If you’ve ever had a kidney stone, that’s a powerful motivator to avoid another one.
The good news is that what you eat and drink can make a difference. But preventing kidney stones isn’t as simple as avoiding calcium or following a generic list of “bad” foods.
At Golden Gate Urology in Berkeley, California, our team looks at why your stones form so we can help you make changes that fit your individual risk. Here’s where to start.
Kidney stones form when certain substances in your urine become concentrated enough to form crystals. More fluid dilutes your urine, making it harder for crystals to come together and grow. That’s why hydration is one of the top ways to prevent stones.
How much you need depends on your health, activity level, climate, and stone history. You may also need more fluid when you exercise or sweat heavily.
Don’t try to gulp down several glasses at once. Keep fluids going throughout the day so your urine stays consistently diluted.
This is one of the more confusing parts of kidney stone prevention. Because calcium is found in the most common type of kidney stone, cutting calcium from your diet might sound logical. But getting too little dietary calcium can work against you.
Calcium in your digestive tract binds with oxalate, reducing the amount of oxalate that reaches your kidneys. Unless our team recommends otherwise, getting calcium from food can be part of a stone-prevention diet.
Before making major changes to calcium intake or taking calcium supplements, talk with us about what’s appropriate for you.
Your salt shaker isn’t the only source of sodium in your diet. Restaurant meals, deli meats, canned foods, sauces, packaged snacks, and other processed foods can contain surprisingly large amounts.
Why does that matter for kidney stones? A high-sodium diet can increase the calcium in your urine, which can encourage calcium-containing stones to form.
Reading nutrition labels, cooking more meals at home, and choosing lower-sodium options can help bring your intake down without making food bland.
Not every kidney stone forms for the same reason, so the best prevention plan isn’t the same for everyone.
Calcium oxalate stones are the most common, but people can also develop calcium phosphate, uric acid, struvite, or cystine stones. Depending on which type you have, we may recommend adjusting your intake of sodium, animal protein, calcium, oxalate, or other dietary components.
For example, someone who forms calcium oxalate stones may need to watch high-oxalate foods such as spinach, nuts, and wheat bran. Someone prone to uric acid stones may benefit from reducing certain animal proteins.
As unpleasant as it sounds, saving a stone you pass can give us useful information.
At Golden Gate Urology, we can determine what a passed stone is made of. Blood tests, urine testing, and imaging can also help us investigate why you’re developing stones.
That information helps us move beyond generic advice. Depending on your results and history, prevention may include specific dietary changes or medication to reduce substances that contribute to stone formation.
Don’t wait until another kidney stone sends a bolt of pain through your side to think about prevention.
Start with the basics: Stay well hydrated, watch your sodium intake, and don’t unnecessarily eliminate calcium from your diet. If you’ve already formed a kidney stone, take the next step and find out what’s behind your particular risk.
At Golden Gate Urology in Berkeley, our team evaluates kidney stones and helps personalize a strategy to reduce your risk of another stone. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
