Kidney stones are caused when certain minerals of your urine are retained and are not fully released, causing them to amalgamate and form a stone. Passing a kidney stone is one of the most painful experiences you may face physically. Its magnanimity is often compared to childbirth, and those who are suffering from kidney stones dread having this experience. If you are not yet affected by kidney stones and do not want to, read further to know what type of diet you need to follow in order to prevent it.

1. Drink lots of water: On an average, a person must be drinking at least 3 liters of water every day. If you live in a more hot and humid climate, your water intake must be even more than that, so that on an average, 2.5 liters of urine is passed throughout the day, which decreases the chance of unnecessary retention of minerals from the urine and release them more easily from the body.

2. Continue eating foods rich in calcium: It is a common misconception that calcium accelerates the formation of kidney stones. Calcium is digested by the intestine, only excess calcium cannot be digested by the intestine and is sent to the kidney. Continue consuming calcium rich foods unless your doctor prescribes you against it. Make sure your diet includes enough dairy products such as milk, cheeses, etc., or other calcium rich foods, such as oats and broccoli.

3. Limit intake of oxalic acid: Oxalic acid is mostly found in foods obtained from plants. It restricts the absorption of calcium in the intestines and as a result, more calcium is passed into the kidneys; thus, forming calcium oxalate, or oxalate stones. Try to avoid foods, such as rhubarb, Swiss chard, nuts, tea, sweet potatoes, etc.;mainly leguminous plant products.

4. Decrease the ingestion of sodium salts, sugar and meat protein: Salts and sugars, mainly found in packaged foods are used to prevent them from expiring. They increase the release of calcium and oxalates into the blood, which thus increases the chance to develop kidney stones. Meat contains fibers which affect certain nutrients in the kidney, thus aggravating the formation of stones.

5. Increase the consumption of insoluble fibers: Insoluble fibers are those rough fibers which are not soluble in water during the process of digestion. They are found in rice, wheat, barley, etc., and are found to decrease calcium absorption in the kidney. They attach themselves to the calcium and oxalates, which enable them to be released as stool instead of urine.

Kidney Stones and Your Diet

Adrenal Glands are endocrine glands located right above the kidneys. They produce important hormones such as adrenaline, aldosterone and cortisol which are involved in a number of biological functions. The dysfunction of the adrenal glands can cause serious endocrine diseases.

Need for Surgery?
The adrenal glands may not function properly due to a number of reasons, including any kind of infection in the glands, kidney disorders, genetic ailments, lesions, tumours on or around the adrenal glands. Due to the irregularity in the release of hormones and enzymes that are essential to the normal functioning of a human body, a number of serious illnesses arise. There is an excess or absolute insufficiency in the release of hormones. This can even turn into a medical emergency. It can lead to uncontrollable obesity, very high or low blood pressure, dermatological problems, menstrual irregularities, blood sugar level irregularities, severe headaches, cramps, fluctuations in potassium levels and so on. That is when surgery is required.

How surgery is performed?
Laparoscopy is the type of surgery which requires minimum invasion. This is fairly a new and successful method of surgery. The patient recovers speedily and is able to go back home within a short span of time after the surgery. Removal of adrenal glands can be performed by making a maximum of three or four-and-a-half inches incision. This results in quicker cosmetic recovery compared to other patients of open surgery.
The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. A narrow tube-like instrument, known as the cannula is placed into the upper abdominal cavity, below the ribs. Through the cannula, a tiny telescope, known as the laparoscope is inserted. It is connected to a special camera that provides a magnified view of the patient s internal organs on a large monitor. Using such technology, the adrenal glands are dissected free from other organs and removed.

Post Operative Care
In case of a simple laparoscopic surgery, there are hardly any post operative complications. In case of mild pain or discomfort, the doctors may however prescribe some medications. It is important to go for a medical check up after a couple of weeks of the surgery, to make sure you are completely fine.

Laparoscopic Adrenal Gland Removal Surgery - What Is It?

The pair of kidneys that human beings have, forms an important part in the excretory system. They perform specific and important functions. They excrete urine as well as help in eliminating the toxins, which accumulate in the body. Kidney stones occur when the minerals present in the urine without being discharged, keep on accumulating. This gives rise to an extremely painful and uncomfortable situation. Though sometimes the situation gets revoked all by itself, many a times it requires medical intervention. 

Some of the symptoms of kidney stones are: 
1.  Excruciating pain in the back
2.  Pain while urinating
3.  Tendencies to vomit
4.  Dizziness
5.  Fever 

However, there are several preventive measures which you can undertake in order to avert the situation. Some of them are:
1.  Drink lots of water
Kidney stone is one of those rare conditions that once occurred, always carry the latent threat of recurring again. Therefore, drinking water in large quantities becomes essential. The more you drink water, the more frequently you would urinate, thereby curbing the chances of the minerals settling in the kidneys.
2.  Avoid certain foods
Food like beets, spinach, those which are replete with calcium oxalate should be avoided in order to minimize chances of having kidney stones.
3.  Change your diet
If you are trying to avoid the eventuality of developing kidney stones, it is imperative that you change your diet a bit. It is recommended that you exclude animal protein as much as possible and assiduously avoid the intake of salt as much as possible.
4.  Take less calcium supplements
Calcium generally is considered a nemesis to your kidneys and is prescribed by doctors to be avoided. However recent research has thwarted this claim. Calcium does not pose a threat to kidneys. However calcium supplements definitely do and therefore, should be avoided.

