Gout is a painful joint disease. It usually attacks the big toe joint but can attack other joints with swelling, redness and tenderness so extreme you can't bear to put weight on the area or even touch it. Although lifestyle and food choices may be a factor, other things such as family history, genetics and being male seem to be more indicative of who is susceptible. The attacks come when urate crystals form around joints instead of dissolving and passing through the kidneys into the urine. When your body produces too much uric acid or your kidneys process too little uric acid into your urine, urate crystals form around joints and can be incapacitating. Besides prescribed medication like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, there are some things you can do at home to reduce the chances of having an attack.
Lifestyle
According to Mayo Clinic staff, having more than two alcoholic drinks per day, being obese and eating a lot of red meat or organ meat like liver can spur an attack of gout. Lose weight, choose more raw vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods for meals and limit alcoholic drinks to stave off gout attacks.
Vitamin C
Mayo Clinic staff say reasonable amounts of supplemental vitamin C can help reduce the levels of uric acid in your blood. The American Dietetic Association reported a study that showed men who took in more than 1,500 mg of vitamin C per day had a 45 percent less chance of getting gout than men who consumed 250 mg or less.
Hydrate
According to Mayo Clinic staff, drinking plenty of water can help reduce the amount of uric acid in your blood that might turn into urate crystals. Drink lots of water and other nondiuretic liquids to keep the level of uric acid down.
Diet Choices
Avoid foods that tend to build uric acid. Don't eat organ meats like liver or kidneys. Other foods to avoid include anchovies or certain fish like herring and mackerel that tend to be high in purines, which form uric acid when broken down.
Coffee
Mayo Clinic staff say some studies have found that drinking coffee, either regular or decaf, can reduce uric acid in your blood. They aren't sure why or how efficacious coffee might be, so it isn't necessarily a time to start drinking coffee.
Dark Fruit
Certain dark fruits such as cherries have been found to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood. Besides cherries, Mayo CLinic staff say blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes and raspberries may be good choices to add to your diet.
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