Researchers have found another reason to eat well: a healthy
diet helps prevent kidney stones. Loading up on fruits,
vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains,
while limiting salt, red and processed meats, and sweetened
beverages is an effective way to ward off kidney stones,
according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the
Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). Because
kidney stones are linked to higher rates of hypertension,
diabetes, increased body weight, and other risk factors for
heart disease, the findings have considerable health
implications. Eric Taylor, MD (Maine Medical Center) and his
colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted a large
study to determine the effects of healthy eating habits on the
formation of kidney stones. The investigators collected
information from individuals enrolled in three clinical studies:
the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (45,821 men followed
for 18 years), the Nurses' Health Study I (94,108 older women
followed fo