Gallstones and Kidney Stones

Gallstones
and Kidney Stones

My dad had kidney stones, but I've never had any. That surprises me, because they tend to run in families.

I'm very glad that I've avoided kidney stones so far. They say that passing a kidney stone, also known as bladder stones and gravel, is the closest men ever come to experiencing the pain of childbirth.

The fact that I've also never had gallstones is also good luck, especially since I'm at risk in this area, too. A key risk factor is being overweight, and I confess to being a tad on the heavy side.

So what has protected me so far? Well, I like to think that my near-vegetarian diet, heavy on herbs and liquids, has helped save me from both types.

Painful Passage for (Mostly) Men

Kidney stones form when certain substances, calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, magnesium ammonium phosphate, uric acid or cystine--become so concentrated in the urine that they precipitate out as hard, solid lumps. The main symptom of kidney stones is pain in the left or right lower back or pelvic area that becomes excruciating as the stone attempts to leave the kidney through narrow tubes called ureters. Other symptoms are blood in the urine and a persistent urge to urinate.

Kidney stones affect mostly middle-aged and older men. You increase your risks if your diet is low in phosphates or protein or you eat a lot of food that's high in substances known as oxalates. Among the foods that have oxalates are coffee, black tea, rhubarb, sorrel, spinach, lamb's-quarters and purslane. Herbal formulas with rhubarb or sheep sorrel may contain more oxalates than would be beneficial.

Physicians usually don't treat kidney stones--they just medicate the pain until the stones pass on their own. Until recently, if a stone did not pass, surgery was necessary. Now a noninvasive procedure called lithotripsy usually breaks up the stones so that they can pass. During lithotripsy, which is done under anesthesia, shock waves are directed at the stone to pulverize it.

Back Pain in (Mostly) Women

Gallstones form when cholesterol and bile pigments become so concentrated that they form lumps inside the gallbladder. These lumps may be as small as a pinhead or as large as a golf ball. Gallstones that remain in the gallbladder rarely cause symptoms. But you can expect major problems if a stone blocks either the cystic duct (the tube that leads from the gallbladder to the bile duct) or the bile duct (the tube running from the liver and gallbladder into the intestine).

Gallstone symptoms include sudden, intense pain, usually in the upper right abdomen, accompanied by fever, nausea and sometimes vomiting. After attacks subside, usually in a half-hour to four hours, some soreness may linger for a day or so.

About 20 percent of women and 8 percent of men over 40 have some gallstones, and these figures increase with age.

Physicians treat gallstones primarily with surgery, removing the gallbladder to eliminate the source of the problem. In the past few years, however, doctors have had promising results with a less invasive form of surgery called lap-
aroscopy, which involves inserting a viewing device and tiny instruments through a small incision. In addition, some cholesterol gallstones can be dissolved with the use of bile acid drugs such as ursodeoxycholic acid (Actigall), given as tablets.

Green Pharmacy for Gallstones and Kidney Stones

The best way to prevent kidney stones is to drink six to eight glasses of water a day. That keeps the urine too dilute for stones to form. A vegetarian diet also helps because it's high in magnesium, and magnesium supplementation has been shown to reduce the likelihood of recurrent kidney stones.

To prevent gallstones, eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, meaning one that's vegetarian or close to it.

If you have the bad luck to get either gallstones or kidney stones, I would urge you to follow your physician's advice. I would also suggest that some herbs can help.

Beggar-lice (Desmodium styracifolium). This vine got its name from its small, loose fruits, which cling to clothing. It has long been used by the Chinese for treating kidney stones, and Japanese researchers have discovered why it works. A compound in the plant works by decreasing the amount of calcium excreted in the urine and increasing the amount of citrate excreted, substantially decreasing the likelihood of kidney stone formation.

Celandine (Chelidonium majus). Celandine has traditionally been used for treating the liver, and with good reason. In one study, researchers gave tablets containing chelidonine, an active compound in celandine, to 60 people with symptoms of gallstones for six weeks. Doctors reported a significant reduction in symptoms.

