A widespread problem I see with my patients and students regarding oxalate is that they take away so many foods because they fear it.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you are well aware of this fact. But many people are reading this newsletter for the first time, so I want to alert you that you can still eat foods with higher oxalate content.
“Jill, you are scaring me. My doctor told me to stay away from all fruits and veggies!”
You would be shocked to hear how many patients are told this by their doctors.
Scary, right?
What should people with diabetes do with this advice? Should they eat more carbs and increase their A1c? Makes me crazy.
Remember, the recommended daily limit for oxalate intake is 100mg unless your doctor has advised otherwise. This limit is generally safe for most individuals, and your doctor should only advise you to go lower than this if you have specific health conditions, such as malabsorption issues from bowel disease or bariatric surgery.
So, if your doctor has instructed you to eat less than 100mg/ox/day and you don’t have any malabsorption issues, please ask if you can go to 100.
Your doctor may throw out an oxalate number and not realize it is too low and cramping your eating style. But in my 25 years of experience and with science to prove it, patients can safely eat 100mg/ox/day, and that’s conservative! I want to reassure you that this is a safe and manageable level. Trust me on this one!
You can download our printable High Oxalate Food List from my Free Resources page.
There are many kidney stone formers in my family. I eat the Kidney Stone Diet®, as I am asking you to. Yes, I still eat higher-oxalate foods like sweet potatoes, which you can find in my meal plans. I always explain why I choose the foods I do in my meal plans in the note section so you get educated with each low-oxalate recipe. This knowledge is your power to manage your diet effectively.
Sweet potatoes have 28mg/cup. I have 100mg/ox/day, so sweet potatoes can undoubtedly fit into my budget. I eat the proper portion size and have it with some calcium. Here is a helpful video explaining how to pair your calcium and oxalate.
The only foods I remove are spinach and almond products. I want to add cashews to this short list as well. Their oxalate levels are too high, and who can eat just a few almonds or cashews?
Just because someone ate one cup of miso soup (miso is higher in oxalate and VERY high in sodium) a few times a year doesn’t mean they will make a stone. We make stones when we eat the highest oxalate foods on repeat and in any quantity we want AND without getting any calcium.
Calcium is key. Read this on how to get calcium and how much you need.
Be mindful of the oxalate part. You would think it is the devil himself from what you read on the web but honestly, once you stop eating spinach and almonds and cashews in handfuls and get your calcium needs met daily, your oxalate level will plummet.
I have taken people’s oxalate levels from urine tests from 125 to under 30 (where they should be) with just one phone call.
Instead, focus on water, calcium, added sugar, and salt. Once you do, watch your whole life transform. Students in my group calls who have taken my course have experienced incredible transformations. Look at these inspiring photos and read these uplifting testimonials.
You can do it too!
Enjoy your weekend.
Your friend and advocate,
Jill
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