Can You Flush Kidney Stones Using Olive Oil?
Drinking water helps flush your kidneys of kidney stones, but olive oil helps ease the pain associated with passing the stones. The use of olive oil 1 for kidney stones is a folk remedy that doesn't require a special detox, cleansing or fasting regime. Gayle Alleman, author of "The Healing Power of Garlic, Vinegar, & Olive Oil" says that olive oil helps coat the kidney stones traveling down the urethra, making it easier to pass them when urinating 1. Before using an alternative approach for treating kidney stones, talk to your health care provider first.
Stop eating solid foods at noon and only consume liquids until 7:00 p.m. To get the nutrients you need, drink meal replacement beverages such as Ensure. You can also get most of your essential nutrients for the day from breakfast and an early lunch. The American Heart Association says that all healthy diets must contain essential nutrients and fatty acids, so don’t skimp on nutrition as you are taking in more liquids 2.
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Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the water, 2 oz. of fresh lemon juice and 2 oz. of extra virgin olive oil to a pitcher 1. Refrigerate the water.
Drink 2 tbsp. of olive oil 1 every hour from noon until 6:00 p.m. Sip on the lemon water throughout the day to help your kidneys flush out the stones. Lemon juice is a natural cleanser, but the use of lemons here helps take away the bland taste of olive oil 1 in the water.
How to Use Olive Oil and Lemon Juice for Kidney Stones
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Lie down on your right side and drink 1 oz. of olive oil 1. Wait 20 minutes and lie on your left side. Drink another 1 oz. of olive oil 1 and rest for 20 minutes.
Avoid consuming any food or beverages after drinking the olive oil at 7:00 p.m. Your kidney stones should pass the next day, usually in the morning.
Warnings
If you have kidney stones, see your doctor.
Talk to your health care provider about using alternative approaches to flushing the kidneys of stones, especially if you have a medical condition that affects the kidneys.
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References
- The Healing Power of Garlic, Vinegar, & Olive Oil";
- American Heart Association: Knowing Your Fats
- Covas MI, Nyyssonen K, Poulsen HE, Kaikkonen J, Zunft HJ, Kiesewetter H, Gaddi A, de la Torre R, Mursu J, Baumler H, Nascetti S, Salonen JT, Fito M, Virtanen J, Marrugat J, EUROLIVE Study Group. "The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: a randomized trial." Ann Intern Med. 2006 Sep 5;145(5):333-41. http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=727945.
- Damasceno NR1, Pérez-Heras A, Serra M, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, Salas-Salvadó J, Ros E. "Crossover study of diets enriched with virgin olive oil, walnuts or almonds. Effects on lipids and other cardiovascular risk markers." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Jun;21 Suppl 1:S14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.12.006. http://www.nmcd-journal.com/article/S0939-4753(10)00297-8/abstract.
- Psaltopoulou T1, Kosti RI, Haidopoulos D, Dimopoulos M, Panagiotakos DB. "Olive oil intake is inversely related to cancer prevalence: a systematic review and a meta-analysis of 13,800 patients and 23,340 controls in 19 observational studies." Lipids Health Dis. 2011 Jul 30;10:127. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-10-127. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3199852/.
- Covas MI, Nyyssonen K, Poulsen HE, Kaikkonen J, Zunft HJ, Kiesewetter H, Gaddi A, de la Torre R, Mursu J, Baumler H, Nascetti S, Salonen JT, Fito M, Virtanen J, Marrugat J, EUROLIVE Study Group. "The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: a randomized trial." Ann Intern Med. 2006 Sep 5;145(5):333-41.
- Damasceno NR1, Pérez-Heras A, Serra M, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, Salas-Salvadó J, Ros E. "Crossover study of diets enriched with virgin olive oil, walnuts or almonds. Effects on lipids and other cardiovascular risk markers." Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011 Jun;21 Suppl 1:S14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2010.12.006.
- Psaltopoulou T1, Kosti RI, Haidopoulos D, Dimopoulos M, Panagiotakos DB. "Olive oil intake is inversely related to cancer prevalence: a systematic review and a meta-analysis of 13,800 patients and 23,340 controls in 19 observational studies." Lipids Health Dis. 2011 Jul 30;10:127. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-10-127.
Writer Bio
Cheryl Myers has has a master's degree from Saint Leo University and currently writes for several publications including Fit Pregnancy, Guideposts and Parent's Magazine.