Chelidonine and other compounds in celandine reportedly soothe the smooth muscles of the biliary tract, improving bile flow and curbing upper abdominal distress.

Couchgrass (Agropyron repens or Elymus repens). Commission E, the expert panel that judges the safety and effectiveness of herbal medicines for the German government, endorses using this herb, also known as quackgrass, for preventing kidney stones and inflammatory disorders of the urinary tract.

I'd try making a tea with two to ten teaspoons of the underground parts of the herb. Chop it and steep it for five to ten minutes in a cup or two of boiling water. Europeans drink up to four cups a day.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Hot compresses made with concentrated ginger tea seem to help alleviate the pain of kidney stone attacks. The compresses act as counterirritants by causing superficial skin irritation, which takes the mind off the deeper kidney pain.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense). Commission E approves using horsetail for kidney stones and for the general health of the urinary tract. It increases urine output. (You should use this herb only in consultation with a holistic practitioner.)

Peppermint (Mentha piperita), spear-mint (M. spicata) and other mints. Mints have traditionally been used to treat gallstones. One stone-relieving mixture, a British over-the-counter "gallstone tea" preparation called Rowachol, contains chemicals from several members of the mint family. In one British study, this product helped a quarter of those who used it.

If I didn't have access to a doctor during a gallstone attack, I'd brew what I call Stone Tea from as many mints as I could gather from the garden or store, especially peppermint and spearmint, an old favorite. I'd add some cardamom, the richest source of borneol, another compound that is helpful.

Spearmint One of many members of the mint family, spearmint can help treat coughs and chest congestion as well as gallstones.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Turmeric is useful for preventing and treating gallstones, according to Commission E. This endorsement does not surprise me, since turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that has been tested for its effect on gallstones. In one study, mice with experimentally induced gallstones were placed on special feed containing a modest amount of curcumin, and within five weeks their gallstone volume had dropped 45 percent. After ten weeks they had 80 percent fewer gallstones than untreated mice.

Curcumin increases the solubility of bile, which helps prevent the formation of gallstones and helps eliminate any stones that have formed. If I had gallstones, I would definitely cook lots of curries--and go heavy on the turmeric.

Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea). Goldenrod contains the compound leiocarposide--a potent diuretic that helps the body flush excess water. I've seen good clinical evidence that goldenrod is effective in treating chronic kidney inflammation (nephritis). For both of these reasons, I wasn't surprised when Commission E endorsed goldenrod for preventing and treating kidney stones.

The commission recommends making a tea using five teaspoons of chopped, dried flowering shoots per cup of boiling water. They recommend drinking three to four cups a day between meals.

I was surprised, however, to see Commission E's endorsement of this herb for gallstones as well. I'd suggest trying it for up to a month if you're not in serious pain. As a preventive, brew a tea using a little less herb.

Java tea (Orthosiphon aristatus). The leaves of this herb are approved by Commission E for treating kidney stones. Make a tea with three to six teaspoons per cup of boiling water and drink it once a day. While it's not exactly clear how java tea works, the suspicion is that it helps open the ureters--the tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder--allowing small stones to be passed.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale). For treating kidney stones, Commission E suggests making a tea with two to four teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and drinking it once a day. Lovage is a potent diuretic.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum). Rich in the compound silymarin, milk thistle is best known for the liver protection it offers. According to studies, silymarin also increases bile solubility, thus helping to prevent or alleviate gallstones.

papaya (Petroselinum crispum). papaya is a diuretic that helps prevent and treat kidney stones. Commission E approves making the tea using one teaspoon of dried root and suggests drinking two to three cups a day. Steep the herb for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain.

stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). Finally, Commission E also recommends drinking several cups daily of stinging nettle tea to prevent and treat kidney stones. Steep a teaspoon of finely chopped dried herb in a cup of boiling water. Or boil up some nettle greens and enjoy the potlikker with a dash of vinegar, once a day. You will need to wear gloves when harvesting the leaves, but the stinging hairs lose their sting when the plant is cooked, and the greens are delicious.