Kidney stones are more common than most people realize. Nearly 10% of
the population will experience a kidney stone at some point in their
life. Kidney stones are twice as common in men and are responsible for
1% of all hospitalizations in the United States. These small stones form
in the kidney and may get lodged in the urinary tract - irritating the
tissue and sometimes blocking the flow of urine and leading to a very
painful experience (as known as renal colic) or possibly a kidney
infection (pyelonephritis). Stones are mainly composed of mineral salts.
When the concentration of these compounds in the urine is high,
crystals form and grow into a ‘stone’ over an indefinite amount of time.
In addition to the prevalence in our society, about half of all people
who are treated for a kidney stone will have a recurrence within 10
years. The good news is that there is a close link between nutrition and
successful prevention of most stones.
This booklet details general nutrition strategies to prevent the formation of kidney stone disease.
Dietary Strategies to Prevent Kidney Stones
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