Lifestyle changes: A simple and most important lifestyle change to prevent stones is to drink more liquids—water is best. A recurrent stone former should try to drink enough liquids throughout the day to produce at least 2 quarts of urine in every 24-hour period.
Patients with too much calcium or oxalate in the urine may need to eat fewer foods containing calcium and oxalate. Not everyone will benefit from a low-calcium diet, however. Some patients who have high levels of oxalate in their urine may benefit from extra calcium in their diet. Patients may be told to avoid food with added vitamin D and certain types of antacids that have a calcium base.
Patients who have highly acidic urine may need to eat less meat, fish, and poultry. These foods increase the amount of acid in the urine.
To prevent cystine stones, patients should drink enough water each day to reduce the amount of cystine that escapes into the urine. This is difficult because more than a gallon of water may be needed every 24 hours, a third of which must be drunk during the night.
