Gallstones & kidney stones: Don't wait until they start rolling!

Veröffentlicht am: October 25, 2024
Dr. med. Wolfgang  Bachmann
Dr. med. Wolfgang Bachmann

General practitioner

Don't wait for the stones to start rolling on their own!

They often go unnoticed for a long time and most people are unaware of them - we are talking about gallstones and kidney stones.

These stones are caused by an imbalance in the body and can exist and grow for a long time without being felt. However, if they start to migrate, we notice them immediately as they cause severe pain.

10-15% of adults develop gallstones!

How are the "stones" created?

Gallstones usually form from cholesterol or bilirubin (yellow bile pigment) when the balance in the gallbladder is disturbed. This is caused, for example, by a poor diet, obesity, rapid weight loss or hormonal imbalance. If little water is then drunk, the waste products concentrate, accumulate and grow. Women, people over the age of 40 and overweight people are particularly affected by gallstones. But people who have lost a lot of weight or do little exercise should also be careful.

Kidney stones form when minerals accumulate in the kidneys and coalesce into solid formations. A highly acidic and salt-rich lifestyle puts a lot of strain on the kidneys. This is because the body has to neutralize acids from meat, dairy products, convenience foods or alcohol with the help of minerals, especially calcium. This results in calcium salts. If too little is drunk at the same time and the substances are not flushed out, kidney stones form.

➤ 50% of all kidney stone patients develop kidney stones again within a short time!

How do gallstones and kidney stones manifest themselves?

Most affected people do not notice their gallstones or kidney stones for a long time, as they are stuck locally. However, it can happen that the small stones break loose and suddenly go on the move. This is exactly what becomes problematic for us!

Why is that?

Gallstones migrate from the gallbladder into the bile ducts, kidney stones from the kidneys into the renal pelvis. The problem is that they can block these pathways. This leads to a backlog of fluids, which can result in biliary or renal colic. Colic must be treated immediately.

The symptoms of gallstones or kidney stones vary greatly, as most people are unaware of them for a long time. However, if they become noticeable, this often results in severe abdominal pain, tension and back pain. Other signs of kidney stones include blood in the stool or severe nausea.

➤ Vegetarians have a 3.8 x lower risk of gallstones!

Prevention is better than aftercare

Depending on how they progress, gallstones and kidney stones can cause severe pain and even colic, which may even have to be surgically removed. It is therefore always advisable to prevent such complaints at an early stage.

Drink enough!

Between 2 and 3 liters of water should be drunk daily. This helps to flush out any unwanted substances at an early stage. Toxins are also eliminated in this way, which in turn relieves the liver. Fruit and vegetable juices are also suitable as a preventative measure, as they provide important vital substances and thus contribute to detoxification. Adequate fluid intake is the easiest factor to implement! One indicator of whether you are drinking enough is the color of your urine. If it is yellowish to yellow, you definitely need to drink more.

Eat right!

An alkaline diet is particularly suitable for preventing kidney stones. This is because table salt, highly acidic foods such as animal products (especially animal protein), convenience products, sugary drinks and alcohol promote the formation of kidney stones.

An anti-inflammatory diet is suitable for preventing gallstones. Foods with a high cholesterol content, saturated fatty acids, trans fats and refined sugar promote the formation of gallstones and should be avoided. In comparison, the risk of gallstones is massively reduced with a vegetarian diet. In one study, women who did not eat a vegetarian diet and therefore had a higher cholesterol level were 3.8 times more likely to develop gallstones than vegetarians with a normal cholesterol level.

In general, factors such as obesity, visceral fat, but also severe weight loss, greatly favor cholesterol-related gallstone formation. Obesity is also often associated with an acidic diet, which in turn favors the formation of kidney stones.  

Natural support for the prevention of gallstones:

  • Vitamin C can improve the crystallization process of cholesterol as the first step in the formation of cholesterol gallstones in the bile.
  • Turmeric has anti-cholelithogenic properties. The substance prevents the formation of cholesterol gallstones and even helps in the regression of gallstones that have already formed. Turmeric also supports digestion and the liver and reduces inflammation.
  • Coconut oil Fat is generally not recommended for gallstones, but coconut oil is cholesterol-free and therefore well tolerated. Animal studies show that coconut oil can help to counteract gallstones.

Natural support for the prevention of kidney stones:

  • Magnesium citrate: If there is a magnesium deficiency in the body, the amount of urine decreases, which can lead to kidney problems such as kidney stones. Magnesium is therefore important in the prevention of kidney stones. However, citrates also play a major role in prevention, as they naturally inhibit the formation of kidney stones.

Conclusion

Both gallstones and kidney stones can grow unnoticed in our bodies for a long time. They are usually only noticed when they start to migrate, which is associated with severe pain. Often the cause of the formation of these "stones" is an incorrect diet, which suggests that they could often be avoided. Prevent them at an early stage by drinking enough still water, eating a proper, low-inflammatory and alkaline diet and supplying your body with important vital substances.

Don't wait until gallstones or kidney stones become noticeable on their own!

 

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