- Forces Calcium into Urine: When there is too much sodium in your blood, your kidneys have to work hard to filter it out. In the process, the sodium forces your kidneys to push extra calcium out of your body and into your urine.
- The Mixing Process: Once this extra calcium is sitting in your urine, it looks for other waste products to stick to. The most common partner is a natural substance called oxalate, which comes from many normal foods.
- Creating Solid Crystals: When the high levels of calcium and oxalate find each other and stick together, they form solid crystals. Over time, these small crystals build up and grow into painful kidney stones.
To protect your body, you have to watch your daily salt intake. Interestingly, the biggest danger is not the salt shaker on your dining table. Most of the harmful salt we eat is hidden in common foods: