Naturopathic Kidney Stone Prevention

Naturopathic medicine is concerned primarily with the use of diet and natural remedies that support the body's ability to heal itself. Naturopathic practitioners use combinations of foods, drinks, and vitamin and mineral supplements to help their patients address medical issues.

Naturopathic Kidney Treatments

• The kidneys and urinary tract are one of the most important systems of the body. Naturopathic kidney treatments focus on keeping the kidneys operating at peak efficiency and supporting them in flushing toxins and impurities from the body.

  One of the most common naturopathic recommendations for addressing kidney problems is vitamin C. According to Doctoryourself.com, vitamin C aids the kidneys by speeding up their natural filtering process and by dissolving any crystal formations that may form into kidney stones. Since vitamin C is an ascorbic acid, it dissolves formations of calcium phosphate, the most common precursors to kidney stones. Natural sources of vitamin C include fruit juices and brightly-colored vegetables.

  Other recommended vitamin supplements are B-vitamins. These vitamins work together with vitamin C to produce beneficial effects in the body. Magnesium supplements may help with absorption of calcium, leaving less in the body to form stones.

  Dietary changes to prevent kidney disease and especially kidney stones include increasing water intake to half the number of pounds of body weight in ounces of water per day. Thus, a 160-pound woman should drink 80 ounces of water each day.

  Naturopaths may encourage lowering protein intake - particularly red meat protein - in patients with kidney stones to eliminate uric acid crystals in the kidney. This is especially recommended for patients who have had any experience with gout.

  Many physicians, including naturopathic physicians, recommend eliminating sodas from the diet. Some studies show that 80 percent of kidney stones are comprised of calcium phosphate. Eliminating carbonated beverages lowers phosphorus intake and may help prevent stone formation. High levels of sugar intake are also linked to kidney stone formation. Caffeine, another component of sodas, is a diuretic and may cause the urinary tract to speed up and improperly filter wastes from the body's liquids. Thus, eliminating sodas can provide several avenues of kidney stone prevention.