Winter is often mentioned for flu, colds and respiratory diseases. However, according to specialists, this is also the time when a silent health risk increases significantly, which is kidney stones.
The main cause comes from the habit of drinking less water in cold weather, causing the body to fall into a state of dehydration that many people do not realize.
Dr. Krishna Chaitanya Gunda, a Nephrologist and Nephrologist at the Asian Nephrology and Urology Institute (Chennai, India), said that cold weather reduces the body's natural thirst reflex.
When the amount of water you drink decreases, urine becomes more concentrated, creating conditions for minerals such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid to crystallize, forming kidney stones.
In reality, winter also comes with many unfavorable habits for the kidneys such as drinking a lot of tea and coffee to keep warm, eating salty foods, processed foods and increasing the amount of red meat.
The combination of dehydration and a diet rich in salt and animal protein increases the amount of minerals excreted in the urine, significantly increasing the risk of kidney stones, Dr. Gunda emphasized.
In fact, many cases are only detected when the stone is large and causes severe pain. More worryingly, doctors have recorded an increasing number of children and adolescents with kidney stones, related to drinking less water and consuming more processed foods.
High-risk groups include people who have had kidney stones, have a family history of the disease, are overweight, drink less water, eat more salt, regularly eat red meat or have a diet rich in oxalate such as spinach, amaranth and nuts.
Common warning signs are severe pain in the back, urination, and bleeding. In case of pain with fever, it can be an infection complication and medical attention is needed.
To protect the kidneys in winter, doctors recommend five simple but effective principles.
First of all, it is necessary to prioritize supplementing enough water every day, with the goal of eliminating about 2 liters of light yellow urine.
Second, control salt intake by limiting salty snacks, pickled melons and processed foods.
Third, maintain a balanced diet, reduce animal protein, especially red meat. Fourth, control oxalate intake by not abusing foods rich in this substance.
Finally, you should increase natural citrate from citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges to reduce the risk of calcium stone formation.
According to Dr. Gunda, people with a history of kidney stones or suspected symptoms should see a doctor early.
Testing urine, blood and imaging helps determine the cause, thereby providing specific instructions on the right diet and water needs, contributing to long-term kidney protection in winter.
(The article is for reference only, not a replacement for professional advice. Always consult a doctor or medical professional if you have any questions).
