Re: Have I got Kidney stones??

I got some really heavy headaches when I took it (which could simply be an allergic reaction) and I know some other people who also had some mixed reactions. I don't think it's particularly dangerous or anything, but at the same time I'm not sure exactly what its purpose is, given that you are supposed to take a large quantity of it over a period of days. Shelley, who has kidney problems, does not recommend the use of heavy diuretics as part of a routine cleanse.

http://www.askshelley.com/faq.php?p=default&cat=44

One of the best resources on kidney stones on the net is http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Kidney-Stones-Group/ I noticed the Moritz tea was brought up in the beginning of the group's history, and I don't believe it was mentioned thereafter. So that is some evidence that people with serious stone problems aren't getting anything from it. Some people on that group do continue to try chanca piedra, which may be the best herbal response we have for stones.

Most stones, including stones that cause pain, will pass by themselves in several weeks unless they get to be significant in size, like 5 mm. If even large stones will pass by themselves, then I would tend to think that small gravel doesn't need anything more than adequate fluid intake and maybe the occassional mild diuretic like fresh Watermelon or corn silk tea that also seem to have an overall positive effect on the kidneys. That seems like a safer route, particularly as some of the people who post here may have broader kidney problems that make them more sensitive.

I think it's a mistake to view kidney gravel in the same way that you would liver stones or mucoid plaque. I'm not seeing much evidence that the kidneys work like that. Your best bet is to get adequate water intake (general standard is half your body weight in ounces--if you weigh 170 lbs, then 85 ounces of water a day); use the occasional mild diuretics, like parsley or Watermelon or corn silk tea; take things that have been scientifically shown to protect and strengthen the kidneys, like turmeric/cucurmin, taurine, cinnamon, coQ10, fish oils, carnosine, and some others; and be conscious of things that can hurt the kidneys, like use of aspirin and acetaminophen, or untreated high blood sugar.