Kidney stones

Top 15 Foods for Kidney Health

Most of us know that eating a balanced diet is important for good health. Now scientists have pinpointed certain foods as super foods. In addition to promoting overall health, these are foods for kidney health as well.

To understand why they’re called super foods, we first have to understand oxidation and free radicals. Oxidation is a normal bodily process for producing energy and is part of many chemical changes in your body. However, it can sometimes lead to the production of molecules called free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that bounce wildly around inside your body, damaging proteins, genes and cell membranes. Free radicals are believed to contribute to aging and many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Top-15-Super-foods-to-boost-kidney-health

The good news is super foods contain antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals. Even in relatively low amounts, antioxidants can help slow or stop the rate of oxidation caused by free radicals. Examples of antioxidants include flavonoids, lycopene and vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.
Super foods for your kidneys

If you are on dialysis or have chronic kidney disease (CKD), you’ll be glad to know that there are lots of super foods, containing antioxidants and other health-supporting properties, included in the kidney diet. People with kidney disease experience more inflammation and have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those without kidney problems. If you have kidney disease, it’s important that you consult a renal dietitian and follow a kidney diet. Including super foods in your kidney diet eating plan can help you increase your intake of nutrients and antioxidants.

Here’s a list of the top 15 kidney-friendly super foods. These foods are good for everyone, not just people with kidney disease, so by using them in your family’s meals, you’ll be helping your loved ones enjoy good health too.

1. Red bell peppers
Red bell peppers are a good choice for those concerned about kidney health, because they’re low in potassium. In addition, they add color and taste to any dish, while packing a generous portion of vitamins A, C, B6, folic acid and fiber. They also contain the antioxidant lycopene, which protects against certain types of cancer.

If you’re following the kidney diet, it’s easy to add red bell peppers to your food plan. Mix them into tuna or chicken salad or eat raw with dip. Roasted, they’re great for topping sandwiches or green salads. Chop them up for use in egg dishes, such as omelets or scrambled eggs, add them to kabobs for grilling or stuff them with a ground beef or turkey mixture for a tasty baked entrée.

2. Cabbage
Crunchy cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable filled with phytochemicals, chemical compounds found in certain fruits and vegetables. Phytochemicals work to break apart free radicals. Many phytochemicals are believed to combat cancer and support cardiovascular health.

Inexpensive cabbage is a great addition to your eating plan, because it’s also high in vitamins K and C, high in fiber and a good source of vitamin B6 and folic acid, yet it’s low in potassium, so it’s especially kidney-friendly.

If you’re following the dialysis diet, add cabbage by turning it into coleslaw or use as a topping for fish tacos. Cabbage can be boiled, steamed or microwaved and then enjoyed with a touch of butter or cream cheese and a sprinkling of pepper or caraway seeds. Other nutritious meal options include cabbage rolls and stuffed cabbage.

3. Cauliflower
Another kidney-friendly super food is cauliflower. This cruciferous vegetable brings lots of vitamin C to your plate, along with folate and fiber. In addition it contains compounds that help your liver neutralize toxic substances.

Cauliflower can be eaten raw with dip or in salads. Steamed or boiled, it can be seasoned and turned into a great side dish. You can even mash cauliflower as a dialysis-friendly replacement for mashed potatoes.

4. Garlic
Garlic is good for reducing inflammation and lowering cholesterol. It also has antioxidant and anti-clotting properties. (Cooking garlic will not affect its antioxidant properties, but it will reduce its anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory effects.)
If you’re following the dialysis diet, use garlic powder instead of garlic salt to add extra flavor to your meals without adding extra sodium. Garlic can be used in cooking many dishes: meat, vegetables or tomato sauce, for instance. Once you start cooking with garlic, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it.

5. Onion
Another popular food used for seasoning is the onion. Onion is full of flavonoids, particularly quercetin. Flavonoids are natural chemicals that prevent the deposit of fatty material in blood vessels and add pigmentation (color) to plants. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to help reduce heart disease and protect against many forms of cancer. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Low in potassium, onions are not only kidney-friendly; they also contain chromium, a mineral that assists your body with the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Onions can be enjoyed raw or cooked in a variety dishes.

