1. When Gout Attacks
Gout is a painful inflammation caused by the formation of crystals in joints due to high uric acid levels. These crystal deposits form in both joint fluid and joint linings. The smallest joint of the big toe is the most common site of gout, though it can also appear in knees, ankles, fingers, elbows and wrists as well. Gout is a chronic condition that can lead to bursitis as well as symptoms that resemble rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is a very common condition (actually one of the most recorded in medical history), with a million people affected in the United States alone.
2. Putting Your Gout on a Diet
Since uric acid is a breakdown product of the organic compound purine, found in many foods, it has long been believed that by following a gout diet that eliminates foods high in purines the condition can be cleared up. A gout diet also requires if not the elimination at least a reduction in foods that contain a moderate amount of purines. In addition, eating foods that lower uric acid levels, such as cherries, will also prove beneficial to gout sufferers. Drinking a lot of water can also help dilute uric acid.
3. Highs and Lows of the Gout Diet
In order to cut out foods high in purines and reduce foods that contain a moderate amount of purines, you need to know what food is what. Foods that are purine-rich include sardines, both baker's and brewer's yeast, mussels, sweetbreads, anchovies, shrimp, bouillon, dried beans and peas and organs such as heart and liver. These are the foods you should eliminate. Foods you can eat in moderation because of their level of purines are asparagus, bacon, scallops, veal, turkey, pheasant and grouse. Alcohol should not be consumed at all when gout is present, as it interferes with the body's ability to remove uric acid.
4. Not All Foods Are Created Equal
Strangely, some studies have shown that some foods high in purines do not have the same effect on gout as other purine-rich foods. Beans, peas, spinach, cauliflower and mushrooms are all high-purine foods that did not worsen symptoms or increase the risk of gout. A high consumption of meat, meanwhile, increased the risk of gout by 40 percent, while the risk for those who ate a lot of fish rose 50 percent.
5. Diet Not Always the Answer When it Comes to Gout
Unfortunately, diet is not always the end-all solution when it comes to gout. Sometimes you need to turn to medications to treat this condition. Anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids and painkillers will often be prescribed or suggested to reduce inflammation and pain. Medications such as allopurinol (Zyloprim) or losartan (Hyzaar and Cozaar) can lower or control uric acid levels. Probenecid (Probalan, Benemid) will help the body to excrete more uric acid into urine.
