Eat Away Kidney Stones

Eating at summer BBQs is stressful for a lot of people with kidney stones. Will there be anything these you can eat? What will you say to (well-meaning) family who is pushing you to eat something? Melanie shares her tips and tricks for eating and preventing kidney stones at summer cookouts - and having a wonderful time doing it!  Low Sodium Pasta Salad Low Sodium Baked Beans Low Sodium BBQ Sauce O...

In this MUST listen episode, Melanie chats all things MSG with fellow dietitian Cara Harbstreet MS, RD, Owner of Street Smart Nutrition. There is SO much to know about this elusive and misunderstood ingredient from the science, history and how it could even help you eat less salt! Follow Cara on her website , Instagram and on YouTube !   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Conn...

If you've read or heard of the book Toxic Superfoods by Sally Norton, this episode is a must listen! Toxic Superfoods is a perfect example of the common tactics wellness influencers use to grab your attention, exploit your emotions and get you grab onto their message (and typically very expensive products). Melanie uses her review of Toxic Superfoods as an example for how to spot other nutrition m...

Kidney stones are more common in the summer. Melanie dives into some interesting research about kidney stones and temperature, and shares some tips to stay out of the ER with kidney stones this summer. Fakheri RJ, Goldfarb DS. Ambient temperature as a contributor to kidney stone formation: implications of global warming. Kidney International. 2011;79(11):1178-1185.  Tasian GE, Pulido JE, Gasparrin...

It is common for kidney stones to "run in families", but does this mean you are destined to be a stone former? Melanie dives into kidney stones, genetics and what you CAN do to prevent stones despite your family history of kidney stones.   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pinterest | Facebook Group...

In this episode, fellow kidney dietitian Emily Campbell RD, CDE, MScFN and Melanie chat about why the boring advice to "eat more fruits and vegetables" is so important for kidney health and their favorite tips to actually eat more! Connect with Emily, Owner of Kidney Nutrition at her website , on Instagram @kidneynutrition and in her Facebook group!   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the...

The data is clear that people who eat more added sugar tend to have more kidney stones. But why? Melanie breaks down the science of sugar and kidney stones, along with how much sugar you should be eating.   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pinterest | Facebook Group | Newsletter www.thekidneydietiti...

One of the biggest barriers to drinking all of that water to prevent kidney stones is needing to go to the bathroom all the time! We were thrilled to welcome Bianca Gallub, a pelvic floor physical therapist to talk about what "normal" bathroom habits look like, and what you can do if you find yourself frequently visiting the bathroom to pee. West Town PT website & Instagram pages   Submit a questi...

Can ozempic and the other popular GLP1 agonist medications cause kidney stones? Melanie gives an update on with the research says, as well as her advice for people with kidney stones who want to start one of these medications. References: Feghali K, Li X, Maalouf NM. Changes in 24-Hour Urine Chemistry in Patients with Nephrolithiasis during Weight Loss with GLP-1 Peptide Therapies: Kidney360. 5(11...

Melanie chats with Lindsay Ducharme RD, CSR, LDN, Owner of Vital Kidney Nutrition about what plant proteins EVEN ARE, why they are so good for kidneys, and some of their favorite plant protein meals. Connect with Lindsay & Vital Kidney Nutrition at her website , Instagram & Facebook .   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Inst...

In this episode, Melanie shares some reflections of her time at the National Kidney Foundation's sping meeting for healthcare professionals. She gives a summary of the educational sessions she gave, moderated and some other highlights from this high profile national kidney health meeting for professionals.    Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian...

Most of us know by now how important calcium is for people with calcium kidney stones. But what if you don't drink milk? Melanie shares what she recommends to non-dairy consumers. Blog: The Best Calcium Sources for Kidney Stones Borghi L, Schianchi T, Meschi T, et al. Comparison of two diets for the prevention of recurrent stones in idiopathic hypercalciuria. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(2):77-84.  Food...

