HOW DRINKING LEMONADE HELPS PREVENT KIDNEY STONES

When life gives you kidney stones, Mother Nature sends you lemonade to help stunt the growth of pre-existing stones and prevent the development of new ones.

Lemonade can stunt the growth of pre-existing stones and prevent the development of new ones.

Stones as painful as childbirth

Kidney stones, medically known as nephrolithiasis, are small and hard mineral deposits formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones occur when there is a decline in urine volume or an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine and calcium stones are the most common type which are on the rise among children and teenagers, based on the Cleveland Clinic. Once passed a kidney stone, you won’t definitely forget the sudden and intense pain in your flank; even some patients compare the pain with that of childbirth.

Lemonade therapy

For people who are prone to stones, doctors and medical experts usually prescribe citrate which present highly in lemonade may help ward off the painful masses. When made into sugar-free or low-sugar lemonade, lemon juice increases the amount of citrate in the urine to levels which are known to suppress calcium stone formation and break up and dissolve small stones that might become bigger so they can pass easily from the kidney to the bladder through urination. Lemonade can reduce the acidity of urine that prevents the formation of calcium oxalate and uric acid stones. It also a natural antiseptic which helps prevent bacteria growth in the kidney that lowers the risk of infections. Moreover, lemonade keep you stay hydrated and pass a lot of urine.

According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration and a diet which is high in protein, sodium and sugar may increase the risk of kidney stones. Therefore, if you’re living with those habits, actually you need to have your lifestyle changed.

How much lemonade?

“To reduce kidney stones, you need to increase the fluid intake so that you can pass 1.5 to 2 liters of urine a day,” said Marshall Stoller, Vice Chairman of Urology and Medical Director of the center of Urinary Stone at California University, San Francisco. He recommended a mixture of ½ cup of concentrated lemon juice and 7 cups of water with little or no sugar or sweeteners.