One of the most painful things I have ever encountered was a kidney stone. I sympathize with anyone who has chronic problems with them and have some possible insights to prevention and treatment for those of you who are suffering.

Almost 80% of kidney stones are comprised of calcium oxalate crystals. Uric Acid stones can form also when the pH is too low and high oxalate rich foods are consumed such as nuts, chocolate, soybeans and their products, rhubarb and spinach. One of the main causes I have found is the high consumption of cola drinks without equal amounts of water. If the uric acid concentration is high, sometimes the stones will form in combination with Gout.

In rats fed a low vitamin-E diet, who later developed kidney stones, the effect could be reversed by vitamin –E supplementation. Foods naturally rich in vitamin E are: Almonds (also good for your lungs) avocados, olives, asparagus and wheat germ.

Vitamin E is one of 13 vitamins essential to body metabolism, cell growth and function. There are 2 divisions of vitamins E: Tocopherols and Tocotreinols that each has four divisions. All we need to worry about is that in nature tocotreinols and tocopherols occur together. That is precociously how they should be taken, with almost all vitamin E sales going to only one half of the equation - tocopherols. Additionally, the Japanese has recently studied tocotreinols as a cancer preventative.

New research points to common sense as well – more is not necessarily better. Keep your intake of vitamin E to foods first and then to low dose supplements.

My philosohy has always been to teach people how to eat first, rather than place them ever so quickly on supplements. Like all supplements, learning to balance them with diet and movement is the key to better health.