6. Apples
An apple a day really does help keep the doctor away! High in fiber and anti-inflammatory properties, apples help reduce cholesterol, prevent constipation, protect against heart disease and decrease your risk of cancer.
Renal-friendly apples can be eaten raw or cooked. Or get their health benefits by drinking apple juice or cider.

7. Cranberries
Cranberries are great for preventing urinary tract infections, because they make urine more acidic and help keep bacteria from attaching to the inside of the bladder. They’ve also been shown to protect against cancer and heart disease.
Although we think of cranberries as a holiday side dish, cranberry juice can be enjoyed daily for added nutrition. Or toss a handful of dried cranberries into your cereal or salad.

8. Blueberries
These tasty berries get their blue color from antioxidant compounds called anthocyanidins. Blueberries get high marks for nutrition, thanks to natural compounds that reduce inflammation and lots of vitamin C and fiber. They also contain manganese, which contributes to healthy bones.
Use blueberries to top off your morning cereal, whip them up in a fruit smoothie or enjoy them in a baked treat, such as muffins or crisp.

9. Raspberries
Raspberries contain a compound called ellagic acid, which helps neutralize free radicals. The berry’s red color comes from antioxidants called anthocyanins. Raspberries are packed with fiber, vitamin C and manganese. They also have plenty of folate, a B vitamin. Raspberries have properties that help stop cancer cell growth and the formation of tumors.
Sprinkle fresh raspberries on cereal, or whip them up in a kidney-friendly fruit smoothie.

10. Strawberries
Strawberries are rich in two types of antioxidants, plus they contain lots of vitamin C, manganese and fiber. They have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties and also help keep your heart healthy.
Like most berries, they’re wonderful on cereal or in smoothies. Add whipped topping for a quick dessert, or puree them for a fresh addition to pound or angel food cake.

11. Cherries
Cherries are filled with antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect your heart. When eaten daily, they have been shown to reduce inflammation.
Fresh cherries make a delicious snack. Of course, cherry pie is a popular dessert, but there’s also cherry crisp, cherry cheesecake and even cherry coffee cake. Cherry sauce makes a nice accompaniment to lamb or pork.

12. Red grapes
The color in red grapes comes from several flavonoids. These are good for your heart, because they prevent oxidation and reduce the chance of blood clots. One flavonoid in grapes, resveratrol, may boost production of nitric oxide, which increases muscle relaxation in blood vessels for better blood flow. Flavonoids also help protect you from cancer and prevent inflammation.
Choose those with red or purple skin grapes for the highest flavonoid content. Eat grapes as a snack. When frozen, they make a good thirst-quencher for those on a fluid-restricted diet. Add grapes to fruit or chicken salad. Or drink grape juice.

13. Egg whites
Did you know that egg whites are pure protein? They provide the highest quality protein there is, along with all of the essential amino acids. If you’re on the kidney diet, it’s good to note that egg whites have less phosphorus than other protein sources, such as egg yolks or meats.
Use egg whites for omelets or egg white sandwiches. You can also add them to smoothies or shakes. Hard boil eggs and use the whites to use in tuna or green salads.

14. Fish
Another high-quality source of protein is fish. Both the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association recommend that you include fish in your meal plan two or three times a week. Besides being a great source of protein, fish contains anti-inflammatory fats called omega-3s. These healthy fats help prevent diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. They also help lower LDL (the bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (the good cholesterol).

The types of fish that have the most omega-3s are salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring and rainbow trout.

15. Olive oil
Research has shown that people in countries where olive oil is used instead of other types of oils tend to have lower rates of cancer and heart disease. This is believed to be due to olive oil’s many good components: oleic acid, an anti-inflammatory fatty acid which protects against oxidation and polyphenols and antioxidant compounds that prevent inflammation and oxidation.
Use virgin or extra virgin olive oil – they’re higher in antioxidants. Olive oil can be used in cooking or to make salad dressing, as a dip for bread and as a marinade for vegetables.

Source: health digezt

Scorching summer may trigger kidney stone attacks

Scorching summer may trigger kidney stone attacks

As daily temperatures rose, there was a rapid increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for kidney stones.

Hot and humid days may bring more kidney stones as higher temperatures contribute to dehydration that leads to a higher concentration of calcium in the body that promote the growth of kidney stones.

In a study involving 60,000 patients in the US, researchers found that as daily temperatures rose, there was a rapid increase in the number of patients seeking treatment for kidney stones.

