A Whole Diet Approach to Help Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are not something you want to experience if possible. Kidney stones are a gathering of mineral and salt deposits which form in different sizes and shapes your kidneys. These are usually very painful to pass.
To reduce your risk of developing a kidney stone, a whole diet approach is most effective. A whole diet approach means you are providing your body with a matrix of protective factors and kidney supporting components. A diet which has been shown to help reduce your risk of kidney stones is the DASH diet.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet was originally developed to help reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Recent research has evidence to support that this diet may also be effective at reducing your risk of developing kidney stones.
The DASH diet includes eating 9-10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Also, plenty of whole grains or whole grain containing foods like Corn Thins slices, legumes and beans, nuts, and seeds. As well as dairy and moderate amounts of seafood like and white meat like chicken. The DASH diet limits red and processed meats as well as sweetened beverages and sodium.
A total of 241766 people were studied in a combined 50 year follow up. Those people who were following a DASH diet more closely had higher intakes of kidney stone protective the minerals and vitamins calcium, potassium, magnesium, oxalate, and vitamin C and had lower intakes of sodium. Those people following the DASH diet most strictly had a 55-60% lower risk of developing a kidney stone compared to those least closely following the DASH diet.
Corn Thins slices are a good source of many vitamins and minerals which promote kidney health. This includes potassium and magnesium and have a higher oxalate content than refined grains. If you need inspiration on ways to include Corn Thins slices when following a DASH diet check out https://www.cornthins.com/en for many recipe and snack ideas.
Take home message: To help keep your kidneys healthy and reduce your risk of developing painful kidney stones it may be a worthwhile lifestyle investment to take on the DASH diet.
References:
- Taylor EN, Fung TT, Curhan GC. DASH-style diet associates with reduced risk for kidney stones. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2009 Oct;20(10):2253-9. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2009030276. Epub 2009 Aug 13. PMID: 19679672; PMCID: PMC2754098.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20050989