I've written about the effect of kidney stones and how they arise when you consume health-harming things like soft drinks, but not much on how to treat them should they occur. As in most cases, the best approach -- letting the stone pass on its own -- is the safest and simplest, according to this awesome piece in this morning's USA Today.

Sounds painful, especially if you've seen someone struggle with them. Yet, kidney stones, forming from chemicals in urine, can be as small as sand or large as a pearl and up to 90 percent of them typically pass on their own in as long as a few weeks.

The article goes on to discuss medical procedures that physicians typically shy away from due to worries about lingering kidney damage, a good thing considering the multitude of problems American patients face due to medical errors.

The best and most natural ways to prevent kidney stones are some of the easiest, if you're willing to make some lifestyle alterations:

• Eat a diet based on your body's unique nutritional type.
• Stay away from prescription drugs that promise the moon, but ultimately harm your health.
• Ditto for soy and sugar.

USA Today February 21, 2006