What You Can and Cannot Have as a Gout Patient
There are many kinds of conditions that may affect the joints and bones, which make movement and normal mobility quite painful. Gout is one such condition which is a form of arthritis. In this condition, blood crystals and clots are formed by the high levels of uric acid which may be lurking around in the blood. These tend to gather around the joints, which is when the pain and inflammation begins.
Usually, the urine is what eliminates and removes the excess uric acid from our body. This uric acid basically comes from the purines in food, which are absorbed and broken down by the urine. However, when the breakdown of the uric acid does not happen properly, it does not pass out with the urine, causing conditions like gout. The symptoms usually include pain and swelling along with a warm sensation in the affected area. There are a number of ways in which gout may be treated, the foremost being with the help of one’s diet. There are many kinds of food that suit gout, and several others that do not suit this condition. Let us cast a glance on what you may eat so that you can manage this condition by avoiding gout causing food.
Limit these food groups and ingredients
There are many kinds of gout causing foods that must be limited due to the high purine content, which will create even more uric acid in the body. You can have these foods only once in a while. You will have to limit your intake of organ meat like livers, brains, and kidneys. These tend to cause a lot of purine to enter the system. Meat in large quantities and game meat, in particular, must be entirely avoided so that one does not face the problem of excessive uric acid in the system, which will be difficult for the urine to flush out. Moreover, you must avoid gravy that is rich in spices and sauces as this will make the blood clot and form crystals even faster, leading to a lot of pain in and around the joints.
Occasional food to have
There are many gout causing foods that one must entirely avoid; however, these are some which do not pose too much of a risk and one can have in moderate quantities even on a regular basis. To begin with, you can have some amount of fish and seafood. However, you will need to make sure that you stay away from high-salt-content fish like mackerel, sardines, herrings, and scallops. The entry of excessive salt is what generally causes the blood to form clots and crystals, which can be quite painful for the joints. You can also turn to river fish like salmon, which is very healthy and has plenty of omega three fatty acids. These are low in the purine content and do not have too much salt. Furthermore, you can eat oats in moderation every day as this does not have too much of purine either. Wheat bran, as well as wheat germ, are two other ingredients that are helpful in small doses.
Completely Avoid these gout causing foods
You would do well to avoid very rich and heavy food as well as food that is high in salt content as these are all gout causing food. These include certain kinds of sea fish, as discussed above. You may also have to quit drinking alcohol, and beer in particular, as it is very high in purine and salt content, which can lead to a lot of pain because it causes the blood to form clots and crystals around the joints. You will also have to avoid refined foods to a great extent like white bread and refined oils. You should also avoid an excess amount of nuts like peanuts in your diet as these are hard to break down and digest.
Reduce the risk of gout with these foods
If you have plenty of dairy and eggs going into your system, then you have a low purine diet that can help you deal with the problem of gout and eliminate the risk of the same coming back again. It would be a good idea to include yogurt in your diet as well since it is a low purine food that also gives you the required dairy intake without being high in calories.
Looking after your calorie intake
This is one of the best ways of dealing with gout. Once you have successfully eliminated all gout causing food, you would do well to watch the calorie intake and make sure that you do not go beyond the same. It is also imperative to exercise on a routine basis so as to manage the condition in a better manner.
