There are 250, 000 and 750,000 American affected by kidney stones every year in America. Kidney stones usually occur four times more often in men than in women.

Approximately 80% of kidney stones formed are composed of calcium oxalate, and calcium phosphate. The other 20% is made up of uric acid, struvite, or cystine.

Kidney stones usually occur because the intestines absorb too much calcium, you consume a huge amount of calcium, a urinary tract infection, or because of a genetic disorder.

The symptoms of kidney stones are a sudden onset of excruciating pain in the buttocks area, pain in the genital area, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills.

Practice the following tips to help avoid kidney stones from forming.

Tip #1 Your diet can go a long way in helping to prevent kidney stone formation. Special effort should be used to prevent reoccurrence since the rate of reoccurring kidney stones is at the very high rate of 75%.

First of all, the diet should be based on fruit, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and whole grains. Eat more foods that contain fiber.

Cut down on oxalate-containing foods such as spinach, rhubarb, beets, nuts, chocolate, black tea, wheat bran, strawberries, and beans.

Eat foods that are rich in magnesium and low in calcium, such as barley, bran, rye, corn, oats, brown rice, potatoes, avocados, and bananas.

Meat, cheese, and salt should be kept to a minimum amount. Also reduce your intake of sugar, refined foods, caffeine, and alcohol.

In the past years there has been a huge debate over whether a person inclined to get kidney stones should refrain from foods containing calcium. Most doctors agree now that a moderate amount is fine in most cases. It was discovered that calcium restriction caused excess oxalate absorption, which is one of the substances that cause kidney stones.

Tip #2 Exercise. Weight bearing exercise helps to store calcium in the bones where it belongs instead of in the urine. However, always take care to exercise in moderation since over exertion can lead to dehydration, or lactic acidosis which are both factors in kidney stone formation.

Tip #3 Water. Pure and simple. Water is good for flushing out substances such as various bacteria that could cause kidney stones to form. Avoid commercialized sodas because they contain sugar and phosphorous. Remember, phosphorous is a mineral that is sometimes associated with the formation of kidney stones. Drink 6-8 glasses a day to stay hydrated can go a long way in helping to avoid the pain of kidney stones.

Tip#4 Dietary supplements that have been used to help prevent formation of kidney stones. 200-400 mg daily of Magnesium citrate may increase the solubility of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. 10-100 mg daily of B6 (Pyridoxine) is essential for the metabolism of oxalic acid, which is a component of some kidney stones. And last but not least, taking 5 mg daily of Folic acid helps to break down kidney stones comprised of uric acid.

Tip #5 Herbs are a natural and safe way to strengthen and tone the body. Herbs may be used in the form of capsules, powders, teas, extracts, or tinctures. Teas should be made with 1 tsp. herb for each cup of hot water. Steep the tea covered five to ten minutes for leaves or flowers, and ten to twenty minutes for roots. You can drink up to four cups per day.

One of the herbs that have contributed to the prevention of kidney stones, and also help urinary tract infections is uva ursi.

Remember that it is important to consult your health care provider on getting your problem diagnosed before you start any treatment.

Natural healthy changes can make a huge difference in helping to prevent your first kidney stone, or multiple reoccurrences of kidney stones. It will definitely be worth the extra effort to avoid the excruciating pain that kidney stones cause.