All About Kidney Stones

Are you suffering from kidney stones and looking for an effective, natural treatment? You should choose homeopathy, as it works well in treating kidney stones. A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline, mineral development in your kidneys or urinary tract. The condition is called nephrolithisis. Kidney stones occur due to a reduction in your urine volume, and because of the presence of excess stone-forming substance in your urine. Homeopathic treatment of kidney stones does not involve any side effects, and various homeopathic medicines are used as a part of the treatment. Some of them are as follows:

Belladonna
This medicine is used when a sharp pain is experienced because of kidney stones.
A patient experiences strains and cramps along the ureter during the passage of calculus.
Fever and irritation are also likely.
Benzoic acid
Benzoic acid is prescribed in case of nephritic colic.
Offensive urinary symptoms are experienced. The urine is usually deep red with strong and foul odor.
The urine may alternatively be thick, and clear.
Argentinum nit
This homeopathic medicine is used for treating kidney stones, which develop because of kidney congestion.
Dull backache and ache in the bladder are experienced, along with dark urine, containing deposits of uric acid and blood.
A patient experiences an increased urge for urination, but a very small amount of urine is passed at once.
A burning sensation while passing urine is indicated along with swelling of the urethra.
Cantharis
This homeopathic medicine is used during the paroxysms of renal colic. Extreme pain and excitement are indicated.
The pain may be cutting in nature, and it shoots in various directions, affecting your limbs and different parts of the body.
There is an increased urge to urinate, and an aversion to fluids is developed by a patient in spite of feeling thirsty.
Berberis
This is another effective homeopathic remedy used for treating kidney stones, when the patient experiences a shooting pain radiating from a certain point and he or she becomes unable to move because of the pain.
Also there is a darting pain experienced in the ureter, extending down to your legs.
There is an indication of the development of little pinheads in the pelvis that starts growing down your bladder.
You must consult a licensed homeopathic practitioner before taking homeopathic medicines for the treatment of kidney stones. A doctor will suggest you the best homeopathic medicines based on the symptoms you experience and the severity of the condition.

Kidney Stones - Can Homeopathy Treat Them Effectively?

Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that focuses on improving your overall well-being, rather than just focusing on the symptoms of the disease. Being a complete natural based method, it has no side effects. Ayurvedic remedies for kidney stones emphasize on improving your lifestyle and diet to keep the energy balance in your body.

The causes of kidney stones range from factors such as an imbalanced diet, sedentary lifestyle and spicy food. Less water consumption is also a major cause of kidney stones. These factors cause problems in the various doshas in the human body, leading to diseases. It leads to toxin formation in the body called ama. These toxins trickle down to the urinary tract, causing crystals to form, thus leading to kidney stones.

Ayurvedic remedies consist of using diuretic herbs to dissolve the stones. Once the stones are dissolved, it is then recommended to use various cleansing techniques such as Panchakarma, which helps in strengthening the body. It is recommended to drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water daily and urinate whenever the urge occurs.

If the bladder stores the urine for a long time, then it leads to kidney stones. You need to cut down on foods that contain salt in excess. Add more green vegetables to your diet as they provide the body with essential nutrients such as calcium.

A comprehensive list of the changes you should make are:
1. Avoid eating dry and heavy foods
2. Limit consumption of coffee, tea, pickle based foods and cold drinks
3. Restrict consumption of non-vegetarian foods such meat and poultry
4. Drink adequate water regularly
5. Consume parboiled rice, brown rice and ginger
6. Consume lots of fruit juices, soup and water
7. Increase water consumption during summer months
8. Don t suppress the urge to urinate

Some herbal remedies to control kidney stones are combining  mehendi  with water to form a decoction and then consuming it. Increase consumption of horse-gram as it decreases risk of kidney stones. Make sure you exercise on a regular basis as it improves your overall well-being and keeps you healthy. 

Kidney Stones - How Ayurveda Helps in Treating it 

The kidneys are responsible for the elimination of waste from the body. The blood is filtered in the kidneys and all toxic wastes are filtered out and excreted through urine. When this filtration does not happen effectively, a lot of waste can be found in the blood, which affects normal body function.

Kidneys may lose their functioning either due to age, injury, or disease conditions. Whatever the reason, when kidney function is hampered, the body suffers. If there was an injury or congenital problem, it could be unilateral and the non-affected kidney could still do the function. However, if it is infection or old age, normally both kidneys are affected and then replacement should be looked for externally. This is where a kidney transplant comes into the picture.

What is it?

It is a surgery where a healthy, functioning kidney is placed into the body. The donor could be

Living: These donors have to be related or unrelated. Related is often termed someone, who is a family member and is willing to donate one kidney (one kidney is sufficient for normal, healthy individuals) to the diseased person.
Cadaver: If a person is willing to donate kidneys post death, these are used for transplant, within a specified time.
Identifying the right donor and recipient:

Blood type and tissue type should be matched; a good tissue type match improves the chances of success
Overall health of the donor to ensure there is no heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes
The recipient also should be healthy
What to expect during surgery?

Once a donor is identified, in living donors, the surgery to remove the kidney and to transplant it are done simultaneously
The surgery usually takes about 3 to 4 hours
Antibiotics are given prior to the surgery to prevent infection
The blood vessels and ureter are connected back to the kidney after the transplant
Hospital stay can range from 5 days to 2 weeks, depending on the overall health of the patient and the anticipated risk of rejection.
Most transplanted kidneys work effectively almost immediately. A kidney stored from a cadaver may take a little longer compared to a fresh kidney from a living donor
People who have had transplants are put on immunosuppressants on a chronic basis to reduce chances of rejection. The new kidney will always be recognised by the body as a foreign body, and so this is essential.
Kidney transplant success rates are quite high, and more and more people are opting for transplants as opposed to dialysis.

Kidney Transplant - What To Expect From It?

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