1. Hematuria is an associated symptom with kidney stones because as the kidney stone passes through the urinary tract, it can cause damage to the lining of the ureter or bladder, leading to bleeding. This blood then mixes with the urine, resulting in hematuria.
2. Dietary changes that would benefit a patient who is at risk of developing kidney stones include increasing fluid intake to help dilute the urine and prevent the formation of crystals, reducing sodium intake to decrease the amount of calcium excreted in the urine, limiting oxalate-rich foods such as spinach, nuts, and chocolate, and maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the risk of obesity-related kidney stone formation.