In this conversation, Jeff Sarris and Jill discuss the factors that contribute to the formation of kidney stones during the winter months. They explore dietary habits, hydration, and lifestyle changes that can increase the risk of kidney stones, emphasizing the importance of maintaining healthy habits even during the holiday season. Jill provides practical tips for preventing kidney stones, including the significance of hydration, the role of vitamin D, and the need for consistency in dietary choices. The conversation highlights the common pitfalls of winter eating and encourages listeners to enjoy holiday treats while also being mindful of their health.
Takeaways
- People are more prone to kidney stones in winter.
- Dietary changes in winter can increase kidney stone risk.
- Hydration is crucial for preventing kidney stones.
- Vitamin D levels should be monitored, especially in winter.
- Obesity and inactivity can lead to kidney stones.
- Enjoy holiday treats but maintain balance in diet.
- Consistency in healthy habits is key, not perfection.
- Small changes in activity can lead to significant health benefits.
- Self-kindness is important in maintaining health goals.
- Awareness of food choices during winter is essential.
00:00 Understanding Kidney Stones in Winter
02:22 Dietary Changes and Their Impact
05:13 The Importance of Hydration
08:30 Vitamin D and Kidney Stone Risk
11:23 Managing Holiday Indulgences
13:57 Consistency Over Perfection
How to Make a Kidney Stone This Winter
Jeff Sarris (00:00):
So let’s talk about how to make a kidney stone this winter.
So we’re actually taking this from a different angle. How would one make a kidney stone this winter? Because it is possible to shift. We’re talking diet, kidneystonediet.com, all the goals to prevent a kidney stone. But what are things that people are inevitably going to do this winter that they need to really think twice about if they want to prevent future kidney stones?
Why Winter Is Risky for Stone Formation
Jill (00:25):
Yeah, I think this is, I like this angle. It’s really important and this is way more common than you think, folks. So why would people be more prone to start making stones in the winter? Doesn’t mean it’s going to come out in the winter, but you’re brewing something, could be during the winter months, fall months, and then summer, next fall. You know that feeling. Kidney stone former is that little something in your back. You’re like, “Holy Brazil, what the heck?”
So here are the things that can increase your risk specifically over winter months. Number one, as we all know, sweater weather, sweater weather. So now’s the time. So we just got rid of, it is fall here in Chicago right now. And of course, whenever you listen to this, it may not be, but right now it’s fall. I’m wearing hoodies, although I always do, but I’m wearing hoodies.
I have, I just changed my tank tops to my sweater weather clothes. So I got sweaters. And what do we do in fall? We’re all bundled up. In summer, we were like, “Holy Brazil, our arms are flabby. I’m wearing shorts.” We’re maybe a little bit more tightened in the summer, you know, cause we’re showing more flesh. In the winter and fall, we’re hiding our bodies more. And this is, I’m not, this isn’t coming from my head. I’m telling you what patients have told me over the decades. “Well, Jill, you know, it was sweater weather. I just started eating caramel apples, pumpkin latte, this, badabada boo. You know, the holidays came.”
So, you know, it’s winter and fall. We dress differently because no one can see our bodies. So we feel a little bit more free spirited than we usually do in the summer. This is what you guys tell me. So because our bodies are hidden, we may be eating a little bit more calories. Typically it’s not blueberries we’re eating or raspberries. It’s more junk. We’re eating comfort food. That’s what autumn, like for the meal plan service, I’m actually, all my meals are low salt, low sugar and lower calorie too, by the way. But I’m naming it for the fall, like “cozy autumn chili” or, you know, because it is cozy time, my favorite time of the year. And so we want foods that represent the season. We all do that.
The Water Problem in Cold Weather
In summer, typically you’re going to have more fruit. Fruit is in season. You’re going to be doing that. You may have more water. You’re thirsty. But fall and winter, you’re like a little chilly. You’re not drinking as much. You’re definitely eating more, you know, like I said, fall items and cookies and cakes and all your favorite things for the holidays. So that’s what happens. The seasons change and so do our food choices. We’re wearing more clothes, we can hide it, and we say to ourselves, “I’ll deal with that crap in the spring.” And then we’ll do it all over again, right? So that matters.
