Kidney Stones ~ Causes, Remedies, and Prevention

After going through kidney stone removal in the ER a few times and also passing them at home, I thought I would share a few quick tips on how to manage the pain and how to know when to see the Dr.  It is also important to find support and ways to improve your diet and lifestyle, heal your gut and drink plenty of clean water

3 Major Causes of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones hit at times when we are too busy to take care of ourselves.  In times where we simply are not paying attention and around holidays or stressful times of the year.  There are many reasons why we struggle.  Here are just a few that have been factors for me.  

 

1. Dehydration

I tend to get get dehydrated when I am too busy to think of drinking enough water.  It is recommended to drink clean once ounce of clean filtered water for every pound of body weight per day.  For someone my size, it is about 120 ounces per day.  So When I start to feel my kidneys, it is too late and so to rehydrate, I need more than this.  I shoot for double this amount for a day or two until I feel better.

2. Irregular Urination

When I am stressed or too busy, I tend to not be making trips to the bathroom, I am not drinking enough because I simply do not have TIME to use the bathroom or I do not have good ACCESS to a bathroom.  

 

3. Medication Use May Increase Susceptibility

• Antibiotics
• Tamiflu can cause renal impairment
• Other meds

 

 

MY KIDNEY STONE HISTORY

2010

I believe my health took a turn for the worst following taking Tamiflu as directed when I had swine flu in 2010.  A few years later I was told that I had protein in my urine during routine prenatal urine samples.  I was also given renal scans and had unexplained hives during this pregnancy.  

TAMIFLU Partial Insert Below from the FDA

Data are available on plasma concentrations of oseltamivir carboxylate following various dosing schedules in
patients with renal impairment [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
Treatment of Influenza
Dose adjustment is recommended for adult patients with creatinine clearance between 10 and 30 mL/min
receiving TAMIFLU for the treatment of influenza. In these patients it is recommended that the dose be reduced
to 75 mg of TAMIFLU once daily for 5 days. No recommended dosing regimens are available for patients with
end-stage renal disease undergoing routine hemodialysis or continuous peritoneal dialysis treatment.
Prophylaxis of Influenza
For the prophylaxis of influenza, dose adjustment is recommended for adult patients with creatinine clearance
between 10 and 30 mL/min receiving TAMIFLU. In these patients it is recommended that the dose be reduced
to 75 mg of TAMIFLU every other day or 30 mg TAMIFLU every day. No recommended dosing regimens are
available for patients undergoing routine hemodialysis and continuous peritoneal dialysis treatment with endstage 

FULL INSERT implying renal disease.

2012

I was camping and dehydrated and I began having extreme side and flank pain and throbbing, it came and went until finally was constant and worse than any of my four natural childbirths.  I went to the ER and lost 3 full days, I had a nickel sized kidneys stone lodged in my lower ureter.  I had lithrotripsy and came out alive.  At this point I was in survival mode and didn’t make any connections.  No one mentioned causes or prevention.  No one mentioned anything else that I can recall.  

 

PRIOR TO 2016

“I Could Never Be a Health Nut!”

Up to this point, I was suffering severely from kidney stones, body pains, and severe eczema, I had viewed “those” people who drastically changed their lifestyles, lived on a strict diet, denied their kids sugar, ate all organic,  or read labels at the grocery store as a bit extreme and I could NEVER live such a restricted life.  Why live in such misery and torture?  That is not for me.  

Well that all changed when I finally began to search out a remedy that would end my kidney stones.  I began to feel better after changing a few key things in my life and I began experiencing the drastic healing of my health issues, my moods being up, energy levels amazingly improving, I was converted.  I began learning what I can eat rather than focusing on the foods to avoid.

I will forever be ONE OF THOSE.  

“I AM NOW PROUD TO BE A BIT OF A HEALTH NUT.”

2016

I started having kidney pains and had read how sugar affects kidney stones so I began using molasses instead of sugar in everything.  I didn’t want to have to deal with them EVER AGAIN.  So it is important that I found something that works for me.

I then slowly added honey to my diet.  I personally do not use agave because it is too sweet and I usually add too much. And some use stevia or xylotol. My sugar addiction slowly faded and I have been pretty good about not using too much if any processed or refined sugars for over 2 and a half years.

RELATED ARTICLES ON SUGAR

• Sugar feeds inflammation
• Sugar feeds parasites
• Sugar leads to many diseases
• 141 reasons why sugar is bad
• How sugar is ranked
• Is Sugar Toxic?
• 10 NOT SO easy ways to cut sugar from your diet
• Sneaky names for sugar
• More on added sugars
• More support on 30 Day Faith Detox
• Nutritional supplements

2 FAIL-SAFE KIDNEY STONE REMEDIES

If my kidney stones will pass or break up on their own, this will help, if this doesn’t help, I may need to get into the doctor ASAP to have lithotripsy or other intervention.  I always try these at the first twinge of kidney pain and I have not had to visit the ER since Mid 2017.  I do occassionally feel my kidneys and quickly get to work in prevention.

