A couple of months ago, I told you about a simple way to get rid of a kidney stone. It involved drinking a lot of lemon juice. In many cases, this treatment can get rid of the pain, as well as the stone. Once you get rid of the stone, there is an easy way to protect yourself from getting another one.
In a lab study, researchers fed rats a diet containing 3% oxalic acid and a kidney toxic antibiotic – gentamycin. Oxalic acid combines with calcium in your kidneys to form calcium stones. Gentamycin was used to speed up the process in the animals.
The researchers then divided the rats into two groups. They gave one group of rats green tea to drink. They gave the other group water. Both damage to their kidneys and oxalic acid crystals were significantly diminished in the green tea group. The researchers concluded that green tea supplementation can significantly decrease the risk of urinary tract stones.
Ive always held the position that there is only one drink you could consume like water. And that is green tea. For those of you suffering from repeated kidney stones, this is great news. I think green tea should be a part of your daily regimen, especially if you drink hot beverages on a daily basis.
You can also avoid oxalates by limiting certain foods. The root and leaves of rhubarb contain dangerously high concentrations of oxalic acid. You will also find oxalic acid in significant amounts in decreasing order in the following foods: buckwheat, star fruit (carambola), black pepper, parsley, poppy seed, rhubarb stalks, amaranth, spinach, chard, beets, cocoa, chocolate, most nuts, most berries, and beans. If you drink milk while eating rhubarb, you might notice a gritty feel in your mouth. That is caused by precipitation of calcium oxalate from the oxalates in the plant and the calcium in the milk.
I do not suggest that you stop these otherwise outstanding foods. Just be sure that you consume them with calcium containing foods (such as spinach, chard, and nuts) or supplements. That will neutralize the oxalates in your gut. This process prevents absorption. That way, less oxalate will make it to your kidneys for elimination, reducing the risk of crystals forming in your urine.
Animal protein and refined white salt also increase your risk of developing both oxalate and uric acid stones. A 2000 study showed that you can reduce your risk of stones by dramatic reductions in your meat intake. Since citrates make calcium very soluble, you can protect yourself by eating citrus fruit, especially lemons, limes, and grapefruit.
Do not just treat stones. Prevent them!
Ref: Effects of green tea on urinary stone formation: an in vivo and in vitro study, Jeong, B.C., B.S. Kim, et al. J Endourol., 2006; 20(5): 356-61.