“The findings point to potential public health effects associated with global climate change,” said Gregory E. Tasian, a pediatric urologist and epidemiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

It is likely that higher temperatures increase the risk of kidney stones in those people predisposed to stone formation.

The delay between high daily temperatures and kidney stone presentation was short, peaking within three days of exposure to hot days, the study added.

The team found that as frigid weather keeps people more in indoors, higher indoor temperatures, changes in diet and decreased physical activity may raise their risk of kidney stones.

The authors note that increase in greenhouse gas emissions are projected to raise earth’s average temperatures by 1 to 4.5 degrees Celsius by 2100.

“Kidney stone prevalence has already been on the rise over the last 30 years, and we can expect this trend to continue as daily temperature increase,” Tasian noted.

The paper was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Source: Khaleej Times

New lens design improves kidney stone treatment

Duke engineers have devised a way to improve the efficiency of lithotripsy — the demolition of kidney stones using focused shock waves. After decades of research, all it took was cutting a groove near the perimeter of the shock wave-focusing lens and changing its curvature.I’ve spent more than 20 years investigating the physics and engineering aspects of shock wave lithotripsy,” said Pei Zhong, the Anderson-Rupp Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University. “And now, thanks to the willingness of Siemens (a leading lithotripter manufacturer) to collaborate, we’ve developed a solution that is simple, cost-effective and reliable that can be quickly implemented on their machines.”

The study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The incidence of kidney stones in the United States has more than doubled during the past two decades, due at least in part to the expanding waistlines of its citizens. The condition has also been linked to hot, humid climates and high levels of stress—a combination of living environments that seems to have led to a rise in kidney stone rates of veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

During the past two decades, lithotripter manufacturers introduced multiple changes to their machines. Rather than having patients submerged in a bath of lukewarm water, newer machines feature a water-filled pouch that transfers the shock wave into the flesh. An electrohydraulic shock wave generator used in the past was replaced by an electromagnetic model that is more powerful, more reliable and more consistent.

The new designs made the devices more convenient and comfortable to use, but reduced the effectiveness of the treatment. After years of research, Zhong and his colleagues have determined why.

The increased power in some third-generation shock wave lithotripters narrowed the wave’s focal width to reduce damage to surrounding tissues. But this power jump also shifted the shock wave’s focal point as much as 20 millimetres toward the device, ironically contributing to efficiency loss and raising the potential for tissue damage. The new electromagnetic shock wave generators also produced a secondary compressive wave that disrupted one of the primary stone-smashing mechanisms, cavitation bubbles.

“We were presented with the challenge of engineering a design solution that mitigated these drawbacks without being too expensive,” said Zhong. “It had to be something that was effective and reliable, but also something that the manufacturer was willing to adopt. So we decided to focus on a new lens design while keeping everything else in their system intact.”

The solution was to cut a groove near the perimeter of the backside of the lens and change its geometry. This realigned the device’s focal point and optimized the pressure distribution with a broad focal width and lower peak pressure. It also allowed more cavitation bubbles to form around the targeted stone instead of in the surrounding tissue.

In laboratory tests, the researchers sent shock waves through a tank of water and used a fibre optic pressure sensor to ensure the shock wave was focusing on target. They broke apart synthetic stones in a model human kidney and in anaesthesized pigs and used a high-speed camera to watch the distribution of cavitation bubbles forming and collapsing—a process that happens too fast for the human eye to see.

The results showed that while the current commercial version reduced 54 per cent of the stones into fragments less than two millimetres in diameter, the new version pulverized 89 per cent of the stones while also reducing the amount of damage to surrounding tissue. Smaller fragments are more easily passed out of the body and less likely to recur.

“We feel we have exceeded expectations in our evaluation of this new lens design, which is based on solid physics and engineering principles,” said Zhong, who expects the new lens to enter clinical trials in Germany this summer.

“My hope is that this will be a breaking point demonstrating that effective, interactive collaboration between academia and industry can really improve the design of lithotripters that will benefit millions of stone patients worldwide who suffer from this painful disease,” Zhong said.

“Our design, in principle, can be adapted by other manufacturers to improve their machines as well. I would like to see all lithotripsy machines improved so that urologists can treat stones more effectively and patients can receive better treatment and feel more comfortable with the procedure,” he added.

