the treatment of kidney stones due to increased urinary citrate rates. In a study on rats whereby calcium oxalate deposits were induced by ethylene glycol; the group given pomegranate juice did not develop crystals. This study concluded that the pomegranate juice in the renal tubes has a calming effect on the oxalate calcium crystals. For this study, fresh pomegranates were washed, smashed, and squeezed.
Diet
Contrary to what you would think, decreasing the consumption of calcium is not the solution for calcium stones, as this may cause an rise in oxalate levels. Conversely, if your diet contains enough calcium, calcium binds in the intestine with oxalate until it enters the urine.
Considering that the supplement type itself was connected to kidney stones, it is best to ensure sufficient calcium intake via the food. Standard advice suggests moderating the consumption of oxalate-rich foods (including beetroot, asparagus, rhubarb, chocolate, berries, leeks, parsley, celery, almond, peanuts and cashew nuts, soy products and grains, such as oatmeal, wheat germ and whole-wheat). It is also advisable to reduce the amount of animal protein in your diet, as it decreases the excretion of citrate and increases the excretion of calcium and particularly uric acid.
Uva Ursi
Uva ursi, also known as bears grape because of its popularity with bears, is a plant that grows in cooler climates, whose leaves are used for medicinal purposes. While further work is required to validate its efficacy for kidney stones, this popular folk remedy has long been recognized as beneficial to kidney and urinary health, being a successful treatment before antibiotics for bladder infections. The plant, which is an Arctostaphylos genus, contains a glycoside, arbutin which not only has an antiseptic effect that neutralizes bacteria, but also has a diuretic effect that removes harmful substances and promotes the passage of crystals. The tannins in the Uva ursi leaves are also believed to help prevent infection and reduce inflammation.
In health food stockists Uva ursi is available in supplement and tincture form. You can also drink Uva ursi tea by simmering a table spoon of the dried leaves in cups of boiling water for 30-40 minutes twice daily. It is not advisable for children. The prescribed dosage for urinary safety depends on the quality of the arbutin, so consult with your doctor. It is not recommended for everyone, it’s not ideal for children, for example, pregnant women or those with liver disease. Again, test for contraindications before using Uva Ursi as a supplement.
Dandelion Extract, Tea, or Juice
Herbalists use dandelion leaves to enhance function in the kidneys. It may also be effective in the treatment and prevention of kidney stones, as it increases the volume of urine and facilitates the removal of fluid from the body, thereby promoting the passing of stones. This can also prevent stone formation by diluting the urine. Learn how to make a dandelion bread here.
Wheatgrass Juice
Wheatgrass juice is one of the best available sources of living chlorophyll, and because chlorophyll is antibacterial and has a detoxifying effect on the body, it is stated to be beneficial for cleaning the kidneys. Besides that, it also serves as a diuretic, helping to flush out the kidneys and allowing stones to move through.
It is recommended that you drink wheatgrass juice on an empty stomach otherwise it can cause nausea. Wait 30 minutes before meals. At the beginning, it is recommended to 1fl oz per day, increasing it to 2 oz per day after a week. It can be used for juicing.
Celery Juice
Celery juice is recorded to eliminate toxins and is usually helpful for cleaning the kidneys, helping to dilute the mineral content and serving as a diuretic to help pass any stones. However, since it is fairly high in oxalate, the treatment of calcium oxalate stones may not be advisable. Celery seed extract is stated to be effective at extracting excess uric acid in any case and thus helpful for those suffering from the less common uric acid stones.
Bicarbonate of Soda 
According to Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan, bicarbonate of soda is effective not only in stone prevention but also in helping break them down. This only refers to uric acid stones, which makes sense because these type of stones thrive in an acidic atmosphere and bicarbonate of soda will make the urine more alkaline. Just add a spoonful of water in a wide glass and repeat 2-3 times a day before you find relief.
