The best way to prevent kidney stones is to make sure you drink plenty of water each day. This helps you avoid becoming dehydrated.
To prevent stones returning, aim to drink up to 3 litres (5.2 pints) of fluid throughout the day, every day.
You should:
- drink water, drinks like tea and coffee also count
- add fresh lemon juice to your water
- avoid fizzy drinks
- do not eat too much salt
Keep your pee clear. This helps to stop waste products getting too concentrated and forming stones.
You can tell how diluted your pee is by looking at its colour. The darker your pee is, the more concentrated it is.
Your pee is usually a dark yellow colour in the morning. It contains a build-up of waste products that your body's produced overnight.
Fluids
Drinks like tea, coffee and fruit juice can count towards your fluid intake. But water is the healthiest option. It is also best for preventing kidney stones developing.
Drink more when it's hot or when you're exercising. This will replace fluids lost through sweating.
Diet
Depending on the type of stones you have, your GP may advise you to cut down on certain types of food.
Do not make any changes to your diet without speaking to your GP first.
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
