Kidney stone disease is one of the most common health conditions nowadays which causes severe symptoms and requires medical treatment. Small kidney stones may pass without causing any discomfort but if they grow over 5 millimeters they get lodged in the urinary tract, thus, causing a blockage that leads to painful urination and presence of blood in the urine.

Hypersaturated urine is the main reason for renal stones. It means that the urine is rich in minerals and salts such as uric acid, calcium oxalate, cystine, and struvite. This happens due to a lack of water in the body. So, kidney stones are more common in individuals who don’t hydrate their bodies properly.

These stones can vary from very small to very large and can change their location. They usually descend to the ureters and bladder, thus, causing painful symptoms.

Common symptoms are:

– Abdominal pain
– Gout
– Dehydration
– Nausea
– Vomiting
– Presence of blood in the urine
– Hyperparathyroidism
– Kidney infection
– Urinary retention
– Burning sensation during urination
– Pus in the urine
– Persistent urge to urinate
– Fever and chills

If kidney stones appear, the medical treatment is inevitable. However, the best way to avoid this health condition is to focus on prevention. The best way to prevent kidney stones is to hydrate your body. Ensure you drink up to 2 liters water a day in order to produce clear urine. The high fluid intake prevents urine oversaturation and renal stones formation.

Also, make sure you reduce the intake of salt and oxalate-rich foods, such as beets, spinach, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, okra, tea, black pepper, nuts, chocolate, Swiss chard, and soy products.

You can consume calcium-rich food because it does not have an effect on the kidney stones formation. However, be careful when using calcium supplements because some studies have shown that they may lead to kidney stones.
Make sure you reduce the sugar consumption since it increases the levels of calcium in your urine which in turn leads to stone developing.

A balanced and healthy diet high in vegetables and fruits can be very beneficial for preventing kidney stones. Vitamin B6 has also been effective in the treatment of this health issue.