Dr. Sabnis Satej

The prostate gland is a male reproductive organ at the base of the urinary bladder and urethra is a thin tube that carries urine out of the penis. It runs through the prostate gland. A fluid produced by this gland helps to carry sperms produced by the testes outside during intercourse.

Following things can be done for maintaining a healthy prostate:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables: Including fruits and vegetables in your diet can help to maintain a healthy prostate. Guava, papaya, tomato and watermelon are some of the options that spell good for your prostate. Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts should also be included to boost the health of the gland. Ideally, you should have about 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
2. Have selenium-rich foods: Having foods rich in selenium (a powerful trace mineral) like tuna, eggs, cashews, onions, garlic, etc can reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer.
3. Workout to stay fit: Exercising regularly and maintaining an optimum weight can help to keep your prostate gland at an optimal health. Several types of research have revealed the beneficial aspects of exercising. It's said that physically active men are less likely to suffer from enlarged prostate if they performed a physical activity of low to moderate intensity. Likewise, physically active men who ran for 90 to 108 minutes are 20% less likely to develop erectile dysfunction.
4. Have more soy products: Eating more soy products like tofu, soy flour, soy nuts can help to keep cancer of the prostate at bay. A study published in the British Journal of Urology International revealed that men who had soy products saw a 40% decrease in their risk of developing an enlarged prostate.

You must be aware of renal stones more commonly known as kidney stones as it is a widely known condition that is common among men and women in the age bracket of 30 to 60. To gain an insight into these small hard deposits that are formed in the kidneys, which cause pain when they pass through the urine read on.

How do you know if you have renal stones?
This could be a tough question to answer in a straightforward manner because experiencing any signs of renal stones is very unlikely until it they start moving around within the kidney or pass in the tube that connects the bladder with the kidney. At this point some of the most common symptoms of renal stones are, pain radiating to the groin and lower abdomen, severe pain in the back and a side portion of the bell, right below the ribs, pain during urination, vomiting, and nausea. In case there's a presence of an infection, chills, and fever may also be evident.

What are the types?
Depending on the crystals that the renal stones are made of, there are four different types of kidney stones, namely, cysteine, uric acid, struvite, and calcium. While calcium renal stones are the most common in people, cysteine renal stones are quite rare. And it is the uric acid stones that are more common in men and the struvites that are mostly found in women who have urinary tract infections.

What are the probable factors that cause the issue?
No definite reason has been found for causing renal stones. However, there are a number of factors that are considered to increase the risk of developing kidney stones, including not drinking enough water, taking certain medications, or having a medical condition that is responsible for increasing the levels of certain substances in urine.

What is the possible course of action?
When the kidney stones are diagnosed in their early stages when they are still small, they can be easily passed in the urine with the help of certain medications. But when the renal stones are found to be large ones, either surgical removal or breaking them up with the help of laser energy or ultrasound may be the only way of getting rid of them.

Remember, there is no straight formula to avoid developing renal stones. However, there are indeed a few factors associated with it by controlling which you can reduce the risks of suffering from renal stones, such as, controlling your weight, staying hydrated and eating healthy. Visit your nearest nephrology specialist right away in case you experience any of the renal stone symptoms as early detection is essential for avoiding surgical treatment.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!