Reduce Your Risk of Gout
I am grateful to say that I have never suffered from gout, but I have heard that it’s extremely painful and can be quite debilitating.
This past week I was meeting with a client who had suffered from gout and was concerned that some of the healthy foods that were being consumed were contributing to the problem.
This post is for anyone who’s ever suffered from gout and wants clarification related to good and bad food/beverage choices. It’s also for the rest of us who want to minimize our risk of getting gout in the future.
So what is gout?
It’s a form of arthritis that occurs when there is too much uric acid in the body, which causes severe inflammation, pain and swelling in the joints (very often in the big toe).
High levels of uric acid can happen when we consume too many foods and beverages high in purines (e.g. red meats, some seafood, alcohol).
Under normal circumstances, our bodies are able to break down purines effectively and uric acid is created as a byproduct of this process. It dissolves in our bloodstream and we get rid of the uric acid through our urine.
You are at increased risk of gout if:
You eat too many foods that are high in purines
You are obese
You have high blood pressure
You’re chronically dehydrated
You consume excessive alcohol
You have a genetic disposition (i.e. many family members suffer from gout)
For many people, gout can be prevented through diet and weight management.
This means:
Adopting a diet that avoids many of the high purine foods. These include animal organ meats (e.g. liver, kidneys), many of the red meats and some game meat (e.g., beef, lamb, pork, venison), and some seafood (e.g., mussels, scallops, trout, sardines)
Limiting your intake of alcohol, sugary beverages and processed foods.
Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and lean proteins
Some of the best low purine foods include:
Fruits (berries, bananas, apples, citrus fruits, melons, peaches and pears)
Vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers)
Legumes and Beans (lentils, peas, black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans)
Whole Grains (quinoa, oats, barley, brown rice, whole grain pasta)
Low-Fat Dairy (low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt or skim milk)
Nuts and Seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia and flax seeds)
Eggs
Not surprisingly, the list above contains many of the foods that one might eat while trying to maintain a healthy diet overall.
This does not guarantee that you’ll never experience an episode of gout but it may help to minimize your risks and put you on a path to better healthy overall.
Staying properly hydrated will also help to ensure that your cells are able to function more effectively on a regular basis. This means drinking approximately half of your bodyweight in ounces of water or decaffeinated, non sugar drinks each day.
If you have experienced severe gout in the past, you may need medication from your physician to manage your symptoms. We are all different and our bodies respond differently depending upon our health conditions and other medications we may be taking. If you have any concerns, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor about what is best for you.
