Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Proper Nutrition to Prevent Gout
• Method 2 of 4: What foods to avoid
• Method 3 of 4: Losing Weight Safely
• Method 4 of 4: Various Causes and Treatments
• Tips
• Warnings

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by uric acid deposits in and around the joints. Changing your diet is one of the most effective ways to prevent gout from developing or to make it less painful and less frequent. In addition to proper nutrition, additional measures such as weight loss and medication are often recommended.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Proper Nutrition to Prevent Gout

1. 1 Drink at least 8 glasses (2 liters) of water daily. Gout pain occurs when uric acid crystals form in the joints. The liquid helps to flush uric acid from the body and thus reduce the likelihood of gout attacks. Plain water is best for this, although you can substitute 100 percent fruit juice for some of your daily water requirement.
   • Sweetened drinks, such as soda and sugar-filled fruit juice, can make gout worse.
2. 2 Eat potassium-rich foods. Potassium helps flush uric acid from the body, which causes gout. Many foods are rich in potassium, including moon beans, dried peaches, melons, boiled spinach, and baked potatoes with skin.
   • If you do not want to eat at least 2 servings of these foods daily (or even 7 servings for severe gout), try taking a dietary supplement containing potassium, or consult a dietitian or doctor.
3. 3 Eat complex carbohydrates. For those at increased risk of developing gout, it is recommended to eat whole grain pasta, dark bread, vegetables and fruits. Include these foods in your daily diet instead of refined white breads, baked goods, and sweets.
4. 4 Take vitamin C supplements or eat foods rich in vitamin C. At least one study has shown that consuming an adequate amount (1500–2000 milligrams) of vitamin C every day significantly reduces the risk of developing gout. Many people with gout add lemon juice to their water to get the amount of vitamin C they need every day without taking dietary supplements.
5. 5 Eat cherries. This long-standing folk remedy for gout can actually lower your risk of developing the condition. In preliminary studies, cherries have been shown to help lower blood uric acid levels and thereby help prevent gout.
6. 6 Consider drinking decaffeinated coffee. One study showed that coffee was able to reduce uric acid levels and thereby reduce the risk of gout attacks. Although the reason for this is unknown, it is not related to caffeine, which can even worsen gout, so it is best to drink decaffeinated coffee.

Method 2 of 4: What foods to avoid

1. 1 Avoid sugar and other unhealthy foods. Contained in corn syrup and other sweeteners, fructose significantly increases uric acid levels. When uric acid builds up, it crystallizes as needle crystals (sodium urate), which cause joint pain and inflammation, which is called gout.Currently, the main cause of gout is an unhealthy diet high in sugar, sweeteners and processed foods.
   • Try replacing sugary sodas and fruit juices with sugar with water and / or 100 percent natural fruit juices without additives.
   • Pay attention to the composition of the food. Avoid foods high in fructose-rich corn syrup and try to consume as little sugar and other types of corn syrup as possible.
2. 2 Eat less meat and fish. All meat contains purine, which breaks down into uric acid and thus contributes to gout. There is no need to give up meat completely, just eat it no more than 110-170 grams per day.
   • The palm holds about 85 grams, or one serving of meat. It is recommended that you eat no more than two such servings per day.
   • Lean meats are healthier than fatty ones.
   • Red meat is the immediate cause of gout. Consider giving it up if it causes you to have gout attacks.
3. 3 Avoid the types of meats that are most conducive to gout. Some meat products have a high purine content, which can trigger a gout attack. Try to eliminate from your diet (or use them only occasionally and in small quantities) the following meats:
   • kidneys, liver, brains and other by-products;
   • anchovies, sardines and mackerel;
   • meat gravy.
4. 4 Limit your fat intake. Fats, especially saturated fats, slow down the processing of uric acid in the body and worsen gout pain. Fortunately, many of the above measures can also help you reduce the amount of fat in your diet. However, if they are not enough, consider how you can still lower your fat intake to a healthy level. For example, if you usually drink whole milk, switch to 1% milk or skim milk. If you're used to eating fried foods, try roasting vegetables in the oven or roasting chicken.
5. 5 Switch from beer to wine. Although alcoholic beverages contribute to gout, they can be consumed in moderation without noticeable harm. However, beer contains yeast that is rich in purine, which can make gout worse. Instead of beer, it is safer to drink 1 serving (150 milliliters) of wine a day.
   • Wine is unlikely to relieve gout. It is recommended as a less harmful substitute for beer.

Method 3 of 4: Losing Weight Safely

1. 1 Use this method if you are overweight. Being overweight or obese usually makes gout worse. However, if you are following your doctor's recommendations and maintaining a healthy weight, do not try to lose weight and read the guidelines below before considering whether you should be following any diet.
2. 2 Refrain from extreme diets. Often, the changes in diet that are listed in other sections of this article are enough to slowly but surely lose weight. If you are at increased risk of developing gout, losing weight too quickly can actually trigger an onset of the disease, as the stress in the body can outweigh the kidneys' ability to process harmful substances.
   • High-protein diets, fasting, and diuretics are especially detrimental to people with gout.
3. 3 Go in for sports. Any physical activity, even walking your dog or working in the garden, can help you lose weight and thereby reduce your risk of developing gout. However, adults are advised to engage in moderate exercise, such as bicycling, brisk walking, tennis, or swimming, for at least 2.5 hours per week.
   • Commit to exercising for a total of 30 minutes a day. You can train for half an hour at a time, or break this time into shorter periods of time.
   • Exercise during a gout attack can be very painful.Wait for the attack to end and then resume sports.
4. 4 Talk to your doctor or dietitian if losing weight is difficult for you. If you have changed your diet in accordance with at least some of the recommendations in other sections, but your weight has not decreased, consult a specialist. Many factors affect gout, so listen only to the opinion of a professional dietitian or doctor.

Method 4 of 4: Various Causes and Treatments

1. 1 Ask your doctor to prescribe medications for you. If lifestyle changes are not enough to prevent gout, your doctor may prescribe Allopurinol or another drug. Follow the directions for use carefully, as taking too large doses at the wrong time can reverse the effect and worsen the gout attack.
   • Xanthine oxidase inhibitors, such as allopurinol (Allopurinol) or febuxostat (Adenuric, Azurix), block the production of uric acid.
   • Ask your doctor if antibiotics are right for you. Some antibiotics can make a gout attack worse.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about lead poisoning. Recent evidence suggests that lead poisoning, even in too small amounts to cause other problems, can trigger or worsen a gout attack. While more research is needed to confirm this, you may want to ask your doctor to test the toxins in your hair and blood. This is especially useful if you live or work in older buildings that may have used lead paint, or if you use lead in your work.
3. 3 Try not to take diuretics if possible. Diuretics are sometimes used to treat other conditions or as dietary supplements. While their effect on gout is controversial, it is possible that they make it worse. Ask your doctor if any other medications you are taking are diuretic, and if so, if you can take potassium supplements to counteract this.

Tips

• Gout is a type of arthritis, or joint inflammation. Sometimes called gouty arthritis, it often causes inflammation in the big toes.
• Watching what you eat and drink can help you determine if your gout attacks are related to certain foods. Each organism reacts differently, and some foods may be more noticeable than others.
• If the level of uric acid in the body is not monitored, repeated attacks of gout are quite possible.

Warnings

• If gout is accompanied by the formation of hard, painless lumps in the joints, this can lead to chronic arthritis and constant or frequent pain.