Kidney Stone Diet

  • Kidney Stone Diet, where to start

    Kidney Stone Diet, where to start

    Welcome to a day in my life filled with private consults. I find it a true joy and privilege to help you navigate your kidney stone journey. Whether reviewing 24-hour urine collections or helping someone integrate the Kidney Stone Diet® into their current lifestyle for weight loss, diabetes, or food intolerance, each…

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  • How Much Total Protein Do We Need

    How Much Total Protein Do We Need

    Let’s talk about your total protein needs per day. Eating meat (anything that flies, swims, or runs) will play a part in your total needs. Go to my Meat Protein Calculator to determine how much meat protein is okay for kidney stone formers. Here is an article to help you understand meat and its…

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  • The Role of Vitamin D and Kidney Stones

    The Role of Vitamin D and Kidney Stones

    Below is my summary of a very lengthy study on vitamin D and calcium. Here is the complete study for you sciencey folks who like to get down and dirty into the details. Kidney stones are like tiny, hard pebbles that can form in your kidneys when certain substances in your urine,…

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  • How much oxalate is in…

    How much oxalate is in…

    “Jill, how much oxalate is in ___________? It’s not on the list.” My answer is the same now as it was decades ago: eat that unstudied food once or twice a week (I am very practical—you might have leftovers) in normal portion size and meet your calcium needs each day.

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  • Why Do Oxalate Levels Vary?

    Why Do Oxalate Levels Vary?

    Harvard recently updated its oxalate list—you can read about that here—and many of you were concerned that the numbers had changed and demanded answers! I hope our time together today helps you understand the big picture so you can feel less overwhelmed about this change. The worry over the new list…

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  • Updated Oxalate List From Harvard. Now What?

    Updated Oxalate List From Harvard. Now What?

    BIG NEWS!!! In November 2023, Harvard reported on some new and old foods that have been studied. However, I just found out about this information as it is buried on Harvard’s website. We at Kidney Stone Diet have been working all week, night and day, to update our current Harvard…

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  • How to Pass a Kidney Stone

    How to Pass a Kidney Stone

    Not too long ago, I asked my private Facebook group members to tell me what has helped them pass their kidney stones. There were nearly 200 responses, and here are the most common at-home remedies for kidney stone patients from kidney stone patients. They are not in any particular order, but I…

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  • Kidney Stone Risk Factors

    Kidney Stone Risk Factors

    A recent study shows who is at risk for kidney stones and why. It’s a lengthy study, so I thought I would summarize it and save you time. 🙂 Abstract Summary IntroductionKidney stones, a common urological condition, have been recognized since ancient times. Despite advances, the global prevalence of kidney stones is…

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  • 28 Most Common Kidney Stone Myths

    28 Most Common Kidney Stone Myths

    Here you will hear all the kidney stone prevention myths I’ve heard over the past 25 years, which have been interesting and frustrating to say the least. If these potions, pills, wives’ tales, etc, worked, millions of people would not be making kidney stones!

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  • Is Tea Safe for Kidney Stone Formers

    Is Tea Safe for Kidney Stone Formers

    Today, we discuss the oxalate levels of tea. I have written about tea and other beverages on Dr. Coe’s website from the University of Chicago, but not on my website. It’s a common question from my students and patients, so let’s dive in.

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  • The Oxalate Level of Beans

    The Oxalate Level of Beans

    I hear from people all the time who say they miss eating beans. Most of the vegans and vegetarians I have worked with over the years were eating too many beans to get their protein needs met, along with never getting enough calcium into their diet. It’s a perfect mixture for making…

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  • The ABC’s of Kidney Stone Prevention

    The ABC’s of Kidney Stone Prevention

    This post is a refresher on why each part of the Kidney Stone Diet is important and how each goal can lower your stone risk. If you forget the goals, here is a pretty infographic to put on your phone. Drink Your Fluids Students ask me all the time, “How much do I…

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  • The Kidney Stone Diet Is Healthy for All

    The Kidney Stone Diet Is Healthy for All

    One of the most common things I hear from patients and students is, “There is nothing left to eat between my diabetes, heart disease, and kidney stones!” There are many reasons I keep doing the work I do—the most important being to help people change habits and improve their health. The Kidney Stone Diet does just…

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  • Choosing Kindness Over Shame

    Choosing Kindness Over Shame

    My daily calls with patients focus on devising individual plans to change unhealthy habits. Change is hard for most people because habits have been formed over decades. My job is to listen to each person’s story to understand their lifestyle habits and help them create a plan for success that…

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  • Do I Have to Give Up My Favorite Foods?

    Do I Have to Give Up My Favorite Foods?

    I have been helping patients understand how to prevent kidney stones for a long time. It never gets boring because each person comes with their own set of unique lifestyle challenges and changing habits is rarely easy. A concern I often address (several times a day) is the need to…

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  • Naturally Occurring Salt and the Kidney Stone Diet

    Naturally Occurring Salt and the Kidney Stone Diet

    A friend of mine in the Facebook group asked if she was supposed to count all the salt that occurs naturally in foods like fruits and veggies. She also mentioned that she was dealing with a lot of stress and that the thought of counting salt in produce was overwhelming.…

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  • How to Stay Kidney Stone Diet-Compliant Through the Holidays

    How to Stay Kidney Stone Diet-Compliant Through the Holidays

    Let’s talk about how to stay compliant with your Kidney Stone Diet goals over the holiday season, because I don’t expect you to forgo your favorite treats. What would the holidays be without your customs and favorite family festivities? I want you to enjoy your favorite foods because the only…

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  • The Kidney Stone Diet Philosophy

    The Kidney Stone Diet Philosophy

    When people ask me what the kidney stone diet is, I tell them the goals and share my thoughts about diet in general. There is much more to this lifestyle than just paying attention to the goals. Lifestyle change is more about the mind than it is the food. And changing the…

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