Winter, specifically, people don’t want to drink as much. “Well, Jill, I’m not thirsty.” Do you think I’m drinking out of this big mug because I’m dying of thirst all the time? No, I think of getting my fluids, my fluid needs met as medicine. This isn’t because, “Oh my god, I’m so thirsty, blah, blah, blah.” No, it’s medicine. Because I have a lot of stone formers in my family, I don’t want them. And I have malabsorption issues because I don’t have a rectum, half a colon, so I really pay attention to my fluids. So most of you, because it’s cold out, will not want to drink water.
So in the winter, what I do, because it’s cold here in Chicago, I will heat up my water. I will have tea without the tea bag. Sometimes I have tea. You can absolutely have tea within moderation. But I will warm up and I’ll just have hot water and maybe a little fruit in there or something to, you know, mint leaves or something. Whatever. I’ll flavor it or I won’t. So I’ll do that. But a lot of people, their fluid consumption goes down in the winter because it’s cold and they don’t want to deal with it. And also they don’t want warm water. The only way they can drink water is if they have ice and it’s cold.
But I’m going to ask you, stop thinking, sounds funny, but stop thinking of water as, you know, fun. It’s medicine. If you’re making kidney stones, it’s the number one thing you need to do. That’s the number one thing I don’t want you to fall off from. Because the more we pee, the more we get those crystals out of our kidney. And those crystals in your kidney are like little baby magnets looking for each other. You want them out.
We want your urine to be less saturated with calcium oxalate crystals, calcium phosphate crystals, and uric acid crystals. There’s other stone types, but those are the most common ones. So we want your urine less saturated. The way that happens is we drink, we pee those crystals out. Very important, okay? So less water is gonna make a difference.
The Vitamin D Factor
You know, there’s definitely the vitamin D issue. A lot of you have given up, “Jill, I heard that vitamin D caused stones. I was in the middle of taking it. I was reading Reddit. They said get rid of your vitamin D. I spit it right out, Jill, out of my mouth it came.” Don’t do that, folks. Most people when I’m taking, because I take a supplement history in my private consults, I will say, “Are you on vitamin D?” “Oh no, no, no, no.”
“Have you had a vitamin D blood test in a while?” “No, I haven’t, but I’m not taking vitamin D anymore. It used to be low, Jill, but I got rid of it.” If you have low vitamin D, “How would I know, Jill?” You need a blood test. If you have low vitamin D, that could be a reason you’re also forming kidney stones. We want in the middle level vitamin D. We do not want it too high. We do not want it too low.
So you need a blood test to see if your vitamin D is low. Many of you may have to increase, depending upon where you live, may have to increase your vitamin D level in the winter. How would you know? Get a blood test. Just don’t go to the Dwayne Reade folks and just say, “Oh, I’m taking 5,000, 10,000 units of vitamin D.” You need a blood test. Many of you did get kidney stones because your naturopath or chiropractor put you on 10,000 units of vitamin D every single day. You got a stone. When you do the vitamin D test, your vitamin D is so high and that made you over absorb calcium and led to high urine calcium. So be careful. We don’t want too little. We don’t want too high. We want it like Goldilocks just right in the 40s and 50s. Okay? So in the winter you’re outside less, you may have low vitamin D. Get it checked on your physical. And then when you do take a dose of vitamin D in, you know, four weeks, five weeks, because vitamin D slowly accumulates, get it rechecked. Make sure you’re at the level you need to be at. That’s vitamin D.
Less Activity, More Problems
The other thing. We know that obesity can cause a lot of things, metabolic disease, which can lead to kidney stones, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, lots of stuff. So in the winter we get less active because we’re cold. What do I do? I get my ski pants on, I get a hood, get out, I got my… I have winter clothes, summer clothes, spring clothes, rain clothes, you name it, I have it. There’s never an excuse for me not to go get my steps. I get them. I get them. So now I get it. 20 below, you’re not getting your steps. But even in my house, when I’m doing private calls, I’m just walking in this tiny little apartment. It’s rare that I don’t have at least 10,000 steps.
