kidney stones

It seems like no matter what you walk into the doc's office with these days, you're bound to walk OUT with a prescription for an antibiotic.

For complaints from sore throats to stomach aches and skin rashes, antibiotics are often the go-to treatment -- even when docs aren't sure that these drugs are even necessary.

And while antibiotics can absolutely save your life if you've got a nasty infection… every time you take one, you risk stirring up a hornet's nest of other health problems.

We know that antibiotics can mess with your gut... tax your heart ... and even pave the way for allergies. And according to a new study, they can also boost your risk of one of the most painful things you could pass out of your body (short of giving birth).

KIDNEY STONES!

In the study, UK researchers analyzed the health records of nearly 300,000 patients with and without kidney stones and found that FIVE different classes of antibiotics boosted the chances of developing them.

Those who received broad-spectrum penicillin drugs (like amoxicillin) were 27 percent more likely to have developed kidney stones than those who took no antibiotics.

And those who were prescribed sulfa drugs (like erythromycin) were nearly TWICE as likely to get socked by kidney stones than those who took no antibiotics at all.

Even worse, the elevated risk stayed in place for several years AFTER antibiotic use was completed!

That means you could take an antibiotic today... and wind up "giving birth" to a kidney stone YEARS down the line.

And I can promise that it WON'T be a bundle of joy.

Now, the study didn't determine exactly how antibiotic use leads to kidney stones.

But one theory is that when antibiotics disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut (a.k.a. your gut "microbiome"), they change how nutrients are metabolized in such a way that encourages kidney stones to form .

Antibiotics may also throw your urinary microbiome (yep, there is such a thing) out of whack, leading to kidney stone formation.

And the researchers couldn't rule out the possibility that the antibiotics THEMSELVES may crystallize in your kidneys.

Blech!

So, if you want to protect yourself from these painful stones, make sure to take an antibiotic only when absolutely necessary.

And if you truly do need one, talk to a doc well-versed in integrative medicine about how to incorporate natural infection-fighting remedies -- like essential plant oils and colloidal silver -- into your treatment plan.

For example, cranberries can often clear up urinary tract infections -- and they've even been proven to dissolve kidney stones.

Obliterate painful crystal deposits with Asian citrus

If you've ever "passed" a kidney stone, you know that the agony is something you NEVER want to go through again.

You're trying to pass something relatively large through an opening that's relatively tiny -- which is why they say that it's the closest a man could ever come to experiencing the pain of childbirth.

Unfortunately, you're rarely prepared for what's about to hit you, because those crystalized "stones" build up inside your kidneys while you're none the wiser and strike without warning.

And once kidney stones are on the move, they bring on severe abdominal and lower back pain that can almost feel like contractions.

Over the last 30 years, there hasn't been much you could do for kidney stones. You could drink lots of water and avoid certain aggravating foods, but once those mineral deposits had formed, you could never really be "rid" of them for good.

But fortunately, there's an Asian fruit that can actually slow the buildup of those crystals -- and PREVENT kidney stones from forming in the first place.

But this citrus fruit, called "Garcinia cambogia" (a.k.a. an Indonesian tamarind) can also KEEP them from coming back!

It works so well because it's loaded with a compound called hydroxycitrate (HCA), which lab studies have shown can literally dissolve crystal deposits upon contact.

And HCA is far more potent than the commonly-prescribed potassium citrate, which comes with some hard-to-handle side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

You may have seen Garcinia cambogia and/or HCA extract sold as a weight loss supplement, often paired with green tea or green coffee bean extract. But what you want is just Garcinia cambogia/HCA -- and you won't find it in any of those "kidney cleanse" formulas, so check the label carefully at your local health store.

Your best bet here, however, is an ounce of prevention. Although your risk of kidney stones does go up as you age, you're also more likely to develop them if you've got high blood pressure... or diabetes... or if you're obese.

Eating an all-natural, nutrient-rich diet like Paleo, the "Caveman" diet, can help you manage all three.

Because, my friend, you really don't want to experience anything REMOTELY similar to childbirth if you don't have to -- and those crystalized "stones" you'll pass are ANYTHING but a bundle of joy.