Natural Cures For Kidney Stones

How many times, when a woman has been asked what childbirth is like, have you heard the response, "It's like passing a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon"? Sounds pretty painful, doesn't it? There is only one other condition that I have heard people make mention of that runs a close second to the pain of childbirth and that is passing a kidney stone.   Our kidneys are pretty amazing organs and their job is a pretty important one. They are responsible for cleansing our bodies of the potentially fatal toxins that build up on a daily basis. They can't do this job without a bit of help from us though, and when we pump ourselves with more soda than water, or more chocolate than fruit, we debilitate the kidneys and increase our chances of developing those excruciating stones.   Everything in our body is made up of a system which relies on balance. Urine, the fluid the kidneys are responsible for pumping out of our system, is no different. When our urine has too much calcium or uric acid than can be broken down, or is short of the substances that it needs to prevent the crystal-forming substances like calcium from sticking together, then these crystals become stones. The size of these stones can be as small as a grain of sand or they can be as large as an egg. Ouch!   Now if you are awakened in the middle of the night with a searing pain below your ribs and you are prone to kidney infections or kidney stones, there is no doubt that you will be looking for something to help relieve your pain and symptoms as quickly as possible. The following are a list of home remedies which may just do the trick.   Apple cider vinegar has long been used in the treatment of many ailments and kidney stones is among them. It works its magic by softening and dissolving the stones, making it much less painful to pass them when the time comes.   In other countries, people who drink unsweetened apple cider have virtually no problems at all with kidney stones. It seems as though an apple a day really does keep the doctor away.   Basil is great for more than spicing up our spaghetti sauce. When you combine a teaspoon of it with a teaspoon of honey, it expells stones from the urinary tract with ease.   Celery has been proven to prevent the formation of stones when eaten on a daily basis. This is an especially effective treatment for those who suffer from repeated attacks.   Grapes and watermelon are wonderful in the treatment of kidney stones due to their high water content. They have proven to be the safest diuretic used in the treatment of stones.   Vitamin B6, when it's used in combination with some other complex B vitamins, actually offers a permanent cure to this problem when used over several months. The recommended dose per day is 100 to 150 mg.   Do you like lemonade? Then take it one step further and down some pure, unadulterated lemon juice! A half a cup a day will protect against the calcium stores in your urine, preventing the formation of calcium stones.  

Green Tea has yet another magical use. Although some have argued that tea of any kind is no good for your diet due to the oxalate in them, the same is not true for green tea. You see, green tea is full of powerful antioxidants, and it is these antioxidants that inhibit the formation of kidney stones. So brew away and drink a glass today.

While there are a number of risk factors involved in the development of kidney stones, perhaps the number one risk factor is not drinking enough water. Water cleanses our urinary system and has absolutely nothing in it that can contribute to the make up of harmful, stone forming substances. It is our best friend and best defense when preventing a kidney infection or the development of kidney stones.

Diet also plays a vital role in all of this. If you are prone to the development of kidney stones, you may want to avoid foods that are rich in oxalate, the substance which is linked to the formation of kidney stones. These foods include, but are not limited to, beans, green peppers, spinach, chocolate, soft drinks, and wheat bran.

While these home remedies may work for most, for every one in ten they will not. It is vital to always seek the advice of a doctor, even before trying a home treatment. There are various types of stones that exist, all of which require a different course of treatment. With a diagnosis from your doctor, you will be better equiped to properly treat the specific problem you have.