Are you looking for a natural remedy to prevent kidney stones? Then pineapple is a good option. Consume pineapple regularly as this fruit is one of the most recommended foods for the prevention of kidney stones. Pineapple is a tropical fruit and this is rich in many of the essential nutrients needed for the body. This makes this fruit one of the healthiest fruits you can have. It is a rich source of Vitamin A, B6 and C, manganese, calcium, magnesium, fluoride, phosphorous, beta carotene, folate and antioxidants. There is an enzyme called bromelain in pineapple, which is one of the main reasons why pineapple is called ‘superfood’.
About Kidney Stones:
Renal lithiasis, or kidney stones, is one the most painful conditions. Once you have experienced an attack, it is said that there is a 70 to 80 percent chance that you will experience it again. The younger you are when you experienced the first attack, the greater is the risk involved. Genetics also has a role in the kidney stone attack. The number of kidney stones in adults is increasing. It can be because of the unhealthy modern diets. Nowadays this condition is affecting children also.
Is Pineapple Good For Kidney Stones?
If you think that pineapple or pineapple juice can cure kidney stones, you are wrong. It cannot cure kidney stones, but it helps in dissolving the kidney stones. Pineapple is a rich source of bromelain. This enzyme is very effective for improving digestion and for reducing blood clots. This in turn helps in preventing the formation of kidney stones. It also has an important role in the breaking down of proteins. This means that pineapple juice can reduce the size of kidney stones, so that they can pass out of the body easily.
Pineapple juice is low in potassium. So, people suffering from chronic kidney diseases find it very effective. As mentioned above, pineapple juice helps in dissolving the kidney stones. But it does not perform this job alone. It detoxifies the kidneys while the other agents that help in dissolving kidney stones take effect.
Other ways to prevent kidney stones
There are many ways to prevent kidney stones effectively. Some are given below:
Baking soda:
If you are allergic to citric acid, you can try baking soda. All you have to do is to mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with ½ glass of water and drink it. The glass should be a small one. This mixture can dissolve the kidney stones formed due to uric acid. It also provides you relief from the pain.
Barley:
Prepare barley water and mix it with some cranberry juice. Have this every day and it can help oyu het rid of kidney stones.
Berries:
Chewing blueberry and blackberry cam help in reducing the pain caused as a result of kidney stones. Chew them regularly or you can add them to your fruit salad. This can greatly help in easing the pain due to kidney stones.
Citrus fruits:
Having fruits rich in citric acid, like oranges, grapes, tomatoes, bananas etc can help in reducing the pain that you experience as a result of kidney stones.
Changing your diet:
Certain foods are responsible for causing the formation of kidney stones. You should avoid taking in such foods. Changing your diet can help in preventing kidney stones. Make sure that you consume foods rich in fibre, like wheat bran, whole wheat breads, oats, wheat cereals, beans, carrots etc. These goods help in improving digestion, preventing constipation and flushing out the stones from your kidney. Make sure that you avoid high-oxalate foods like chocolates, nuts, dark green vegetables etc. These foods can make things worse for you.
Cut down on salt:
If you take in too much of salt, it can cause a change in the balance of potassium and sodium. As a result, the functioning of the kidneys is reduced and less water is removed from the kidneys. This can result in hypertension. Studies made have also shown that if you add too much of salt to your daily diet, it can increase protein content in urine. This increases the risk of kidney function decline. So, it is important that you cut down the intake of salt if you want to prevent kidney problems like kidney stones.
Drink plenty of fluids:
One of the best ways to prevent the formation of kidney stones is to drink lots of fluids. Drink lots of water. This helps in cleansing the kidneys as well as in keeping the urine clear and flushing out the toxins out of the body. You should also drink fruit juices that are beneficial for your kidney, such as the juices of pineapple, grapefruit, orange, kale, cranberry and so on.
Get more calcium:
According to studies made, it was shown that if you eat foods rich in calcium, you can prevent the formation of kidney stones. Pineapple is loaded with calcium. Dairy products, soybeans, fortified soymilk etc are also rich sources of calcium.
Kidney beans:
Boil kidney beans for about 6 hours and then strain the water. Cool it and drink it throughout the day. This is an effective remedy for getting rid of kidney stones.
Watermelon:
Watermelon is rich in potassium. This is essential for the health of kidneys. By consuming watermelon regularly you can flush out the kidney stones from your body.
Drinking fresh pineapple juice daily can help you prevent kidney stones naturally. Have a glass of pineapple juice every day in the morning. This not only prevents kidney stones, but also provides a lot of other health benefits.