Expert Guide: Daily Habits That Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

Diet, sleep, exercises and other lifestyle factors – how you lead your life – decides your overall well-being. A bad lifestyle can be the cause of different diseases. One such condition is kidney stones. If you are wondering which daily habits can reduce your risk or exposure to kidney stones, then this article is for you.

To geta better understanding of this, we reached out to our experts, Dr Vikas Agarwal, Director and HOD, Robotic Urology, Aakash Healthcare, Dr Vipul Gupta, Associate Consultant, Nephrology, Fortis Ludhiana, and Dr Sheel Bhadra Jain, Senior Consultant, Nephrology and Renal Transplant, CK Birla Hospitals, Jaipur.

Daily Habits That Can Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

According to the PubMed Central, eating habits and lifestyle have a direct effect on the risk factors for kidney stones. It adds that a diet characterised by a high intake of fluids, fruits, and vegetables, a low consumption of salt and protein, and a balanced intake of calcium, fats, and carbohydrates can help in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. It further notes that a correct body weight, regular exercise, and a reduction in stressful life events also act as helpful preventive actions.

“Some habits that one follows every day are significant in reducing the chances of developing kidney stones. Hydration is among the most significant precautions, since having enough water dilutes the minerals in the urine that might form stones. Daily fluid intake and clear/pale-yellow urine is one of the indicators of good hydration,” shares Dr Agarwal. On this note, Dr Jain lists more such daily habits that can reduce risk of kidney stones:

• Drink 2.5–3 litres of water daily.
• Start the day with a glass of water.
• Maintain a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables.
• Limit salt intake.
• Stay physically active with regular exercise or walking.
• Avoid holding urine for long periods.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Include citrus fruits like lemon or orange in your diet.
• Take calcium supplements only if prescribed.

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Dietary Tips To Reduce Kidney Stone Risk

As per the National Health Service (NHS), the best way to prevent kidney stones is to make sure you drink plenty of water daily to avoid dehydration. To prevent stones from recurring, you should aim to drink up to 3 litres of fluid daily throughout the day. If you want to know more dietary tips to reduce kidney stones risk, Dr Agarwal lists them:

• A key dietary change is the increased intake of fluid, especially water. It dilutes the stone-forming substances in the urine.
• Adding citrus fruits like lemons and oranges would be beneficial because they have citrate which is a natural stone-forming inhibitor.
• Another change that has to be made is to decrease excessive salt intake, as high sodium content in the body leads to more excretion of calcium in the urine, a condition that facilitates the formation of stones.
• Foods such as milk, yoghurt, and leafy greens are recommended as they provide the body with adequate dietary calcium. This is because inadequate intake of calcium can elevate the absorption of oxalate, which leads to a higher risk of stones.
• It can also be beneficial to avoid foods that contain high levels of oxalates such as spinach, beetroot, and some nuts, to prevent people who are more likely to get calcium oxalate stones.
• Eliminating unhealthy processed foods, sweetened drinks and red meat may also help maintain kidney health and reduce the risk of the formation of stones.

Daily Habits To Avoid For Kidney Stone Risk

According to the Harvard Health, consuming too much animal protein such as meat, eggs, and seafood can increase the risk of kidney stone formation. They advised that you should limit your daily meat intake that is “no bigger than a pack of playing cards.” Elaborating on some daily habits that can raise kidney stone risk, Dr Gupta says, “Low water intake, excessive salt consumption, frequent intake of processed foods, and high consumption of sugary or carbonated drinks can raise stone risk. Overuse of certain supplements, especially high-dose vitamin C, may also contribute. Ignoring early symptoms or delaying medical advice can allow stones to grow larger.”

Dr Agarwal lists such habits for us:

• Poor water consumption is one of the prevalent causes. When the body is dehydrated, the urine tends to be concentrated. Hence, minerals like calcium and oxalate tend to crystallise easily.
• Frequent intake of large quantities of salt in the diet may also raise the level of urinary calcium, which raises the risk of developing a stone.
• The risk of kidney stones has also been linked to frequent consumption of sweetened beverages, particularly, sodas that are rich in high fructose corn syrup or phosphoric acid.
• Too much intake of animal protein could elevate the uric acid content in the urine and provide an ideal condition where some kinds of stones grow.
• Long delays in passing the urine might cause stagnation of the urine that can result in crystal formation.
• Also, an inactive lifestyle and the regular consumption of foods that are highly processed can lead to the risk of kidney stones indirectly.

Can Lack Of Physical Activity Lead To Kidney Stones?

People often wonder whether lack of physical activity causes kidney stones or not. Dr Agarwal sheds light on this. He says, “Physical inactivity may also lead to development of kidney stones indirectly. Sedentary living is commonly linked to reduced metabolism, weight gain, and metabolic alterations which can affect the manner in which minerals like calcium and uric acid are processed by the body. The decreased physical movement may also influence bone metabolism, which may cause increased calcium to be released into the bloodstream and ultimately in the urine which may help cause stones.”

The expert adds, “Obesity and insulin resistance, which are also considered as risk factors of kidney stones, are also associated with physical inactivity. Physical exercise aids in proper circulatory support, normal metabolism, and fluid distribution in the body. A moderate daily exercise, healthy weight, and exercise combined with proper hydration would significantly help in decreasing the probability of developing kidney stones.”

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Conclusion

Our daily habits can play a part in reducing the chances of developing kidney stones. Such habits include proper hydration, staying active, and following a balanced diet. On the other hand, one must avoid certain habits like consuming too much salt, animal protein, or holding urine for long, to prevent kidney stones.