The idea that drinking beer could aid in flushing out kidney stones is a misconception because beer can cause calcium oxalate crystals to form, increasing the possibility of kidney stones, Tainan-based urologist Su Chia-chen (蘇家震) said on Thursday last week.
Although beer is a diuretic, it would only help flush small kidney stones that happen to be stuck in the urethra, but it was an option best used only in an emergency, and was not an alternative to actual medical treatment, Su said.
The only way to help the body remove kidney stones is hydration, Su said, adding that a daily intake of at least 1.5 liters of water was the only to prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Males have a higher chance of developing kidney stones than females, with a greater percentage of patients being adolescents or adult males, said Su, who works at Chi Mei Medical Center.
People prone to excessive perspiration might also experience urinary concentration and are among those who have a higher risk of developing kidney stones, as well as people who drink little or no water, habitually delay urination until they feel they cannot hold it anymore, and those who overeat, Su said.
Other high-risk groups include people who avoid eating breakfast or are fond of midnight stacks, those who work in high-temperature environments, those with jobs that require less physical action and those with chronic metabolic diseases, Su said.
Having a kidney stone once and having it removed raises the chance of a recurrence, Su said.
Eight Chinese naval vessels and 24 military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait between 6am yesterday and 6am today, the Ministry of National Defense said this morning. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s northern, central, southwestern and eastern air defense identification zones, the ministry said. The armed forces responded with mission aircraft, naval vessels and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor the situation, it added. Eight naval vessels, one official ship and 36 aircraft sorties were spotted in total, the ministry said.
INCREASED CAPACITY: The flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays would leave Singapore in the morning and Taipei in the afternoon Singapore Airlines is adding four supplementary flights to Taipei per week until May to meet increased tourist and business travel demand, the carrier said on Friday. The addition would raise the number of weekly flights it operates to Taipei to 18, Singapore Airlines Taiwan general manager Timothy Ouyang (歐陽漢源) said. The airline has recorded a steady rise in tourist and business travel to and from Taipei, and aims to provide more flexible travel arrangements for passengers, said Ouyang, who assumed the post in July last year. From now until Saturday next week, four additional flights would depart from Singapore on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
The Ministry of National Defense yesterday reported the return of large-scale Chinese air force activities after their unexplained absence for more than two weeks, which had prompted speculation regarding Beijing’s motives. China usually sends fighter jets, drones and other military aircraft around the nation on a daily basis. Interruptions to such routine are generally caused by bad weather. The Ministry of National Defense said it had detected 26 Chinese military aircraft in the Taiwan Strait over the previous 24 hours. It last reported that many aircraft on Feb. 25, when it spotted 30 aircraft, saying Beijing was carrying out another “joint combat
Taiwan successfully defended its women’s 540 kilogram title and won its first-ever men’s 640 kg title at the 2026 World Indoor Tug of War Championships in Taipei yesterday. In the women’s event, Taiwan’s eight-person squad reached the final following a round-robin preliminary round and semifinals featuring teams from Ukraine, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Basque Country and South Korea. In the finals, they swept the Basque team 2-0, giving the team composed mainly of National Taiwan Normal University students and graduates its second championship in a row, and its fourth in five years. Team captain
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