It is not enough to tell people they need to change this or that in their diets for stone prevention. We did that already, here, in a lot of articles. What people need is a meal plan that has in it all the things for stone prevention and tastes good, is easy enough to make for busy people, and not too expensive.
The enticing salad is kidney stone safe, and from the Jill Harris kidney stone diet Meal Plan collection.
What Problem Are We Trying to Solve?
For years Jill and I have heard patients complain that they do not know how to eat or what to eat. All the lists, especially the oxalate lists confuse them, and they wonder what they can eat. We both know that the palate of available foods is vast, enough so that anyone can be safe against stones and lavish in their food choices. But we have not done well in making that clear.
The answer now seems obvious – people need meal plans for the kidney stone diet. That does not mean plans so strict or complicated that no one will use them for long. What we mean is by way of guidance, the main elements of food over perhaps a week, with lots of room of variations. This is what we are here for – the solution to the problem: Ideas and Inspiration that are safe.
What is a Meal Plan?
For stone formers it means each meal and snack is low sodium, oxalate controlled, without excessive refined sugar, and high enough in calcium, all at once, and for a whole week at a time. Even more, the foods in the plan have to make up an eating experience people can enjoy. The foods have to go together as a cuisine, not just this or that. Eating always needs to be a pleasure or no one will stick to a diet plan of any kind.
We Now Have One for Kidney Stone Prevention
Jill Harris, my long standing collaborator and expert on the kidney stone diet has made up a real cuisine for you.
She created many new recipes that adhere to the kidney stone diet, and has arranged them into weekly suggested ensembles that go well together, healthy to eat, and will do what diet can for stone prevention.
Each recipe comes with kidney stone diet tips about substitutions, and adapting it to the life style of a particular person: for example, diabetes or not, hypertension, cardiac disease risk, weight loss or maintenance. A lot of the recipes can be adapted to vegan and / or vegetarian.
We are well aware that the US government has long provided meal advice for the US population that apart from oxalate accords exactly with what we need for stone prevention. But contemporary experience with nationwide obesity makes clear that the problem is not easily solved. Within our narrow and disease bounded world we hope for better.
Jill’s Meal Plan Service
The plan is available via this link.
It is already an active program, so we know it works for people. We waited to be sure of this before putting it up on this site. As for the science behind the kidney stone diet, this site has already exercised itself overly much. The principles seem very sound. The problem of implementation is ongoing and chronic and diet change is very difficult. Especially in modern society that is given over to high sodium, high sugar, inadequate calcium, and overly adequate calories, changes all seem overwhelming. We hope that meal planning services will help solve the problem.
I signed up for meal plans at the beginning. I didn’t find a whole lot I think I would like. But I have to deal with diabetes, on warfarin and have CKD. On top of that I had bariatric by pass. It is hard figuring what I can eat.
Hi Ginny!
Most of the meals will fit into your restrictions- many diabetics use it and weight loss as well! I’m writing to say there is hope. I know how hard it is to juggle all of your restrictions- write me if I can give extra guidance or encouragement!
I have been using Jill’s diet plan for months and it is wonderful!
Thanks, Barb. Many new meals are coming soon!!!
Thank you for the resource
I had a general fluid/ diet question-
Older studies seem to link consumption of beer with reduced risk of stone formation. One of the obvious negatives would be the alcohol consumption. Recently, there has been an explosion in calorie, free, hop water. There are vague references to extracts of hops having properties that would reduce oxalate stone formation. Cannot find anything rigorously scientific. I also do not know if Hops would encourage other stones or influence your pH. Do you know of any data or have any instincts about the use of high amount of carbonated hop water (say zero calorie zero alcohol like Sierra Nevada Hop Splash Sparkling Hop Water) for stone formers? Cost aside it seems like at worst it would be a good 1:1 replacement for water. But perhaps there is a concern in hops or carbonation I am overlooking. Also do you know of any link to beer or hops and stones aside from the general idea that more fluids lead to less stones to account for the -41% found in beer drinkers? Thanks so much
Hi John, Sorry – I know nothing about hops. I always thought beer was a stone prevention because of the higher fluid intake. Best, Fred
Dr. Coe,
I already follow Jill Harris and I have been stone-free for almost 10 years! My problem is that I have started treatment with a functional medicine doctor (for managing symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease). He has put me on a very restrictive diet (similar to Autoimmune Protocol but more restrictions). I previously got a lot of my calcium needs met by dairy, which I can’t have. I eat lots of vegetables to give me some calcium, but as a post-menopausal woman, not enough. When I expressed my concerns to my doctor about not getting nearly the 1200mg of Ca recommended, he challenged the science behind the 1200 mg, and said not to worry about it for 8 weeks (as I am on Vit D and K2! (I’m not allowed fortified Pea milk or orange juice on this diet either). Can you point me in the direction of research about minimum calcium needs for stone formers (I also have osteopenia). Thanks so much! Lisa Phillips
Hi Lisa, Calcium intake is far broader than just stone disease. I attach below a Perplexity response for diet calcium in the US in general for a postmenopausal woman with reduced bone mineral. The numbers are always the same. Fred
Based on the search results, here are the key recommendations for calcium intake in postmenopausal women with reduced bone mineral density in the United States:
## Recommended Daily Calcium Intake
The recommended daily calcium intake for postmenopausal women varies slightly depending on the source, but generally falls in the range of 1000-1200 mg per day:
– The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 1200 mg of calcium per day for women over 50 years old[2][4].
– The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends 1200 mg of calcium daily for women 51 and older[5].
– The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement recommends 1200 mg of calcium per day for healthy women over age 50, and 1500 mg per day for women who have osteoporosis[4].
## Dietary Sources vs. Supplements
– Dietary sources of calcium are preferred over supplements[1][5].
– Calcium supplementation should be targeted to those who do not get enough calcium from their diet and who are at high risk for osteoporosis[5].
## Upper Limit
– The recommended upper limit for calcium intake is 2000-2500 mg per day for adults[6].
– Excessive intake above 2000 mg/day may be potentially harmful and is not recommended[1].
## Additional Considerations
– Adequate vitamin D intake (400-600 IU daily) is also important to ensure proper calcium absorption[2].
– Calcium supplements, if needed, should be taken in small doses (500 mg or less) with meals to improve absorption[6].
– Calcium citrate may be better absorbed in people over 50 or those with low stomach acid[6].
In summary, postmenopausal women with reduced bone mineral density should aim for 1000-1200 mg of calcium daily, preferably from dietary sources, while not exceeding 2000-2500 mg per day from all sources combined. Consultation with a doctor is recommended to determine individual needs and potential interactions with medications.
Citations:
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29169584/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11256879/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6957983/
[4] https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2004/0615/p2822.html
[5] https://www.osteoporosis.foundation/health-professionals/prevention/nutrition/calcium
[6] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
[7] https://www.maturitas.org/article/S0378-5122(17)30953-2/fulltext