Gout Diet Foods to Avoid

18 Jun

Posted by admin as Uncategorized

Gout is a common type of arthritis that occurs when an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood, tissues and urine crystallizes in the joints. People who have gout are unable to break down and excrete uric acid, a byproduct of digesting certain foods. It usually comes on suddenly, and can last from a few hours to several days. It can cause extremely sore toes or other areas of the foot, and because it frequently manifests itself in the big toe, it is also known as “gouty big toe”. Another name is “gouty arthritis”.

Foods to Avoid:

Diets which are high in purines and high in protein have long been suspected of causing an increased risk of gout (a type of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the body which form crystals in the joints, resulting in pain and inflammation). Results from a study led by Dr. Hyon K. Choi, reported in the March 11, 2004 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, offer an interesting twist.

Gout Diet / Low Purine Diet:

Alcohol, especially beer, should be avoided. Limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink 3 times a week. Drink 2 to 3 L of fluid daily. Adequate fluid intake helps dilute urinary uric acid. Avoid High-Purine foods (see below).Consume a moderate amount of protein. Limit meat, fish and poultry to 4 - 6 oz per day. Try other low-purine good protein foods such as low fat dairy products, tofu and eggs. Limit fat intake by choosing leaner meats, foods prepared with less oils and lower fat dairy products.

Gout Diet - Foods That May Help:

Some people have found cherry juice or strawberries helpful. Some chemicals contained in dark berries may help reduce the inflammation and lower the uric acid.Oily fish like salmon, or fatty acids in flax seed or olive oil or nuts may reduce inflammation too.It has been suggested that using tofu (from soybeans) instead of meat could also be helpful.A balanced diet for gout sufferers includes foods that are high in complex carbohydrates, low in protein and low in fat.

Gout diet: Reducing purines may improve symptoms:

Treatment of gout used to include severe dietary restrictions. But newer medications to treat gout have reduced the need for such restrictions. Still, some dietary modifications may reduce the severity of gout attacks. They may also be useful for people who have problems with gout medications. Limit or avoid foods high in purines, such as: Organ meats, such as liver, brain, kidney and sweetbreads, Anchovies, Herring, Mackerel.

Foods That Cause Gout:

If you are suffering from gout, paying attention to the gout diets will help greatly in controlling this painful disease. Gout is caused by a buildup of metabolic byproducts of uric acid in joints. The pain of gout comes from the accumulated needlelike crystals of a uric-acid salt known as monosodium urate. These crystals accumulate in joints and invade surrounding tissues during an acute attack. The immune system then floods the joints with neutrophils to remove injured tissue. The influx of neutrophils increases the pain and swelling; over the long term, this can destroy a joint

Tags: