Did you know that one in 10 people will develop kidney stones in their lifetime? These tiny, hard deposits can cause intense pain that sends even the toughest individuals to the emergency room.
Kidney stones form when minerals and waste in urine become too dense. Normally, these substances are flushed out with the urine. However, if there’s not enough water in the body, or the levels of these substances are too high, they can cluster together and form crystals. Over time, these crystals can grow into hard lumps that may block the flow of urine. The primary symptom is sudden, severe pain in the back or side, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting or blood in the urine.
Dehydration is a major risk factor for stone formation. When the body lacks adequate hydration, urine becomes concentrated and stones form more easily. This risk intensifies during hot weather or periods of heavy sweating if you don’t replace lost fluids. Additionally, a diet high in salt, animal protein or sugar—as well as a family history of kidney stones—can increase your risk.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik
Prevention strategies are remarkably straightforward and highly effective. Drink sufficient water every day to keep your urine light yellow and clear. This helps remove extra minerals before they form stones. Certain foods should be consumed in moderation, including salty processed foods, red meat, and foods rich in oxalates like spinach, chocolate, and nuts. Contrary to popular belief, dietary calcium actually helps prevent stones by binding with oxalates in your gut and stopping them from reaching your urine. By making simple lifestyle modifications, you can effectively keep kidney stones at bay.
你知道每十個人就有一人一生中會罹患腎結石嗎？這些微小而堅硬的沉積物會引起劇烈疼痛，即使是最堅強的人也可能因此被送到急診室。
腎結石是當尿液中的礦物質和廢物變得過於濃縮時形成的。通常，這些物質會隨著尿液被沖洗出去。然而，如果體內水分不足，或這些物質的濃度過高，它們就會聚集在一起形成結晶體。隨著時間推移，這些結晶體會長成硬塊，可能會阻塞尿液的流動。主要症狀是背部或側面突然劇烈疼痛，有時伴隨噁心、嘔吐或血尿。
脫水是結石形成的主要風險因素。當身體缺乏足夠的水分時，尿液會變得濃縮，結石更容易形成。如果你在炎熱天氣或大量出汗期間沒有補充失去的液體，這種風險會加劇。此外，高鹽、高動物蛋白質或高糖的飲食──以及腎結石家族史──都會增加你的風險。
預防策略非常簡單且高度有效。每天喝足夠的水，保持尿液呈淡黃色且清澈。這有助於在多餘的礦物質形成結石之前將其排出。某些食物應該適量食用，包含高鹽加工食品、紅肉，以及富含草酸鹽的食物，如菠菜、巧克力和堅果。與普遍觀念相反，膳食鈣質實際上有助於預防結石，因為它會在你的腸道中與草酸鹽結合，並阻止它們進入尿液。透過簡單的生活方式改變，你可以有效地預防腎結石。
KEY VOCABULARY
1. cluster vi. 聚集；叢生
cluster together 聚在一起
The tourists clustered around the famous monument to take photographs and listen to the guide’s explanation.
遊客們聚集在著名紀念碑周圍拍照並聽導遊的解說。
2. lump n. 塊；團；腫塊
The child rolled the snow into a big lump for the snowman’s body.
那個小孩把雪滾成一大團，準備當雪人的身體。
3. adequate adj. 足夠的
This room has adequate space for 10 people to sit comfortably around the table.
這個房間有足夠的空間讓十個人舒適地圍著桌子坐下。
4. fluid n. 液體；流質
The doctor told Ryan to rest and only drink fluids like soup or water for two days.
醫生叫萊恩休息兩天，只能喝湯或水這類流質。
5. straightforward adj. 簡單的；直率的
The instructions for setting up the new device were very clear and straightforward.
安裝新設備的說明非常清楚簡單。
6. moderation n. 適度；適中
Even healthy foods should be eaten in moderation to maintain a balanced diet.
即使是健康食物也應適量攝取，以維持均衡飲食。
7. calcium n. 鈣
Milk is a good source of calcium, which helps build strong bones and healthy teeth.
牛奶是良好的鈣來源，有助於強健骨骼與牙齒。
8. gut n. 腸；腸道
A healthy gut helps your body digest food better and absorb more nutrients.
健康的腸道能幫助身體更好地消化並吸收更多營養。
9. modification n. 改變；修改
This recipe only needs one small modification to suit people with food allergies.
這份食譜只需稍加修改，就能適合有食物過敏的人食用。
MORE INFORMATION
kidney stone 腎結石
deposit n. 沉積物
urine n. 尿液
nausea n. 噁心
vomit v. 嘔吐
dehydration n. 脫水
hydration n. 水分補充
concentrated adj. 濃縮的
oxalate n. 草酸鹽
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