with Jill Harris, LPN, CHC
Kidney Stone Diet
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A Pill Is Not a Plan: Understanding Your Kidney Stone Prevention
Kidney stone patients are often told to take a medication to prevent more stones before they fully understand why that medication was prescribed. Medication is not the enemy. Guessing is. I want to be very careful here because I know many of you trust me, and I take that seriously.…
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From Crystal to Crisis: How Kidney Stones Form
When someone has a kidney stone attack, it can feel like the stone came out of nowhere. One day, you are fine. The next day, you are writhing in pain on the bathroom floor, wondering what in the world is happening to your body. But most kidney stones do not…
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Toxic Foods and Kidney Stones
If you’ve ever had a kidney stone, you know the feeling. You’re in pain, real pain, the kind that makes you say, “I will do anything to never go through this again.” So you start searching, trying to figure out what to eat, what to avoid, what caused it. And…
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How to Stop New Kidney Stones
“It is not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters.” —Epictetus If you’ve had a kidney stone, you’ve probably heard a number that sticks in your mind: “You have a 50% chance of another stone.” That statistic gets repeated everywhere (I say it myself) and…
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What’s Really Happening Inside Your Kidneys
Why Understanding Your Kidneys Changes Behavior I’ve always believed that people are more willing to change when they understand why they’re being asked to change. Diet advice sticks when it’s tied to what’s actually happening inside the body, not just a list of rules. This approach is what has helped…
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Menopause and Kidney Stone Risk
When women go through menopause, estrogen levels naturally decline—and that shift impacts more than just hot flashes or mood swings. Estrogen plays a significant role in how your body handles calcium—in your bones, blood, and, ultimately, your urine. Here’s what’s happening: This change is normal, but it means your kidneys…
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The #1 Stone Prevention Goal You Should Be Focused On
When starting the Kidney Stone Diet® goals, I am often asked which goal should be the priority. My response is always fluids. You must drink enough fluids to produce 2.5 – 3 liters of urine daily. Below are common reasons people have low urine volume: Fluid Intake Issues Physical &…
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50 Food Myths
Think you’re doing everything right? These common myths might be raising your kidney stone risk. When trying to prevent kidney stones, there’s nothing more frustrating than hearing conflicting advice. Should you stop dairy? Is lemon juice a cure-all? Does spinach count as a superfood or a stone-maker? I’ve spent the…
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Idiopathic Hypercalciuria—What It Is and How to Manage It
Have you ever been told you have too much calcium in your urine, but your blood calcium is totally normal? Then, you may have something called idiopathic hypercalciuria, or IH for short. Idiopathic means there’s no clear medical cause like a tumor or gland issue. Hypercalciuria means your body is…
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Uric Acid Stones: What They Are, Why You’re Making Them, and How to Stop Them
These stones are different from the more common calcium-based ones. But here’s the great news: uric acid stones are one of the most preventable stones.
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How to Manage Calcium Phosphate Stones
Why Am I Making Calcium Phosphate Stones? You may feel frustrated and confused if you’ve been told you have calcium phosphate stones. Most kidney stone advice is for calcium oxalate stones, which are more common. Calcium phosphate stones are different and don’t always respond to the same prevention strategies. In…
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Kidney Stone Prevention: What Most People Get Wrong
Oxalate. A word you’d never heard before your kidney stone encounter. It is such a small word, but boy does it bring about a lot of confusion and anxiety with my patients. I understand. But here is some excellent news… Oxalate is the LEAST important part of the Kidney Stone…
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Who Is Nurse Jill?
If you’re new here, allow me to introduce myself… I’m Jill Harris—Your Kidney Stone Prevention Nurse I’ve been a nurse since 1998, starting my career at the University of Chicago. Early on, however, I realized I wanted to do more than care for patients AFTER they landed in the hospital—I…
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Understanding Common Kidney Stone Medications
Today, we’re taking a brief look at the most commonly prescribed medications for kidney stone prevention, why doctors choose them, and the medical conditions that can make them necessary. Here’s how each medication works, the conditions it treats, and how lifestyle changes can enhance its effects.
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Kidney Stone Stent 411
The goal of sharing this information with you is not to scare you but to inform you of what is typical with stents and what isn’t, as well as how to manage them and what to expect. Being informed about these factors can help you feel more in control of…
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46 Reasons You’re Still Making Kidney Stones.
Kidney stone disease is complicated and difficult to manage if you’re not getting the proper guidance. It’s NEVER one thing—there are usually many reasons you’re still making kidney stones despite the fact that you gave up spinach and almond products and your doc says everything “looks fine.”
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Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones
Hi! Happy November. I am ready for it! So, I have been meaning to write about the correlation between bone and stone disease for a while now and figured today was the day. Dr Coe, my mentor, has always said, “Wherever you see a stone clinic, a bone clinic is…
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Kidney Stone Diet Safe Seeds and Nuts List
Upon first meeting, many of my patients have already given up all nuts and seeds for fear of the high oxalate content. However, there are only a few nuts you should give up to lower urine oxalate.
“The Kidney Stone Diet is far more than just a diet; this plan is life-altering!”
“The group calls will transform you physically and emotionally. Once you start this journey, your health naturally improves. I have lost a total of 40 pounds and have consistently kept it off. The group calls are such support; this is more like family than a zoom meeting to stay accountable. Jill is far more than a nurse; she is a life coach. Her platform is invaluable.”
Kim J. | Kidney Stone Prevention Course
“The best decision I’ve made has been to join this group.”
“I have been working on weight loss for many years. This group has kept me on track and has helped my continued success with my weight loss.”
Kate L. | Group Calls with Jill
“I have been following the Meal Plan for about 6 weeks and I feel amazing.”
“Eating healthy has also encouraged me to go to bed earlier, so I am also getting more sleep. Because of that, I have been able to get up before work and exercise! So yes, the positive effects are spilling over into all areas of a healthy lifestyle.”
Jerry T. | Meal Plan Subscriber
“I have been a part of the group calls with Jill for the last 14 months, and they are essential to being so successful with the Kidney Stone Diet Prevention Plan.”
Sarah B. | Group Calls with Jill
“These calls are the gold of this program!!”
“I can’t say enough about how Jill knows just the right questions to ask us or how she prods us to think about what is going on in our lives.”
Monica K. | Group Calls with Jill
“I took the course with Jill, and my second 24 hour urine was MUCH better than the first.”
“She gives very practical information, and it WORKS. I was totally overwhelmed at first. I got very poor diet information from my doctors. Jill made it easy for me to understand, and I took it one day at a time. I still watch her videos when I need a tune-up. Jill is the best, and she really cares about all of us. Take the course—it will help you!!!”
Mark J. | Kidney Stone Prevention Course