Gouty arthritis, or gout, is a joint disease in which uric acid crystallizes and accumulates around your joints, resulting in a significant amount of pain. Uric acid is a waste product from the breakdown of purines. Purines occur naturally in your body and are present in some of the foods you eat. Diet can play a role in preventing gouty arthritis. Including certain foods in your diet as well as eliminating potentially harmful foods can reduce your risk of gout and ease symptoms.
Weight Management
Following a varied diet to maintain a healthy weight is important in the prevention of gout. Boston University's School of Medicine published reports in 2010 that point to a clear link between obesity and gout. People who are heavier are twice as likely to develop symptoms of gouty arthritis. The extra pounds carried on your frame can worsen the inflammation around your joints as well. Eating whole grains, fresh produce and foods low in cholesterol and fat and cutting out sweets and salty snack foods can help you lose weight to reduce your risk of not only gout but also heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Vitamin C
Increasing your vitamin C intake through food or supplements can lead to a lower level of uric acid in your body, according to findings published in the March 9, 2009 issue of "Archives of Internal Medicine." The study, carried out over 20 years, showed that men who consumed less than 250 mg of vitamin C daily, had higher uric acid levels and a higher risk of gout than those who consumed between 500 and 1,500 mg of the vitamin daily. Supplementation is an option to increase your vitamin C intake. Foods rich in the nutrient include citrus fruits, broccoli, potatoes, strawberries and red bell peppers.
Protein
Protein is essential to everyone's diet, but many animal proteins are high in purines, which can increase your chances of developing gouty arthritis. Instead of concentrating on meat to give you protein, turn to meatless alternatives. Dairy products such as cheese and plant-based beans and legumes also contain protein and are lower in purines than red meat, poultry and fish. Dairy products have the added bonus of reducing your gout risk too. According to MayoClinic.com, consuming up to 24 oz. of skim milk or low-fat yogurt daily may help prevent gout.
Beverages
Choose your beverages wisely to keep gout symptoms away. Water and other non-alcoholic beverages lower the uric acid levels in your body. Drinking extra fluids, between 64 and 132 oz. daily, helps the crystals that form around your joints disintegrate and removes uric acid from your body. Alcohol can be a danger when it comes to gout. As reported in the April 2004 issue of "The Lancet," men who drink beer and hard liquor are more susceptible to gout attacks than those who either do not drink at all, or who enjoy wine on occasion. There is also evidence, according to MayoClinic.com that men may be able to prevent gouty arthritis by drinking large quantities of coffee. Four to six cups of java daily could prevent painful gout symptoms for reasons that are not clear.
References
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Vitamin C Intake and the Risk of Gout in Men; Hyon K. Choi et al.; March 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Gout Diet; March 2010
- "The Lancet"; Alcohol Intake and Risk of Incident Gout in Men: A Prospective Study; Hyon K. Choi et al.; April 2004
- Arthritis Today; Obesity and Gout; Dorothy Foltz-Gray
- Linus Pauling Institute; Vitamin C; Jane Higdon; January 2006
