kidney stones

Question
mum has just been diagnosed with kidney stones.  What can she do to prevent further occurances? are there foods to avoid or even increase?
has just had stent put insitu to remove current stones.
We live in Australia.
thankyou.
lisa and isla

Answer
Kidney stones form when the urine becomes too saturated with minerals and forms crystals that can grow into hard stones. About 80%  are a combination of calcium and oxalate. Doctors recommend the following rules to follow to prevent kidney stone recurrencies.

Increase:

* Increase fluid intake! Drink 8-10 oz of fluid every hour even at night if awakened. Most of it should be high quality water.

* Insoluble fiber found in wheat, rye, barley, and their bran, help to reduce calcium in the urine. If the physician has recommended reducing oxalate in the diet, taking vitamin C supplements may not be a good idea.


Decrease:

* Too much oxalate can overload the kidneys. Eight foods have been shown to be most harmful: rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, chocolate, wheat bran, nuts, beets, and tea.

* Reducing sodium in the diet appears to reduce the amount of calcium excreted in the urine. Consequently, people who develop stones containing calcium may benefit from keeping sodium intake between 2300 to 3500 mg a day.

* Animal protein affects minerals in the urine that can cause kidney stones. Avoid eating more protein than the body needs. Ask your doctor for specific amounts for your mother.

Control:

* Consider controlling calcium but keep it in your mind that only in certain cases of stones they may be prevented controlling the amount of calcium in the diet. Ask the doctor what kind of stones your mother has. The idea is to keep calcium intake within a narrow range, not too much and not too little: men are advised to limit calcium intake to 800 mg per day. Prior to menopause, women should limit calcium to 1000 mg per day; and after menopause, these women should have 1200 mg of calcium a day.  

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