How can I live to avoid stones?

  The human body sometimes grows a variety of stones, large ones as large as an egg, small ones as fine as grains of sand, some round and oval, some like pomegranates, some very hard and some more loose.  To figure out why the body grows stones, it is important to understand what mineralization is. The so-called mineralization is a normal physiological process in the human body, such as the development of bones, dental growth, etc. Abnormal mineralization is under the interference of various internal and external factors, resulting in the imbalance of the normal mineralization process in the human body, such as metabolic aspects caused by calcium salt deposits, such as kidney stones, gallstones.  In the case of common gallstones, for example, a common disturbing factor is skipping breakfast. The gallbladder is where the bile is stored and concentrated, and when eaten the bile is drained into the intestines to help digest food. After a night’s rest, not eating breakfast can lead to an excessive accumulation of bile, causing cholesterol deposits in the gallbladder to form stones.  Second, women are a vulnerable group for gallbladder disease. The results of many large surveys show that women have a greater chance of developing gallbladder stones than men, which is somewhat related to the role of estrogen and closely related to women’s lifestyle habits. This is especially true for women over the age of 40, which is related to declining estrogen levels and metabolic changes.  Third, obesity is also an important disruptive factor. Obesity can cause endocrine changes and affect the metabolism of liver enzymes, and also interfere with the contraction function of the gallbladder, causing obstruction of bile discharge, resulting in bile stasis and prompting the formation of gallstones.  Fourth, unhealthy diet is also related to the formation of stones. Eating a large amount of cholesterol-containing food (such as egg yolk, fatty meat, animal offal, animal skin, etc.) for a long time will easily cause the ability of bile salts to dissolve cholesterol to decrease, causing cholesterol to crystallize and precipitate, forming stones.  In addition to bile duct stones, the urinary system is also a good site for stones, including kidney stones, ureteral stones, bladder stones and urethral stones. In general, the causes are mainly related to urinary strictures, urinary tract infections and systemic metabolic diseases. The main symptoms are sudden and severe colic, which makes the person restless and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, high fever and infection. However, the diagnosis is relatively easy and can be confirmed by ultrasound examination.  In terms of prevention, the most important method is to drink more water and urinate more often to prevent crystal deposits in the urine, followed by eating more alkaline fruits and vegetables, such as pineapple, apples, cucumbers, etc.; eating less high purine foods, such as animal offal and seafood, etc.; drinking alcohol and coffee in moderation; avoiding long hours of work in high temperatures; and properly enhancing physical exercise and avoiding sedentary activities.  In addition, the causes of respiratory stones are mainly air pollution and smoking behavior, resulting in the inhalation of dust adhesion and retention in the body. Stones in the five senses are mainly due to a combination of internal secretions and external stimuli. For example, small stones on the conjunctiva are related to long-term trachoma and chronic conjunctivitis. Most of these stones can be avoided by paying attention to personal hygiene and maintaining good lifestyle habits.