Urinary calculi, commonly known as kidney stones, are small, hard deposits that form in your kidneys and can cause severe pain, especially when you’re urinating.

They are formed when your urine becomes concentrated, and certain crystal-forming substances in your urine combine to form stones.

While some people have a higher risk of developing kidney stones due to factors like genetics and medical conditions, there are things you can do to reduce your risk and avoid urinary calculi. This article will give you recommendations for prevention.

Drink Plenty of Water

One of the most effective ways to prevent urinary calculi is to drink plenty of fluids. This helps to dilute your urine, making it less concentrated and reducing the chances of crystals forming.

Water is the best option, but you can also drink other fluids like fruit juices, tea, and coffee. However, you should avoid sugary drinks, as they can increase your risk of developing stones. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day!.

Limit Your Sodium Intake

High sodium intake can lead to an increase in calcium in your urine, which can lead to the development of stones. To reduce your risk of urinary calculi, try to limit your sodium intake to less than 2300 mg per day.

Avoid high-sodium foods like processed foods, salted snacks, and fast foods. Instead, try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. If you are dealing with stones already, try to limit your sodium intake to under 1500 mg a day.

Increase Your Calcium Intake

While calcium can contribute to the formation of stones, it is essential to bone health and is still important to consume. Rather than avoiding calcium, increase your intake of dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.

A study showed that women who consume more calcium are less likely to develop urinary calculi than those who don’t. You can take a calcium supplement as well if you are concerned about not getting enough calcium from your diet, under doctor supervision.

Choose High Fiber Foods

Fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help in avoiding urinary calculi. This is because fiber slows the absorption of calcium in your bloodstream, decreasing the amount that reaches your kidneys.

Additionally, fiber works to push food through your digestive system, reducing the chances of the kidney’s stone-forming substances clustering and solidifying into stones.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Obesity is a major risk factor for kidney stones, due to metabolic syndrome which increases your chance of developing metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and that increases your urine’s acidity, which can aid in the formation of urinary calculi.

Losing weight can decrease your risk of developing kidney stones by lowering the amount of acid in your urine. If you already have a medical condition that increases your chances of developing stones, pairing a healthy diet with a good amount of exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your chances of developing urinary calculi.

Reduce Your Animal Protein Intake

Consuming a lot of animal protein like beef, chicken, and fish can increase your risk of developing kidney stones. Animal proteins contain purines, which break down into uric acid.

Higher levels of uric acid in your urine can contribute to the formation of stones. Limit your protein intake to 0.8g/kg/day if you have a history of stones and aim to add in more alternative protein sources like legumes and tofu.

Avoid Vitamin C Supplements

Excess vitamin C in your diet can result in excessive amounts of oxalate in your urine, increasing the chance of forming stones.

While vitamin C is important for your body’s overall health, it is best to avoid vitamin C supplements and instead get your vitamin C from fruits and vegetables.

Reduce your Sugar Intake

Consuming an excessive amount of refined sugar, fructose, or high fructose corn syrup can increase your risk of developing kidney stones.

Similar to higher sodium intake, high sugar intake can increase the amount of calcium in your urine, making it more likely to harden into urinary calculi. To reduce your risk, avoid sugary drinks and snacks and try to stick to whole foods with low added sugars to lessen the chances of developing urinary calculi.

Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption increases urinations, which leads to dehydration, which can contribute to stones forming. Alcohol consumption also adds more acidity to your urine, potentially adding to the development of urinary calculi.

Moderate your alcohol consumption to minimize your risk of stone formation.

Conclusion

Urinary calculi can be extremely painful, but there are simple lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of developing them.

By drinking lots of water, limiting your sodium intake, increasing your calcium intake, choosing high fiber foods, maintaining a healthy weight, and reducing your animal protein, vitamin C, sugar, and alcohol intake, you can significantly decrease your chances of developing kidney stones. Incorporate these recommendations into your life for kidney health prevention.