Anyone who has experienced kidney stones can tell you how uncomfortable they are. Unfortunately, it's quite common for both men and women between the ages of 30 and 60 to develop kidney stones, according to the NHS.
The primary job of these organs is to take away waste from the blood and ensure that the blood coming back into the body is clean. Sometimes, this waste can cause crystals to form and build until they become stone-like. Most often you will have to pass kidney stones to get rid of them, meaning they will exit the body through the urinary system, the NHS explained. This can be quite painful and if they become too large, the kidney stones may need to be broken up. On occasion, surgery is needed to remove extra large stones. The source noted that most people who develop kidney stones are likely to get them again within the next several years. As such, preventative measures can be very beneficial in reducing the risk. While remaining hydrated is the No. 1 method, there are several other precautions you can take as well.
Hydrate
Did you know that chronic dehydration can lead to a number of conditions, including kidney stones? As the No. 1 cause of an array of diseases and illnesses, dehydration is something to take very seriously. The most important thing you can do to lower your risk of kidney stones is increase your daily intake of fluids, especially water, Michigan Medicine of the University of Michigan explained.
Most of the water you consume can come from raw plants and juices, when you're on a plant-based diet like the Genesis 1:29 diet. It's important however that you're not just relying on regular water, but incorporating pure distilled water. This is especially important to help prevent and eliminate kidney stones, explained Hallelujah Acres' Vice President of Health Olin Idol. The best rule of thumb is to ensure 1/2 ounce of high quality liquids per pound of body weight, Idol explained.
And it's not just hydration you need to be aware of. Excess sweating - without replenishing - can also lead to the development of kidney stones, according to the National Kidney Foundation. One of the ways that kidney stones form is when minerals that produce stones combine in the urinary tract and kidneys. If you are sweating and not getting enough water, you are not urinating as much, which leads to the mineral buildup. While it's still beneficial and important to exercise, just be sure to hydrate throughout.
Increase Magnesium Intake
One thing that has been shown to reduce kidney stones as well as the pain and side effects associated with the condition is magnesium. As our health experts have previously reported, increasing your magnesium intake can help to stop the creation of kidney stones. Reporting on findings from Dr. Russell Blaylock's monthly publication, The Blaylock Wellness Report, it was stated that a patient of his showed much improvement in dealing with the pain of kidney stones when consuming 1,000 mg of magnesium citrate/malate with water.
"I learned that magnesium powerfully suppresses the formation of calcium-type stones," wrote Dr. Blaylock. "It also acts as a powerful relaxant for muscle spasms within the ureter - which is the cause of the excruciating pain associated with kidney stones."
In addition to counteracting the impact of calcium, magnesium has a number of other health benefits as well. Consider a dietary supplement such as the Hallelujah Diet Magnesium Complex to get your daily intake.
Incorporate Vitamin K2
According to the International Health and Science Foundation, a paper published in Nephrology Dialysis Transplant highlighted the link between those with low levels of Vitamin K2 and an increased risk for kidney stones. The study authors stated that most Americans and those living in the Western world are in fact deficient in this vitamin. This lends to the notion that kidney stones are common among those following the Standard American Diet.
"Due to fact that it is extremely difficult to keep optimal vitamin K status with normal diet, vitamin K2 supplementation should be recommended," said Dr. Katarzyna Maresz, president of the International Science and Health Foundation
Supplementing with vitamin K2 can help not only with kidney stones, but many other areas as well. As our health experts have previously explained, Vitamin K is beneficial to our health in more ways than one. In fact, Hallelujah Diet even created dietary supplement, Vitamin D3 with K2, a synergistic combination that improves the metabolism of calcium through the entire system of our bodies.
Avoid Animal Protein
According to the Harvard Health Blog, increased levels of uric acid have been known to increase the risk of kidney stones. Animal products including red meat, eggs and even seafood may increase the uric acid in the body. What's more, too much protein from poultry can actually decrease the citrate in urine, and without enough citrate, kidney stones are more likely to develop in the first place.
While the Harvard Health Blog advised limiting animal protein on your plate to the size of a fist, our health experts at Hallelujah Diet suggest saying no to meat and poultry altogether. If you're following the primarily raw, plant-based Hallelujah Diet, you won't have any trouble avoiding animal proteins. Instead, you'll be nourishing your body with the vitamin and mineral-rich plants of the earth.
Take control of your health so you can prevent kidney stones before they start.