Once you have one kidney stone, there is a 75% chance you'll have another in your life. Melanie dives into the healthcare system and why that percentage is so high  - and most importantly, what YOU can do to not be a part of that statistic.  Wertheim ML, et al. Current Practice Patterns of Urologists Providing Nutrition Recommendations to Patients with Kidney Stones. Journal of Endourology. 2014;2...

The impact of kidney stones on mental health is a significant and often overlooked aspect of living with kidney stones. In this episode, Melanie chats with Michelle Rowlett, a social worker who specializes in kidney health about why dealing with chronic disease can be so tough, and her top tips for managing it. Michelle's LinkedIn Page   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Conn...

Should people with kidney stones boil their veggies to cut down oxalate? Melanie weighs in with a short and sweet answer.   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pinterest | Facebook Group | Newsletter www.thekidneydietitian.org All information in this podcast is meant for educational purposes only and s...

Melanie dives into when and how medicine can help you prevent kidney stones, and how medications should work in tandem with diet changes. Survey to see if you are eligible to help improve the lives of people with kidney disease   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pinterest | Facebook Group | Newslett...

Ever wonder if fat matters for kidney stones? In this episode, Melanie talks about how fat fits into a healthy dietary pattern for kidney stones and the types of fats that are best. WIN FREE VIP Enrollment to Kidney Stone Nutrition School! Leave a review of the Eat Away Kidney Stones Podcast, take a screenshot and email it to us at hello@thekidneydietitian.org by 3/31/25. Podcast: Dr. Adrian Chave...

In this episode, Melanie chats with a fellow kidney stone prevention enthusiast, Dr. Paul Dreyer. Dr. Paul is passionate about helping people with kidney stones stop the vicious cycle and get kidney stone free! Work with Dr. Paul:  Kidney Stone Prevention Clinic   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pi...

Many people are trying to balance nutrition for BOTH kidney stones and kidney disease. In this episode, Melanie dives into some of the similarities - and differences - when it comes to optimal kidney nutrition.  What is a "Renal Diet" blog post Phosphorus & CKD blog post Potassium & CKD blog post DASH and Mediterranean Diet Resources   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connec...

You will NOT want to miss this very special episode with Dr. Jessica Knurick, a dietitian that specializes in public health. She and Melanie dive into what the "Make America Healthy Again" (aka MAHA) movement is and what the science says about the movement's priorities and what changes we should be focusing on to truly improve the health of Americans. Follow Dr. Knurick on Instagram and subscribe...

At first glance, healthy eating for heart health and kidney stones can feel COMPLETELY opposite. But, I promise that when you start to focus on what REALLY matters, they really align perfectly! In this episode on honor of Valentine's Day, Melanie chats with fellow dietitian Patricia Kolesa, Founder for Dietitian Dish LLC, about how food can help your heart stay healthy! Check out Patricia's websit...

In this episode, Melanie shares what she learned from the premiere kidney stone research conference this month. She covers what type of kidney stone research is going on, future directions and a snapshot of data she presented at the meeting.   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Pinterest | Facebook Gr...

Ever wonder if it is ok to take a multivitamin with kidney stones? In this episode, Melanie tackles this big question and gives advice for the specific nutrients you might what to look out for in a multivitamin, and why!  Prentice RL. Clinical trials and observational studies to assess the chronic disease benefits and risks of multivitamin-multimineral supplements. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jan;85(1):3...

In this episode, Melanie chats with Terrie Holewinski MS, RDN about how important kidney stone PREVENTION is, and how this is different than standard care for people with kidney stones, and how nutrition plays a role. Terrie is a Senior Dietitian University of Michigan and Founder and Owner of KidneyIntel, LLC, a platform dedicated to providing reliable, accessible resources to help patients bette...

Melanie chats with kidney stone patient, Maggie, about how dealing with multiple stones, surgeries and restrictive diets took a serious toll on her mental health and how working with Melanie has improved her quality of life. Check out Kidney Stone Nutrition School   Submit a question for Melanie to answer on the podcast! Connect with The Kidney Dietitian! Work with Us! |  Instagram |  Facebook | ...