Nutritional Remedies Can Ward Off Kidney Stones.

If you have had a kidney stone, ask your doctor if there are nutritional remedies that will prevent a recurrence. If your doctor says no, find another doctor.
That's the advice of Wynne A. Steinsnyder, D.O., an osteopathic physician and urologist in North Miami Beach.
"There are readily available and effective forms of alternative therapies for preventing the recurrence of kidney stones/' he says.
Once you've had that excruciatingly painful experience with a kidney stone—a dense collection of tiny, sharp-edged crystals that can tear the delicate tissues of your urinary tract as they exit from your body you know that you don't want it to happen ever again.

Approximately 70 to 80 percent of kidney stones are composed of calcium oxalate crystals, while another 10 percent or so are made of uric acid crystals. (There are a also few other, relatively rare types.) You need to know the type of stone you had, because each type requires a slightly different preventive approach, Dr. Steinsnyder says.

If your first stone was recovered, your doctor may have analyzed its content. Another way to find out is for your doctor to analyze the sediment in your urine to see whether it contains traces of either calcium oxalate or uric acid crystals. Once you know the composition of your stone, you can choose the remedies that are right for you.

Calcium-Containing Stones
"There is no question that a typical high-fat, low-fiber Western diet causes calcium stones," Dr. Steinsnyder says. That type of diet increases both the calcium oxalate crystals in your urine and the factors that cause them to form a stone. Here are the nutritional remedies that he suggests.

FOOD: A High-Fat Chance of Getting Stones
Lots of fat. Not much fiber. Plenty of white sugar and white flour. Heavy on the red meat. That's the recipe for many degenerative diseases, including heart problems and cancer. It's also the way to set your self up for kidney stones, Dr. Steinsnyder says. The opposite type of diet high in fiber, low in fat, easy on refined carbohydrates, and light on reel meat is the way to go, he says.
There are also some healthy foods that you should avoid with calcium stones. Certain leafy green vegetables, including spinach, Swiss chard, and beet greens, are high in oxalates, acids that the body cannot process and that are passed through the urine. For people who are sensitive to oxalates, eating too many of these greens can cause kidney stones.

WATER: Drink a Lot
While you're eating all that healthy food, drink a lot of water, too. "Inadequate fluid intake is a major factor in allowing crystals to accumulate in the urine," Dr. Steinsnyder says. He tells his patients to drink six 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS: An Anti-Stone Supplement Program
The following vitamins and minerals can help prevent calcium stones, says Dr. Steinsnyder.

• Calcium: Surprisingly, this is the first and most important of the supplements. By binding to the oxalate in your body, calcium can help keep stones from forming. Take 600 milligrams a day.
• Magnesium and vitamin D: Use a calcium supplement that also supplies 300 milligrams of magnesium and 400 international units of vitamin D. These two nutrients aid in the absorption of calcium, and magnesium by itself can help block stone formation.
• Vitamin B6: This vitamin can reduce the production and excretion of oxalates. Dr. Steinsnyder recommends TOO milligrams a day taken as part of a high-potency B-complex supplement.

TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS: Blocks Stone Formation
This Ayurvedic herb, also known as gokshura, reduces the body's production of calcium oxalate and can help prevent calcium stones, Dr. Steinsnyder says. Follow the dosage recommendations on the label.

EXERCISE: No Sweat
Exercise helps keep calcium from draining out of the bones and ending up in the urine, where it could contribute to the formation of stones, Dr. Steinsnyder says. His recommendation is to walk briskly for 20 to 30 minutes a couple of times a week.
He also tells his patients with kidney stones not to go out to a gym and dehydrate themselves with a lot of sweaty exercise, however, since dehydration is a major risk factor for developing new stones.

Uric Acid Stones
There are two keys to preventing a recurrence of uric acid stones, Dr. Steinsnyder says. One is to balance the chemistry, or pH, of your urine, keeping it as alkaline (as opposed to acid) as possible. Another is to limit your intake of purines, food components that increase uric acid. Here's the dietary advice to fulfill both goals.

FOOD: Dietary Do's And Don'ts
Drink more orange, grapefruit, and tomato juice to keep the right pH balance. Aim for two to three glasses a day.
To reduce purines in your diet, avoid anchovies, sardines, meat extracts, gravies, liver, kidney, sweetbreads, and fried foods; don't eat more than 3 ounces of lean meat or one serving of oatmeal, oysters, crabs, tuna, ham, lima beans, asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, peas, or spinach daily.
Don't worry, however, if you occasionally violate any of these restrictions, Dr. Steinsnyder says. "Just drink more water than usual and take Alka-Seltzer, which alkalinizes your urine," he says. Follow the directions on the package.

WATER: Keep Drinking
Aim for at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to prevent uric acid stones, says Dr. Steinsnyder.

Passing a Stone
If you're having a kidney stone attack, you should see a doctor immediately. In addition, there is an herb that helps stones pass more easily and therefore dramatically reduces the pain.

CORN SILK: Reduces Friction
Corn silk reduces friction as the stone moves along, says Dr. Stein-snyder. You can use capsules, liquid, or tea bags, following the dosage recommendations on the label.