Diet Chart For renal calculi

Renal Calculi is the plural for Renal Calcus which, otherwise, means Kidney Stone. Development of the stones is related to decreased urine volume or increased excretion of stone-forming components such as calcium, oxalate, urate, cystine, xanthine, and phosphate. The process of stone formation is also called nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. "Nephrolithiasis" is derived from the Greek nephros (kidney) + lithos (stone) = kidney stone.

The patient needs to have a sufficient renal calculi diet that includes:

1. Drink water throughout the day. For people with a history of kidney stones, doctors usually recommend passing about 2.6 quarts (2.5 liters) of urine a day. During summers or when a there is dry climate drink even more water to produce enough urine. If urine is light and clear, then the amount of water consumption is perfect.
2. Eat fewer oxalate-rich foods. If there is formation of calcium oxalate stones, avoid foods rich in oxalates. These include rhubarb, beets, okra, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, nuts, tea, chocolate, black pepper and soy products.
3. Choose a diet low in salt and animal protein. Reduce the amount of salt and choose protein sources, such as legumes. Consider using a salt substitute.
4. Continue eating calcium-rich foods, but use caution with calcium supplements. Calcium in food doesn't have an effect on kidney stones.

1. Limit Animal Protein: Foods highest in purines include organ meats, such as liver, heart and kidney; anchovies; sardines; mackerel; codfish; herring; mussels; scallops; shrimp; veal; bacon.
2. Avoid Sodium: Sodium may increase your risk of calcium oxalate and phosphate stones by causing your kidneys to excrete more calcium in the urine.
3. Avoid Oxalate & Vitamin C: Limit the oxalate in your diet if you are at risk for calcium oxalate stones. High-oxalate foods include spinach, beets, rhubarb, nuts, wheat bran, buckwheat and chocolate.
4. Stone Promoting Fluids: Avoid sodas altogether to help reduce recurrence of stones. Drink mostly water and aim to consume between eight to 12 cups of fluid per day.
5. Foods High in Potassium: Kidney patients are advised to limit foods that are high in potassium, as these may lead to life-threatening complications such as heart failure. Tomato, potato, spinach, avocados, banana, orange and dried fruits should be limited.
6. Caffeine and Alcohol: You need to limit caffeine and alcohol, they may initially increase urine output, but deplete your body water.

Do's:

1. Drink sufficient water/juices to excrete more than
   1. 5-2 liters of urine per day.
   2. Reduce consumption of protein food to a judicious level, as diet high in protein (e.g., meat fish, pulses, nuts and eggs) may lead to kidney stones.
   3. Decrease the consumption of sugar (e.g., sucrose)as sugar also promotes stone formation.
   4. Consume adequate amount of calcium every day. You can get enough calcium from food items like milk (120mg/100g), yogurt (120 mg/100g) and cheese (700mg/100g) reducing calcium intake may not decrease risk of stone formation but can lead to osteopenia.
   5. Daily consume raw fruits such as melons, papaya, grapes, bananas, etc. in large quantity as they provide water soluble fiber.
   6. Be active and exercise regularly to lose your weight, which may be helpful to flush out better and maintain healthy functioning kidneys.

   Don'ts:

   1. Avoid drinking a lot of coffee/tea and alcoholic beverages.
   2. Avoid too much drinking of carbonated drinks, sports drinks and sodas etc.
   3. Avoid highly salted (e.g., canned food, ready to eat food snacks, etc.) or sugared foods. High salt intake increases the level of calcium in urine and hence increases the risk of stone formation.
   4. Avoid oxalate containing foods including nuts, black tea, green leafy vegetables, soya and chocolates.

1. Cereals: Brown rice, Oat meal, Brocken wheat, Ragi, Quinoa.
2. Pulses: Chickpeas, Kidney beans, moong dal, masoor dal, soybeans.
3. Vegetables: All gourds-bitter gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ivy gourd, ladies finger, tinda,green leafy vegetables.
4. Fruits: Custard Apple, Pears, Grape and Watermelon, Orenges and Apple.
5. Milk and Milk products: Skim milk, Paneer, Cotage Cheese, Yoghurt.
6. Meat, Fish and Egg: Lean Meat, skin out chicken, Tuna, Salmon.
7. Oil:
   1. 5 Tbsp/ day( Olive oil, Rice bran Oil, Canola oil
   2. Sugar: 1 Tsp/ day.