Final answer:
Clients with a urinary calculus of calcium oxalate should consume adequate dietary calcium to bind ingested oxalate and decrease its absorption. They should also moderate high-oxalate foods to prevent kidney stone formation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Renal Calculi and Dietary Recommendations
For a client with a urinary calculus composed of calcium oxalate, a nurse instructor would likely recommend a diet that addresses calcium and oxalate intake. Firstly, it's important to note that while it might seem counterintuitive, a low-calcium diet can actually increase the risk for developing kidney stones. Calcium plays a crucial role in binding oxalate in the gastrointestinal tract. When calcium intake is low, more oxalate is absorbed into the bloodstream and later excreted into the urine, where it can form calcium oxalate stones.
Therefore, adequate intake of dietary calcium is important to prevent the formation of these stones. However, it's also necessary to moderate consumption of foods high in oxalates, such as spinach, chocolate, and nuts, which can contribute to stone formation when consumed in excess. The control of dietary oxalate is a key component in the prevention of calcium oxalate stones formation.