Natural Home Remedies to Get Rid of Kidney Stone Problems

It’s common knowledge that kidney stone disease is best dealt with by increasing your fluid intake. So, it goes without saying that increased water consumption is the first step to overcome kidney stones. For this reason we’ll skip that obvious remedy. However, there’s a lot more that you can do to treat kidney stones at home. The use of natural home remedies for kidney stones is important because of the recurring nature of the problem. The risk of kidney stones increases by around 50% within 5 years after you first develop the problem. Here are some of the best home remedies, including common fruits, cooking herbs, and Ayurvedic medicine for stone removal.

Top 7 Home Remedies for Kidney Stones

Lemon Juice

To be fair it’s not just lemons that you can use, but any citric fruit, including oranges. Lemons are however particularly convenient for juicing and involve minimum wastage. The juice of these citric fruits is an effective remedy for kidney stones as citrate causes calcium stones to breakdown and also prevents their formation. This efficacy of this natural kidney stone remedy was supported by research published just last year. Make sure to only use freshly squeezed lemon juice and avoid adding sugar. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Like lemon juice, apple cider vinegar is particularly helpful when dealing with kidney stones caused by calcium deposits. This is because apple cider vinegar has high acetic and citric acid content. A study that appeared in EBioMedicine found that the risk of kidney stone formation was considerably lower for people who consume apple cider vinegar. To use apple cider as a natural treatment for kidney stones, just add 1-2 tablespoons to around 200 ml of water and sip on it through the day. Do not exceed this dosage, as larger amounts can pose a risk.

Tulsi Tea

Tulsi is among the most highly valued of all Ayurvedic herbs and is sometimes used in Ayurvedic medicine for kidney problems. It can also be used in home remedies for kidney stones as the herb’s acetic acid content can promote stone disintegration and elimination. What’s great about tulsi is that it also has proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can increase kidney protection and reduce painful symptoms. To use tulsi, simply add fresh or dried tulsi leaves to non-dairy tea, allowing the leaves to steep in boiling water for at least a few minutes. 

Pomegranate Juice

Pomegranates are popular as a superfood because of their high nutritional density, but they are also regarded as therapeutic. This is particularly true when it comes to kidney problems because of the fruit’s high antioxidant content and astringent qualities. In addition to antioxidants, pomegranates are also rich in a variety of polyphenols that can increase protection against kidney disease and stone formation. You can consume whole fresh pomegranates or freshly extracted pomegranate juice. 

Prajmoda

Used as a leafy green veggie in much of the world, parsley is better known in India as prajmoda – an important medicinal herb in Ayurved since antiquity. This herb is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicines to treat kapha disorders, which are also a contributing factor in some types of kidney stones. Prajmoda can also be used as a home remedy for kidney stones to good effect as studies show that the herb can increase urine output and regulate pH levels. This may help to flush out kidney stones naturally and can reduce the risk of stone formation. To increase your intake of prajmoda, you can simply blend the stalks with water and sip on the juice through the day.

Punarnava

Punarnava is the most highly valued of all Ayurvedic herbs for kidney disease. It features prominently in the traditional Ayurvedic treatises like Sushruta Samhita as a potent remedy for kidney stones and is regarded as the best Ayurvedic medicine for kidney stone till date. Modern studies also show the herb to be nephroprotective, reducing the risk of kidney stone formation and kidney damage. Our Punarnava tablets are formulated with punarnava as the primary ingredient, with a blend of other supporting herbs. This makes it one of the best choices if you are looking for any kind of punarnava ayurvedic medicine.

Get Moving

Kidney stone disease has also been linked to a sedentary lifestyle, making it important to increase levels of physical activity. Regular workouts with mild to moderate intensity exercise can help with kidney stone removal and prevention, both by adding weight reduction and through movements. Yoga sessions can suffice as exercise and are also recommended in Ayurved. Some poses are regarded as particularly effective for kidney stone removal, such as Pawanamuktasana, Dhanurasana, Ustrasana, Garudasana, and Bhujangasana. The recommendation of yoga is also supported by research, which shows that regular yoga practice improves renal function even in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

Listed above are some of the most effective and accessible kidney stone home remedies, but this list is certainly not comprehensive. These home remedies are also not meant to be used as an alternative to medical care if there is some other serious health condition contributing to your problem. In otherwise healthy adults however, natural kidney stone remedies can be a helpful approach to fight kidney stones without resorting to medications that have side effects. Of course, if you do not find any improvement in your condition within a few weeks of using home remedies, visit an Ayurvedic physician as soon as possible. 

References:

• Bazyar, Hadi et al. “The association between dietary intakes and stone formation in patients with urinary stones in Shiraz.” Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran vol. 33 8. 20 Feb. 2019, doi:10.34171/mjiri.33.8
• Zhu, Wei et al. “Dietary vinegar prevents kidney stone recurrence via epigenetic regulations.” EBioMedicine vol. 45 (2019): 231-250. doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.004
• Otunctemur, Alper et al. “Pomegranate extract attenuates unilateral ureteral obstruction-induced renal damage by reducing oxidative stress.” Urology annals vol. 7,2 (2015): 166-71. doi:10.4103/0974-7796.150488
• Al-Yousofy, Fayed et al. “Parsley! Mechanism as antiurolithiasis remedy.” American journal of clinical and experimental urology vol. 5,3 55-62. 9 Nov. 2017 PMID: 29181438
• Pareta, Surendra K., et al. “Aqueous Extract Of Boerhaavia Diffusaroot Ameliorates Ethylene Glycol-Induced Hyperoxaluric Oxidative Stress and Renal Injury in Rat Kidney.” Pharmaceutical Biology, vol. 49, no. 12, 2011, pp. 1224–1233., doi:10.3109/13880209.2011.581671
• Pandey, Rajendra Kumar et al. “Effects of 6 months yoga program on renal functions and quality of life in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.” International journal of yoga vol. 10,1 (2017): 3-8. doi:10.4103/0973-6131.186158