REMEMBER HYDRATION IS KEY

~

AT THIS STAGE DRINK MORE THAN 1 OZ PER LB OF BODY WEIGHT

 

1.  KIDNEY BLASTER DRINK (PASSING A STONE)

I do this 5 or more times a day when I feel any pain in kidneys

• Avoid Further Dehydration
• 5 x 16 oz of water (2-3 times more than normal)
  • 1 Lemon squeezed in water 16 oz
  • 2 TBSP Olive oil
  • 4 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 TBSP Raw Honey OR 3 TBSP Molasses

How I Start My Day…..

2.  LAVENDER RUB (FOR PAIN)

Topically apply over kidneys as needed

• 1 drop Lavender and/or Juniper Berry essential oil
• 1 TBSP Coconut oil

 

3 WAYS TO REDUCE AND PREVENT FUTURE KIDNEY STONES 

1.  HYDRATION

Drink your weight in ounces of filtered water each day.  Regulate or adjust this amount if any of the following apply.

7 Reasons I Dehydrate Or Hold Urine

1. Traveling
2. Working
3. Being outside in the heat or cold
4. No access to a restroom
5. Camping
6. Pregnant or Nursing
7. Taking care of Children

 

2. DEAL WITH OXALATES (PREVENTION)

Oxalates are naturally occurring molecules mostly found in people and plants.  Some people simply cannot process the amount they eat and this, for some of us, can contribute to kidney stones and other issues.  Here is one reason why? (See 8. In the article)

Those who currently have issues with oxalates have a few options.

1. Eat low oxalate foods
   1. Jill Harris has a great list of foods you CAN EAT. (PRINT THE LIST)
2. Replenish oxalobactor formagines with things like Sourkraut.
3. Avoid antibiotics as they wipe out this bacteria.  There are plenty of safe alternatives to ANTIBIOTICS.
4. Gut healing

I get all my sourkraut at Azure Standards.  They offer high quality foods at affordable prices.

 

This Oxalobactor Formagines is NOT found in your common probiotics and I have only found it to be in Sourkraut.

5 Ways I Enjoy Sourkraut

• On salads
• Over a quinoa dish
• On top of steamed or raw veggies
• Over cooked meat.
• As a small side dish with my meal.

DIY ~ Sour Kraut

I have made my own and will share how the next time I make some with 2 simple ingredients.

• Cabbage
• Sea salt

3. REDUCE SUGAR (PREVENTION)

Healthy Sugar Free/Low Oxalate Desserts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Order Uncommon Carob bars or Uncommon carob chips from Azure Standards

*Caution:  Too much cinnamon may affect milk supply

4.  REDUCE STRESS (PREVENTION)

Trust in the Lord

GET SUPPORT from friends or others who understand excruciating kidney stone pain and suffering.

TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE

Matthew 18:19-21 King James Version (KJV)

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

In the midst of suffering and pain, it can be lonely.  I remember how alone and ashamed I felt with skin scaling all other my arms and hands.  I would not leave the house when I was cracking and bleeding all over.  I could not be my helpful self and had to have my kids do the dishes and even avoided food prep at times to avoid further pain and feeling like I would contaminate EVERYTHING I would touch.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

We all need someone to cheer us on and who has gone before us on the journey.  We are all here to support and encourage and build up one another.  If you don’t have a STRONG support team or need/want to add to your support team join us.  Some are just getting started but your welcome to join and add your friends.

This life is NOT MEANT TO BE LIVED IN ISOLATION.  I CREATED THESE FOR YOU

JOIN MY SUPPORT GROUP and make friends with me and others who understand the challenges it takes to change your diet and lifestyle, to eliminate sugar among family who doesn’t always support or see things the way you need them to.

JOIN MY SUPPORT GROUP and make friends with me and others who understand debilitating eczema, sleepless nights and painful itching and misunderstood suffering.

JOIN MY SUPPORT GROUP and make friends with me and others who understand excruciating kidney stone pain and suffering.

JOIN MY SUPPORT GROUP and make friends with me and others who understand the confusion, brain fog, sleepless nights, mood changes, and dirty feeling and suffering from parasites.

Proverbs 3:1-27 King James Version (KJV) 

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.  Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.  My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:  For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.  Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.  The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.  By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.  My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:  So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.  Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.  When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.  Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.  For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.  Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.