Wednesday, 29 April 2015

KIDNEY STONES A LIFESTYLE DISEASE

The Port Moresby General Hospital    The National 30 April 2015
 
Positive Living without kidney stones
 
Thirst is not a true indication of the body’s need for water. The body needs a lot of water for its systems to work properly.

Kidney stone is one of the many diseases that occur in the human due to lack of drinking enough water. It is estimated that one person in ten will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives.

A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine.  and various wastes dissolved in it. With too much waste in too little liquid, crystals begin to form.

The crystals attract other elements and join to form a solid that will get larger unless passed out with the urine. The stone forming chemicals are calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine and phosphate.

After being formed, the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Stones that do not move may cause a back-up of urine in the ureter, bladder or urethra and cause pain.

There are different types of kidney stones that generally result from drinking too little water, exercising too much or little, obesity and eating food with too much salt or sugar.

Drinking enough fluid will help keep your urine less concentrated with waste products. Darker urine is more concentrated. Your urine should appear very light yellow to clear if you are well hydrated.

Most of the fluid you drink should be water. Most people should drink more than 12 glasses of water a day.

Water is better than soda, sports drinks or coffee or tea. If you exercise or it is hot outside, you should drink more.

Eat more fruit and vegetables which make your urine less acid. When the urine is less acid, stones may be less able to form.

Animal protein produces urine that has more acid which can increase the risk of kidney stone. Reduce excess salt in your diet. www.kidney,org

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