Q: I am trying to find out what kind of foods are good to eat to help your body if you have gout.
A: To relieve the pain of gout, there must be a way to eliminate the uric acid that has accumulated in the body. Normally, the body eliminates enough uric acid in the urine or through the intestines to keep its concentration at a healthy level. In people with gout, however, the body either produces excessive amounts of uric acid or its ability to eliminate uric acid is impaired in some way. In either case, the high concentration results in its crystallization within the joints and possibly in other areas of the body.
For current attacks of gout, one of the best natural therapies to reduce the pain and inflammation is black cherry juice. Black cherry juice neutralizes uric acid. Fresh cherries and fresh strawberries also help neutralize uric acid, as do nuts, seeds, and grains, although to a lesser extent. For long-term relief of gout symptoms, changes in diet are suggested, most especially eliminating or reducing consumption of foods that are high in uric acid.
Foods that contain uric acid include:
The foods listed above carry differing amounts of uric acid. If you suffer from gout, you will be able to determine which foods you can tolerate and which foods you must avoid by keeping a food diary.
Nice article levlarry.
1. Avoid all alcohol. Alcohol impairs kidney
function as well as accelerates the build up of uric acid in your body.
In particular, beer consumption contains high amounts of yeast which is
high in purine which even further accelerates the symptoms of gout. Stay
away from beer.
2. Stay away from refined carbohydrates and
saturated fats. Refined carbohydrates, like sugar, white bread,
crackers, cookies, etc. These substances have a tendency to increase
uric acid retention as well as pack on the pounds. If you want to live
gout free, your diet must consist mostly of complex carbohydrates or all
natural food sources.
3. Craving a snack? How about some cherries? Make sure to
eat plenty of cherries. Eating plenty of cherries everyday will helps to
lower uric acid in your body. This is also true for blueberries. These
two berries have been shown to prevent the synthesis and release of
histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes — the compounds that are the
cause of the severe pain of gout. (A replacement for eating cherries is
the consumption of 125-225 milligrams of quercetin — to be taken 3-4
times daily between meals).
4. Use a weight loss program. A good diet and exercise
program is essential for everyone in leading a healthy lifestyle. With
gout, however, you must ensure that a good amount of your weight loss
comes from eating a clean diet and not from doing vigorous exercise.
While it is okay to do exercise, you must remember that high levels of
exercise will increase the amount of uric acid. Eat smart, and lose the
weight slowly and steadily.
5. Ease up on the Vitamin C supplements. In an age of
supplementation, it is not uncommon for a regular adult to consume 1000%
the daily requirement of vitamin C throughout the day using once a day
or multivitamins. Vitamin C, however, has been shown to increase the
production of vitamin C in your body. Be aware that vitamin C is
important, but excess amounts can be detrimental to your gout.
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