peeing blood...NOT cool!

Have intermittently been peeing blood for the past few days. Being a nurse practitioner has it's benefits. I knew what the differentials were and was able to diagnose it pretty quick. Of course my colleague doctor friend rolled his eyes and blamed my running! WTF?!! I swear, I could have a runny nose and my colleagues would say, "Its all that running you do". So, between seeing patients Lori gets a CT scan. I must say my friend Mark in CT (who I send many a patient) was all to happy to jab me with the large bore needle and seemed amused to remind me of how when he injects the contrast dye it feels like you are peeing yourself..it causes a flushing sensation...everywhere. He also reminded me how some people puke all over his floor and if I did I would have to clean it up. I told him I ate mexican food just for him.And, yes, you guessed it...a nice little sharp stone banging around the left kidney. Fortunately, she is is not causing any pain, but like a volcano...ya just never know.So why the stone? And why the hell am I telling you about it? The second question I'll answer first. I know many a trail runner with kidney stones and I'd bet there are a few of you out there who have or will encounter a similar experience. Now the why...Well a nice heated discussion of course erupted between me and my colleague. I won...in my opinion. There is NO evidence..studies or notations in the literature that runners have more kidney stones than the average joe. My colleague is going to let me know if he finds otherwise, but a quick search revealed nada. So what predisposes one to stones? of course it is multifactoral. Genetics, diet--Diets high in animal protein, high sodium, higer fructose/sucrose, chronic low fluid intake....So a good diet? One with lots of fruits, vegetables, water, low sodium, low sugar, and not a lot of animal protein. AND one VERY exciting piece of research that has been reproduced in other studies....Coffee and tea consumption correlate with lower risk of kidney stones!! THANK GOD! However...my diet?? I do great with the fruits, vegetables, fluids. I avoid fructose and sucrose. But what over the past 3 years do I seem to still have trouble with? Well I probably do get a little dry often enough with long runs and racing that I need to be more mindful of. And..I LOVE SALT...almost as much as I love coffee and tea. I also could use to NOT have animal protein with nearly EVERY meal as I do now. Wouldn't hurt to pass on the meat from time to time. Also, just fyi...high vitamin c intake increases risk for stones, potassium is protective.
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