Final Report

Question: Apart from the obvious, what do carrots, coffee, corn, and chocolate have in common?

Answer: Coming up in just a few minutes.  But first…

You might recall that, last month, my body developed a kidney stone (otherwise known as renal calculus). I wrote about the situation here. After the pebble failed to pass on its own, I had a procedure to have it removed. Today, exactly one month after that minor surgery, I had a final check up with my urologist.

After the stone was removed, my doctor sent it off for analysis. By learning the chemical composition of the crystal, you can increase your odds of being able to avoid a future bout.

I suspected he would tell me to cut down on sodas (which I have) and increase my water intake (which I have). In fact, I haven’t consumed a diet soda since the surgery and I am only drinking one or two regular sodas. For the most part, I am just drinking water and, occasionally, juice.

That’s all good but, apparently, it’s not enough.

My kidney stone was composed of calcium oxalate, which is the chemical make-up of 80 to 90 percent of all kidney stones. Calcium, my urologist explained, is something needed in the body and, therefore, we shouldn’t try to avoid it.

The oxalate part is a bit more complicated. 

That list of c-related consumables I listed earlier? They’re all on the list of foods and drinks that contain oxalate. Others include collards, celery, cocoa and cucumber. Okay, it’s not ALL c-words. Tomato, turnips and tangerines also make the list. So do beets, beer and broccoli.

The bottom line is oxalates are everywhere.

Oxalates are naturally occurring molecules. Certain plants have ‘em; so do humans.  And they are found in lots of foods, as noted. There are conflicting opinions as to whether reducing the foods containing oxalates reduces your risk for future stones. My urologist says you should consider eating these foods in moderation.

Also, cutting down on salt intake – which is true in the prevention of many conditions – is also helpful. 

Three items on the chart – concord grapes, strawberries and blueberries – have been on our list of favorite healthy snacks during the Summer of ’13. I don’t see us cutting out our consumption of fruit. So, what’s a person to do?

 

Well, per doctor’s orders, moderation is key. And more than anything, push the water.

It is recommended you consume two to three liters of water per day (that’s about two-thirds of a gallon). If you add lemon juice to the water, occasionally, that helps too. Citric acid helps to prevent the formation of these nasty crystals.

Also, if you are going to load up on a specific food on the list, it’s a good idea to increase your water consumption, too. More water = dilute the urine = reduce chance the crystal will form.

I’m sure I will not stop eating the foods on this list. I will cut back a little bit. But, the best advice for all of us is to drink as much water as possible throughout the day.

As much as I like my urologist, I’m hoping I can avoid future visits to see him.

JG

Originally posted 8/15/2013