Kidney Stones: Ayurvedic Do’s and Don’ts for Prevention and Relief
Kidney stones are among the conditions patients don’t take seriously until the pain actually hits. By then, they’re typically looking for treatment rather than help with prevention. At Kottakkal Ayurveda with clinics throughout Ajman and Dubai, I manage many patients with these stones, and the best part is that many cases are due to simple diet and lifestyle choices that can be changed, and the right herbs can help tremendously too.
What Actually Helps: The Do’s
I start nearly every patient with advice about hydration. Proper hydration, as well as including water-rich fruits and vegetables, helps flush the urinary tract and decreases the concentration of minerals, and eventually, the stones.
In addition to the above, do not delay urination when there is the urge. It actually allows the urinary minerals to concentrate more. I also suggest a new habit for the morning: drinking one cup of warm water. This helps to eliminate more than just urinary stones.
Yoga, and especially pranayama, has a role here too, because they help alleviate internal stress which will help manage the imbalances even further.
What Not to Do
A couple of habits always seem to negatively impact kidney health. Alcohol and carbonated drinks should be avoided as much as possible. Over the long term, both beverages impact the mineral balance of the body and increase the burden of work for the kidneys.
I encourage my patients not to suppress their emotions. While this seems to be an odd thing to suggest when the discussion is about kidney health, in Ayurveda, chronic suppression of emotions tends to correlate with significant dosha imbalances that manifest corporally in ways that people generally do not expect.
If you’re prone to forming kidney stones, you should also try to limit your intake of milk, maida, eggplant, and tomatoes. All these foods can lead to an internal build up that can lead to stone formation. While this may be an obvious impact of a sedentary lifestyle, it is worth noting that more frequent movement helps the kidney and other internal systems to function as they should.
Why I Recommend Pomegranate Juice
No other remedy for kidney stones is as frequently recommended as is pomegranate juice. It’s a tasty remedy with a therapeutic basis in traditional practice, and it really helps with the natural elimination of stones. I recommend patients regularly include pomegranate juice in their diet.
Dandelion Root: A Natural Kidney Tonic
Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) is another herb I frequently recommend. I consider it a good kidney tonic and cleansing herb. I appreciate how flexible dandelion root proved to be for my patients. It can be taken as an extract, tea, pill, or capsule. Flexible formats have been helpful for herbal patients because the biggest complaint I hear is about the consistency of the regimen and this really helps it.
Phyllanthus Niruri: The “Stone Breaker” Herb
Phyllanthus niruri is a wonderful herb that deserves more recognition. As the name “stone breaker” implies, it has a long history of use in this regard. It is a tropical plant that grows in coastal areas, and in Hindi is known as Bhuiamla, Bahupatra or Bhumiamalaki.
I appreciate this herb due to its action of targeting calcium oxalate crystals. Research and traditional use say that Phyllanthus niruri has an ability to hinder the formation of the crystals and I am excited to use it in a more preventive scope as opposed to just a treatment for when the stones are formed.
Bringing It All Together
I remind my patients that no single treatment can bring major benefits. Incorporating adequate hydration, dietary modifications, herbal treatment, and the addition of yoga and stress management really can help reduce the development of kidney stones and strengthen the body when they are already present. At Kottakkal Ayurveda, treatment focuses on the individual’s constitution and stone history, as treatment cannot be dependent on a single approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is advisable to reduce or avoid tomatoes, eggplant, milk, and foods made with maida, as well as alcohol and sodas, as these foods may all contribute to stone formation.
Pomegranate juice is helpful in stone elimination and has a preventive and supportive role.
Phyllanthus niruri is the common name of the “stone breaker”. It has the role of prevention in the formation of calcium oxalate crystals of which are the principal type of kidney stone.
Eating a proper diet, hydration, and the management of stress and prevention of the retention of urine help to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Kidney stones are often preventable. The combination of proper hydration, diet, and lifestyle changes really help. At Kottakkal Ayurveda, we help our clients through the personal management of their kidney health. With clinics in Ajman and Dubai, we treat our patients with the long-term health in mind, rather than just treating their pain when it occurs.
About the Author
Dr. Keerthi R. Panicker, BAMS, MD (Ay), practices Ayurveda at Kottakkal Ayurvedic Treatment Centre, Sharjah, as a specialist in Swasthavritta (Ayurvedic preventive and social medicine). Her research is dedicated to the investigation of lifestyle-induced metabolic disorders.
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