If you used to suffer from kidney stones, you will know how excruciating the pain can be. It is no exaggeration when women compare the intensity of this pain to labor.
Fortunately, there is a recipe which is believed to be extremely beneficial for dissolving kidney stones and preventing the formation of new ones. If you are affected with kidney stones or know of anyone who is, tell them.
Well, it may sound surprising to most, but, lemon and lemon juice are an amazing natural alternative to conventional treatment of kidney stones.
The connection is obvious – the standard medical treatment for kidney stones is potassium citrate, and lemons are abundant in natural citrate. Researchers confirm that lemon juice is highly beneficial for preventing the formation of kidney stones. It’s called the ‘Lemonade Therapy’ and it’s strongly recommended to people susceptible to this condition.
How does citric acid protect against kidney stones?
What citric acid does in the body is inhibit kidney stone formation while dissolving smaller ones that are just starting to form. The equation is as follows – the more citric acid in your urine, the more protected you are against formation of new kidney stones.
Citric acid reduces the risk of this condition as it creates unfavorable conditions for kidney stone formation. In addition, it coats small stones that are in the first stage of formation thus preventing other material from attaching and building onto the stones. In this way, citric acid prevents the formation of new stones.
Citric acid is found in many fruits, but it abounds in lemons and limes. Citric acid also comes in the form of supplement, potassium citrate, which is recommended to patients with kidney stones. Although this treatment is usually effective, it can actually be quite expensive and require as many as 12 tablets per day.
Boost Your Kidney Health with Only Half a Cup of This Drink
You can easily replace potassium citrate with an equally effective, yet completely natural recipe. The recommended amount of citric acid you should take in daily to fight kidney stones is found in a half-cup (4 ounces) of pure lemon juice or 32 ounces of homemade lemonade.
For optimal results, aim at drinking 4 ounces lemon juice per day. The best way to consume the juice is by diluting it with water in the following ratio – 2 ounces lemon juice with 6 ounces water. Drink this twice a day – in the morning and in the evening.