Do you need 10,000 steps? I’m not saying that. I’m saying that’s my average. I’ve been doing that for years. If you only get 500 steps a day and you increase it to a thousand steps, you’re a winner. There’s no certain step you should be at. The goal is always more than you usually get. That’s the goal. Because when people say you got to get 10,000 steps, people are like, “Well, I only get 600 a day. I’m never going to get that.” They give up before they start. That’s not how you help people. We start slowly at Kidney Stone Diet. Little bits of change add to, wow, big lifestyle difference.
So there’s less activity in the winter. We’re home more. Typically, not everyone, but typically, I have a lot of kids in my practice too, unfortunately, but typically, this is a middle-aged person problem, kidney stones. And so, you know, what do we do in middle-aged people, right? In the winter, in cold months. You know, you’re staying in more. You’re not moving as much. You’re sitting around watching Netflix. Lettuce ain’t something you want to binge on when you’re watching Netflix and chill. So you’re getting all kinds of treats that aren’t the healthiest. We put on pounds. So gaining weight can increase your kidney stone risk. Not moving. Increase your kidney stone risk. Poor food choices. Lots of times in winter because there’s extra time at night. You’re not out anymore barbecues and out and doing this and that like you are in summer. It’s dark at 4:30. So what do you got to do? You ain’t going to a club. You’re having your dinner. You’re going to watch some TV before bed at eight o’clock simply because it’s been dark since four. Feels like three a.m. and you’re going to eat. That’s what people do. I’m not making it up. This is what people tell me they do in the winter.
How to Handle the Holidays
So winter is a great time to increase your kidney stone risk. Great, not meaning happy. So again, the holidays. “Jill, what can I do? It’s the holidays.” Have one cookie, not 10. And if you can’t control yourself, tell somebody not to bring those cookies or just eat before you go or whatever, but you’ve got to do things. You can’t just say, “What can you do” and throw your hands up?
You’ve got to try to have some kind of discipline. And also, on a day where it’s a Christmas party or a Hanukkah gathering or whatever you celebrate, enjoy yourself. There’s always this option, folks. Enjoy yourself. The next day, get back on track. Don’t beat yourself up that you had some of Aunt Doris’ famous Christmas cookies. Okay, so what? Nobody’s obese. Nobody gets diabetic. Nobody gets a kidney stone by one night of festivities when you get right back on track.
So I always say, have your treats, get back on the streets. The next meal choice at the very latest the next day. But what happens is you guys get so upset with yourself and you talk so poorly to yourself and you shame yourself so much that you’re just like, “I can’t do this. I’m just the worst.” And then you just let that ride. I say that’s the worst case of self-sabotage ever. I can’t tell you how many thousands of people that I’ve helped over the years that said these same things that you’re saying to yourself. But when that kidney stone hit and that pain was so far gone, they make changes. We human beings need really severe consequences sometimes to make changes. But I have never worked with somebody who wasn’t committed that couldn’t change or that got a new, some people get stones because they have medical conditions.
But even those people really lower their risk. So if you have some treats during the fall, during the winter, you should because there’s some fun foods out there right now. But always get right back on track. I want you to enjoy that guilt free. Get right back on track. Nothing happens. Nothing happens when you do that. So be kind to yourself. You should be proud of yourself. Motivate yourself to keep going. You say when you have that dinner, maybe you had a lot of Mostaccioli. Maybe you had some cannoli. You could tell I’m Italian. Maybe you had all this stuff. And then you’re like, “Damn,” you turn to your husband or wife. “That was the best dinner ever. But I’m getting right back on track tomorrow, Charlie.” That’s what’s happening. And so you get to enjoy that food, but also be so proud of yourself that you did get right back on track. That’s what we’re looking for here, folks. We’re not looking for perfect. That’s bullshit. Sorry, but it is. It’s bullshit.
Consistency, Not Perfection
We’re looking for consistency. And consistency looks like I had a cookie Tuesday, but Wednesday I was great. I had Mostaccioli on Thursday, Friday I got back on track. Consistency goes all over. The only time you have to worry about is giving up. That, at Kidney Stone Diet, we do not do. We do not give up. So consistency matters. Winter, it can be a problem. It doesn’t have to be. Get to work, guys.
Jeff Sarris (13:48):
Yeah, I think that’s a perfect note to wrap on. And again, you can go to kidneystonediet.com for absolutely everything you need, but I think we will see you next week.
Jill (13:57):
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