6 Home Remedies That Flush Out Kidney Stones

The most effective way of eliminating kidney stones is to stay hydrated. Choosing the right fluid is necessary and water is mostly preferred. In a tropical country like India, it is imperative to consume 3 to 3.5 litres of water everyday. This varies seasonally– in summers, we sweat copiously, therefore requiring more water to replenish lost fluids. (Image Source: Getty)

Remove soft drinks like soda from your diet. They are full of artificial sweeteners and fructose that tend to crystallise, forming stones over time. While research has shown a negative correlation between caffeine and kidney stones, it is advisable to consume it in optimum amounts. Too much of anything adversely impacts your body. (Image Source: Getty)

Citric acid is a scientifically-backed remedy for kidney stones. Add lemon and lime to your daily consumption, be it in the form of juice (without added sugar) in the morning or as salad dressing. This acid acts on calcium crystals filtered by the kidneys, preventing them from saturating and binding together. It significantly reduces the risk of stone formation. (Image Source: Getty)

Excess amounts of sodium in your diet increases the risk of calcium crystals in urine. Every salt has sodium. To counter this, consume less salts and supplement it with healthier alternatives like spices, lime juice and chopped vegetables like onions. Processed foods like instant noodles, condiments and industry-made sauces also consist of sodium. It is necessary to consume protein-rich foods like red meat, seafood and eggs optimally because they have purines, a compound which leads to high concentrations of uric acid in the blood, filtered by the kidneys and formed into stones. (Image Source: Getty)

Do not remove calcium completely from your diet just because the name 'calcium-oxalate' stone suggests so. Consuming calcium-rich products like dairy moderately will cause no harm. Some oxalate-rich foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and grains. However, avoiding foods like spinach, peanuts, beetroot, and sweet potatoes is healthier because they have high oxalate concentration and contribute to stone-formation. Calcium and oxalate bind to each other before entering our kidneys, thereby reducing the chances of crystallising into stones. (Image Source: Getty)

Apple cider vinegar and barley water are timeless organic treatments of kidney stones. The former consists of acetic acid which aids in breaking down kidney stones. It is also a pain-relieving substance. Barley water is also helpful because it is a natural diuretic, inducing the need to urinate frequently. It flushes out waste materials filtered by the kidney, thereby pushing the stones out in the process. (Image Source: Getty)

Inputs by: Shivani Bajwa, Functional Medicine and health expert (Image Source: Getty)