The kidneys are responsible for keeping us healthy by maintaining our blood in a state of balance. Their job is to make sure the fluid, sodium, potassium, and other nutrients carried in the blood are at the levels needed for optimal functioning; the kidneys also remove the waste products that result from everyday metabolic processes that would otherwise accumulate and poison us. These unwanted products are filtered out of the body into urine, which is then stored in the bladder until it is emptied.
Sometimes, a solid piece of material will form out of the waste products in urine; these are known as kidney stones. Very small stones may pass right through the system without notice, but larger stones may become stuck in the ureter, bladder, or urethra, (altogether known as the urinary tract), causing a blockage in the flow of urine and resulting in a significant amount of pain.
There are four kinds of kidney stones: calcium, struvite, uric acid, and cystine. The most common of these four is formed from calcium oxalate; if you have a history of this kind of kidney stone, then your doctor would have told you to avoid foods with high levels of oxalate, such as spinach, rhubarb, beets, and nuts, among others. With less oxalate in the diet, the less chance that the body will accumulate enough oxalate to form more stones.
You would also have been told to consume plenty of fluids; the more the better. Typically, the recommendation is about 12 cups (96oz) of fluids daily. Taking in high volumes of fluids help to ensure that the urine is very dilute. Stones are less able to form in more dilute environments.
What your doctor may or may not have told you is that tea has a moderate amount of oxalate as well. Generally, people do not drink enough hot tea in a day to pose a real concern over oxalate intake, but iced tea is another story. During the hot summer months, many people choose to stay hydrated by drinking iced tea because it is low in calories, and for many, tastes better than water. High iced tea consumption is well documented to trigger the production of those painful kidney stones..
The summer can be a real challenge for the kidney-stone prone! Especially during a summer as hot as the one we’re having now, it is even more challenging just to stay hydrated, let alone to consume adequate fluid for stone prevention. But sadly, iced tea is not the way to go. Water is best, but as another alternative, you may want to consider lemonade (artificial sweetener may be wise because of all the added sugar). Lemonade made from fresh lemons (not powder) contains citrate, which actually inhibits the formation of kidney stones. Don’t confuse citrate with citric acid (Vitamin C)…high levels of Vitamin C, such as around 2000mg daily as would be found in some mega-dose supplements, are converted into oxalate!
If you have kidney stones, it is important to know exactly which kind you have. The treatment for any one of them is going to be different from the others, including both dietary interventions and medicines that may be used. Decreasing oxalate intake, for example, if you’ve got a uric acid stone isn’t going to help.
If you’d like to know more about the other kinds of kidney stones, leave me a comment. I’ll be happy to help!
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