WHAT IS GOUT?

Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that is very painful. It usually affects one joint at a time (often the big toe joint). There are times when symptoms get worse, known as flares, and times when there are no symptoms, known as remission. Repeated bouts of gout can lead to gouty arthritis, a worsening form of arthritis.

– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

LIST OF VEGETABLES BENEFICIAL FOR GOUT

LEAFY AND SALAD VEGETABLES

EDIBLE FLOWERS

PODDED VEGETABLES

BULB AND STEM VEGETABLES

ROOT VEGETABLES

SEA VEGETABLES

Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis, which develops when high blood uric acid concentrations are unusually high. The uric acid crystallizes in the joints, usually in the big toe and other joints of the body, causing painful and sometimes severe swelling. It is a condition that is very painful, can be very irritating and itchy, and it can even damage your joints permanently if left untreated. There are a variety of treatment options available to relieve the pain and inflammation caused by gout.

Most people with gout suffer from a variety of symptoms and levels of discomfort. The initial symptom that you will notice is the extreme pain in your joints. The pain will occur mostly in your big toe or the joints of the big toe closest to where the joint ends. When the uric acid accumulates and combines with blood in the joints it forms crystals, these crystals grow larger over time until they become a painful mass. It is common for gout to attack your joints at least two times a year, but if you have high levels of uric acid it can occur more frequently.

The primary cause of gout is having high levels of uric acid in your bloodstream. Because the crystals form so quickly and so painfully, many people believe they have a problem with their kidneys when they have these attacks. This is not the case however. Gout is actually a result of a problem with uric acid and not your kidneys. Kidney stones and gout both originate in the kidneys and are caused by the same chemical uric acid. Therefore, you should treat gout as you would kidney stones.

When you have high uric acid in your blood you must avoid a number of foods. The first thing you need to do is to eliminate or at least limit all animal products, including red meat and organ meats. If you must eat meat it should be very small cuts. Even fish should be cooked or fried raw. Caffeine is another culprit and should be avoided as much as possible, and if you can eliminate it from your diet completely you should.

Next, you may want to consider limiting your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods contain a lot of water and are often overlooked as causing gout. However, they can actually increase uric acid production in the body and increase your risk of developing kidney stones or gout. In addition, some fruits may actually increase uric acid production, so you should limit your intake of citrus fruits. You should also try to limit your consumption of beans and lentils, because they contain a lot of protein that may increase uric acid levels.

Once you have eliminated or limited to the foods that cause gout attacks and you have included a healthy diet consisting of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, you may want to consider trying a natural form of treatment. One of the best ways to reduce the level of uric acid in your body without adding artificial substances to it is to take herbs. Herbs such as cherries, hawthorn berries, and nettle root are rich in antioxidants that can help to neutralize free radicals in your body. They can also help to reduce inflammation and relieve pain and bloating. Some studies even indicate that these herbs may help to prevent gout attacks.

Many people don’t realize that adding a low-purine diet to improve the function of your kidneys is also a great way to prevent gout attacks. Although it may sound too good to be true, studies have shown that a low-purine diet can help to control the production of uric acid, reduce blood pressure, improve circulation, and decrease the chances of kidney stones or gout. Since a low-purine diet also has other health benefits such as reducing cholesterol and increasing blood flow, it makes sense that it would also be a great way to prevent gout attacks. By adding a low-purine diet to your lifestyle you can dramatically reduce the amount of purines consumed, which will enable your kidneys to function at peak efficiency.

One way to start your new, low-fat, low-calorie, high-fiber, low-sugared diet is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Specifically, you should eat more fresh fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, carrots, squash, and yams. Also include more whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and barley. By making the switch to eating more vegetables and fewer meats and dairy products you can drastically improve your overall health while lowering your risk of developing gout, kidney stones, and other kidney disease.

HYPERURICEMIA AND PURINE

Hyperuricemia is the condition wherein the body lacks substances necessary to maintain normal blood purine levels. The imbalance may occur due to genetic factors, especially when the parents have high purine levels or hyperuricemia. It can also develop over time due to various lifestyle factors, most often due to the consumption of too much refined carbohydrate (high sugar) foods, processed foods, and food additives.Purines are metabolized into uric acid, that serves as an anti-oxidant and helps in preventing damage caused to the kidneys and other tissues by damaging free-radicals. However, excessive and prolonged intake of purine-rich foods may significantly elevate serum uric acid levels, that can be a potential risk factor for gout and is suspected to contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases such as gout. There is still no known definitive proof regarding the link between purine intake and gout, but several studies have shown that the risk factor does exist. However, there is still insufficient evidence to conclude that purine-rich foods do not play a role in the etiology of gout. However, it must be emphasized that it is very important to avoid high purine foods in order to effectively treat gout.There are two types of substances that are the major purine producers in the human body, these being collagen and non-collagen proteins. There are also other substances such as non-protein peptides and non-esteriflavones that are considered to be important purine producers. When consumed in high amounts, certain foods can cause hyperuricemia, that is the increase of uric acid in the blood, which is known to be the precursor of gout.Foods that are high in purine are usually those that are rich in protein and starch content, especially meat and fish. These should be avoided at any cost if you are diagnosed with hyperuricemia, as they can cause gout or even heart disease. The risk increases significantly if these food groups are not consumed in moderation. Some of the examples of high protein and starch foods are nuts, peas, mushrooms, certain dairy products like cheese, milk, butter, cream, margarine, ice cream, fried foods and eggs.It is important to note that the risk of hyperuricemia can be increased by consumption of foods that are high in purine. These include seafood such as sardines, tuna, trout, haddock and salmon; meats such as beef, pork and lamb; poultry, turkey and chicken; dairy products such as cheese, milk, ice cream, butter, yogurt and eggs; sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, coffee and tea. Some examples of dairy products contained in foods that are high in purine are cottage cheese, cream cheese, low-fat milk, cottage and beer cheeses.Low-fat dairy products are encouraged if you want to avoid gout. If you are diagnosed with hyperuricemia, your physician may recommend switching to low-fat or skimmed milk or other low purine sources. Low-fat or skimmed milk are also recommended by some health professionals as a substitute for whole milk because it does not contain the saturated fat found in full-fat varieties. Other healthy choices are low-fat and skimmed yogurts, flavored yogurts, fruit-based yogurts, soy-based drinks with zero-fat yogurt, and low-fat or skimmed skim milk.Foods that are high in purine also contain excessive amounts of protein and calcium, which can lead to gout or kidney stones. This is why low-calorie and low-sugar cereals, rice and beans are encouraged if you are suffering from hyperuricemia or other kidney diseases. Low-sugar cereals made from buckwheat, millet, psyllium, flax and seitan are good options. Beans are rich in proteins and minerals, and a good choice is Lima bean, black beans, garbanzo beans or red bean. Soybeans and tofu are rich in isoflavones, phytoestrogens and isoflavones, and are recommended as substitutes for meat, poultry, and fish.The animal meats, especially beef, pork and venison, are considered to be the highest purine sources. In addition to these, sardines, salmon, mussels, haddock, sturgeon, crab meat, duck, sweetbreads and egg yolks are also considered to be high purine food. But, they should be eaten in moderation because the high purine content makes them dangerous to the body. To lower the purine levels in your diet, simply replace the animal meats with more fibrous grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and take supplements like those containing vitamin B12.

Baloydi Lloydi

Baloydi Lloydi is the content manager of Asknoypi.