In this episode of the Balls Deep podcast, urologist Dr. Joe Pazona discusses the subject of kidney stones, a condition he quite frankly refers to as “the be all end all.” Alongside Cat Williams they tackle the many misconceptions, realities, and, most importantly, actionable strategies you can take to cancel out the occurrence of kidney stones. Learn more about how to prevent kidney stones.
Keep Hydrated - That’s The Bottom Line
The common principle in the treatment and prevention of kidney stones is the liberal intake of water. Increasing water intake is the most effective strategy to prevent the incidence of stones in the kidney, if that is a concern. While it sounds overly simplistic, this is the most important factor in the prevention of kidney stones.
Rhinoliths are indicative of a clinical condition where there is obstruction of the nasal cavity due to excessive epithelial snake or bone deposits. Here, there isn’t enough liquid and too many factors like over-the-top levels of calcium where there are minerals. Just like increasing fluid intake helps wash away some of these calcium deposits, thus reducing chances of developing a stone, water intake is the easiest and most effective preventive measure unless one has restricted fluid intake due to a medical management such as heart disease or even kidney failure.
What About the Other Drinks?
Hydration is not only encompassed by taking water. Here are other popular drinks and their roles in the formation of kidney stones:
Soda: A firm ‘no’ here. Soda is acidic, sweetened with lots of sugar, and can lead to osteoporosis and therefore kidney stones, indirectly.
Unsweetened Iced Tea: A ‘maybe.’ While it’s better than sugary drinks, tea contains oxalate, which is a stone former.
Sparkling Water: Another ‘maybe,’ The bubbles may add acidity, but it’s still better than soda.
Beer: In spite of some old advice, the claim that one should drink beer in order to “flush” the stones is not a valid one. Alcohol, in particular beer, has to be avoided.
For the people who don’t like plain water, Dr. Joe recommends to drink water with lemon because it has citrates, which are effective in averting calculi formation. He also states that in some cases, some of the flavored water is acceptable, so long as it is not overly sweet or contains artificial elements.
The Contribution of Nutrition to the Prevention of Kidney Stones
Next, Dr. Joe dispels many misunderstandings surrounding diet and kidney stones. For instance, many people believe that a diet high in calcium leads to kidney stones, but the truth is calcium can prevent such stone formations. Calcium is known to attach with oxalate in the intestines to prevent the oxalate from being absorbed into the blood circulation and later being deposited in the kidneys as stones.
That said, this does not mean that oxalate unobstructed diets do not pose a threat, with regards to kidney stones – diets rich in nuts, spinach, and potatoes are high in oxalates and may escalate the chances of development of stones. So, those vegan and plant diet heavy periods have to pay attention to this, but try having calcium with high oxalate foods that would minimize the chances of this.
Dr. Joe directly mentions bioprocessing food, too, with regard to the occurrence of kidney stones. Processed food is believed to be high in sodium as well as in, calcium which leads to excessive calcium excretion from the kidneys setting the group for calcium stone. The message? Follow a healthy diet of mostly whole foods that are minimally processed.
Can Supplements Help?
Dr. Joe keeps no such hopes about renal stone treatment. Many of these include dietary crystals and citrate, which for instance is available over-the-counter. However, it is very important to know your particular risk factors before taking any. The concept of supplements “removing” stones from the body is specific to some mineral compositions and unfortunately, there are a few useful ones that do not work on calcium stones. As such, Dr. Joe prefers a more specific approach, for example, to test urine in order to meet one’s expectations.
Final Takeaways
Here are the key pieces of information on the subject from this episode:
Water is the primary antagonist in the prevention of stone. Its quantity intake must be increased over the course of the day.
Consume a normal diet consisting of whole foods and not too many processed foods.
Keep in mind dietary supplements in addition to diet programs that aim to “remove” stones, at least the majority, do not work and are more likely to make matters worse than better.
The prevention of kidney stones is easy. As long as one keeps hydrated, eats properly, and appreciates what the body tells him or her, one greatly minimizes risks of kidney stone formation.
If you’re looking for more information on how to prevent kidney stones, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Pazona MD.
Disclaimer: The information in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a replacement for seeking medical attention. Always consult with your physician in case of issues regarding your health.
