Long Term Kidney Stone Treatment

Most patients form kidney stones because of one or a combination of the following abnormalities:

• Low fluid intake
• Excess salt, oxalate, calcium, or purine (animal protein) intake
• Deficient citrate or magnesium in the urine

To reduce you chances of getting another kidney stone you should do the following:

1. Increase your total daily fluid intake to 2 liters (quarts) per day. Water is the best fluid to drink to reduce kidney stones.
2. Decrease the salt in your diet by removing the salt shaker from the table and not adding any additional salt when preparing food. Remember that restaurant and fast foods are very high in salt content.
3. Limit the amount of oxalate in you diet by avoiding tea, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb, and nuts.
4. Limit the amount of purine in the diet by limiting the amount animal protein (particularly red meats) in your diet.
5. Increase the citrate level in you urine by making the following lemonade drink and drinking 3 glasses in the morning, 2 classes at mid-day, and 3 glasses in the evening.
6. Take 1 cup of reconstituted lemon juice (or the juice of real lemons) and add to 2 liters of tap water. Add sugar or sweetener to taste.