Source: India Medical Times

New method boon for kidney stone treatment

The expanding waistlines of the citizens, increasing stress and humid conditions may have given rise, at least in part, to rising incidence of kidney stones in the world, but a way to ease the treatment of the disease has eluded the scientists for some time.

This is likely to change soon as engineers from Duke University in Durham have devised a way to improve the efficiency of lithotripsy – the medical procedure of demolishing kidney stones using focused shock waves.

After decades of research, all it took was cutting a groove near the perimeter of the shock wave-focusing lens and changing its curvature, the engineers said.
“We’ve developed a simple, cost-effective and reliable solution that can be quickly implemented on their machines,” said Pei Zhong, professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Duke University.

In laboratory tests, the researchers sent shock waves through a tank of water and used a fiber optic pressure sensor to ensure the shock wave was focusing on target.

They broke apart synthetic stones in a model human kidney and in anesthesised pigs and used a high-speed camera to watch the distribution of cavitation bubbles forming and collapsing – a process that happens too fast for the human eye to see.

During the past two decades, lithotripter manufacturers introduced multiple changes to their machines, but they couldn’t improve effectiveness of kidney stone treatment.

While the current commercial version reduced 54 percent of the stones into fragments less than two millimeters in diameter, the new version pulverised 89 percent of the stones while also reducing the amount of damage to surrounding tissue.

The study appeared in the journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: Yahoo news

Kidney stones: this pain is ‘Worse than childbirth’

One of the most common presentations is the flank pain on one side. It sometimes radiates down into the stomach, and it can actually radiate down into the genital area. That type of pain is pretty commonly seen in stone patients.

Sometimes there’s nausea and vomiting. Those type of symptoms are something that gives us a clue that this may be a stone.

The CAT scan is the gold standard for imaging for kidney stones. That’s usually the way to diagnose it. You can’t do it from a blood test or anything else.

Why do people say that they are so painful?
It blocks the flow of urine in the kidney, and it causes backup. And it’s an excruciating pain. A lot of people do describe it as worse than childbirth.

When the system is trying to push urine out, what happens is: your kidney and your ureter — they have this muscle propagation that goes down the kidney into the ureter — when it’s trying to push and the stone is blocking it, you get these intense pains. That’s why we call it colicky, it comes and goes and it’s extremely painful and the main reason for the pain is the backup of urine.

What’s happening exactly?
Usually, if they have two kidneys, they urinate fine, because you’re getting urine on the other side. The problem is, that kidney is producing urine but it can’t get pushed down.

If you take a pipe and you clog it off and somehow you’re still getting fluid into the other end … if it’s a pipe that can expand, it starts expanding.

The backup is like that. It causes a great deal of pain because you’re expanding your system. You don’t have any pop-off valve. Once it starts expanding, it’s expanding unnaturally.

It’s called hydronephrosis, and it’s basically backup of urine into the kidney.
What to do for kidney stones

Are there particular risk factors?
There are certain diseases associated with kidney stones, things like hypoparathyroidism, or some bowel diseases where your absorption isn’t normal.

Things like obesity and diabetes are associated with kidney stones. The main dietary factors are low water intake and high salt intake and animal protein — anything you killed to eat. If you have high amounts of those intakes, it causes your urine to acidify and then it becomes more prone to having stones.

It just depends on the person. If you have a family history, you’re more apt to get a stone.

What is the treatment?
If the stones are small enough, they usually pass on their own. Sometimes it can be an uneventful passage, or sometimes it’s just an excruciating passage, but we can help them out with pain medicine and some other medicines.
We say greater than 5 mm we start watching them closely. They have a higher chance of requiring surgery to pass the stone.
So it’s possible that with pain medicine, it could go away on its own?

Yep, they can pass it. As long as it’s small enough, and there’s nothing abnormal in their system that prevents it from moving through, if it’s small enough people can pass the stones by themselves.

How long does that take?
It can take a few days. Depending on where the stone is and how small it is. Sometimes we monitor up to six weeks, but if the stone isn’t progressing, we’ll go ahead and take care of it.

If the pain is so much that they can’t endure it, then we will go ahead and treat. If their pain is coming and going, and well-controlled with things like ibuprofen or other pain medicine, sometimes we just wait and let them try and pass it.

Source: CNN