The food you eat is digested and used for energy, tissue building and repair, while waste goes to kidney to be excreted as urine. Your risk of kidney stones becomes higher when substances in the urine i.e. calcium, oxalate, and phosphorus become highly concentrated and form crystals. Therefore, what you eat and drink can promote or inhibit formation of kidney stones. Also being overweight make increases your risk to kidney stones.
The most common symptom of kidney stones is severe pain, which occurs in otherwise “healthy” looking people. Timely treatment of kidney stones is important, as they can lead to other serious health problems like urinary tract obstruction, kidney damage etc.
In case of kidney stones, there is higher probability of recurrence in absence of preventive measures. So, to prevent formation of kidney stones, make following changes in your diet:
1) Foods to avoid: The most common dietary causes of kidney stones are:
- Excess sodium such as processed, packaged, fast foods, pickels. High sodium causes kidneys to excrete more calcium into the urine, which then combine with oxalate and phosphorus to form calcium stones i.e. calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate.
- Animal protein such as meats, fish, and eggs increases uric acid amount in the urine, and form uric acid stones.
- High sugar in soft drinks and sodas interferes with minerals absorption and produces changes in your kidney that make you more prone to developing kidney stones.
- High oxalate content in beets, lady finger, spinach, nuts, tea, chocolate, soybeans and soy-based foods promotes kidney stones by binding with calcium in your kidney.
2) Food to include: Calcium rich foods lower your risk of kidney stones by binding with oxalate in your intestine and prevent them to reach urinary system and form kidney stones. So, to get health benefits of high oxalate foods, you can eat them in moderation with calcium rich foods.
Also you need adequate Magnesium in your diet for proper absorption of calcium and also preventing it to combine with oxalate. You can get adequate intake of magnesium by eating green leafy vegetables, beans, lentils, bananas and seeds (like sesame seeds).
Diet high in fruits and vegetables with moderate low-fat milk products and low animal protein are best suited for preventing kidney stones.
3) Drink Plenty of fluids: The common home remedy for kidney stone is drinking lots of water, as diluted urine flushes away the toxins and other wastes easily and prevent formation of stones. To replenish the fluid losses, continuously occurring through perspiration, breathing, urine, and stool, you need 2-3 litres of water per day. You need to increase water intake when temperature rises or you are engaged in sports. Take lemon water and fresh orange juice to cleanse, detoxify and inhibit formation of kidney stones.
Sample Diet Plan for Body Builders by Dr. Deeksha Sharma
Sunday
Monday
Breakfast*:Stuffed veg. whole wheat roti/ wrap + 1 Banana
Mid-morning Snack:1 cup milk or fruit shake+ Fist full Nuts
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 Bowl chick pea+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Ragi) rotis +1 bowl veg. + 1 bowl salad
Breakfast*:½ cup oatmeal boiled with 1cup skimmed milk add 1 seasonal fruit+ Raisins
Mid-morning Snack: 1 Orange
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 Bowl lentils+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Bajra) rotis +1 bowl veg./ non-veg. curry+ 1 bowl salad
Tuesday
Wednesday
Breakfast*:2 Idlies with tomato chutney+ 1 Apple
Mid-morning Snack:1 cup milk or fruit shake+ 1 tbsp Sesame seed
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 Bowl kidney beans+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack:1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Ragi) rotis +1 bowl veg. curry+ 1 bowl salad
Breakfast*: Poha/1 Boiled egg with 2 whole wheat toasted bread slices
Mid-morning Snack:1 cup dahi with banana + Fist full Nuts
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 Bowl Dal+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Jowar) rotis +1 bowl veg./ non-veg. curry+ 1 bowl salad
Thursday
Friday
Breakfast*: Uttapam/ veg. sandwich+ 1 Apple
Mid-morning Snack:1 cup milk or fruit shake+ 1tbsp sesame seed
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 bowl cow peas+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Ragi) rotis +1 bowl veg curry+ 1 bowl salad
Breakfast*: Dosa/Moong dal Cheela + 1 Banana
Mid-morning Snack: 1 cup dahi with cut fruits/yogurt +Fist full Nuts
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 bowl black beans+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Bajra) rotis +1 bowl veg./ non-veg. curry+ 1 bowl salad
Saturday
*Drink a glass of lukewarm water with lemon juice first thing in the morning. Just take one precaution, do not brush your teeth just after drinking lemon water and rinse your mouth with plain water to protect your teeth enamel.
* You can take fermented soya products, otherwise try to avoid all other soya products
Breakfast*:Upma/ Dalia+ 1 Apple
Mid-morning Snack:1 cup milk or fruit shake+ + Fist full Nuts
Lunch:2 Whole wheat rotis or 1 roti & 1bowl brown rice+ 1 Bowl Bengal gram+1 bowl veggies+ 1 bowl curd
Evening Snack: 1 cup lemon green tea
Dinner:2 Mix whole grains (Wheat & Ragi) rotis +1 bowl veg. curry + 1 bowl salad
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