Thursday, March 22, 2012

Effective Diet for Gout

Gout is a disorder brought about by uncontrolled and excessive levels of uric acid in the body. Although uric acid is readily excreted by the body through the urine, excessive intake of uric acid producing foods, those that are rich in urine, can overwhelm the body's ability to get rid of it. However, the debilitating effects of gout can be reduced through making certain lifestyle changes especially in one's diet. Making wise and healthy choices like submitting yourself to consume only an appropriate diet for gout can go a long way.

A diet for gout can only be effective if it is observed for a longer period of time. Its effects can only be felt more readily if you are patient enough to take certain sacrifices in terms of the types of food you should and should not be eating. The following sections discuss the components of an appropriate gout diet that is based from an e-book written by a nurse. You can be certain that these advices are reliable and safe.

1. Avoid consuming excessive amounts of meat. Purines are basically present in animal cells. Therefore, animal meats are rich in purine which can be troublesome for people with gout. High amount of purine are specifically present in organ meat such the liver, intestines, heart and gall bladder. The consumption of such should be reduced if not totally eliminated.

2. Green leafy vegetables should be consumed moderately. Although these vegetables contain purine, they are not proven to contribute to the development or worsening of gout. And because they contain essential minerals and vitamins, eliminating them from your diet can bring more harm than good. So consuming green leafy vegetables is encouraged when done in moderation. However, you can eliminate certain types of vegetables if you have experienced gout attacks upon eating them.

3. Consume at least eight glasses of water daily. Since dehydration is another known risk factor for gout, taking sufficient amount of water is advisable in an effective and healthy diet for gout. When the body is dehydrated, uric acid becomes more concentrated in your body which can cause acute gout attacks. Keeping yourself sufficiently hydrated is vital.

4. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol in itself has not been proven to cause gout. However, it is highly associated to gout attacks. Also, most alcoholic beverages such as beer contain high levels of purine. Therefore, removing such drinks from your diet is a wise choice.

A diet for gout lone can never be solely effective in fighting against the development or worsening of gout. It should be observed alongside other interventions such as medications, weight loss and blood pressure control. Most importantly, a better prognosis can only be achieved if you are willing enough to start following an appropriate gout diet today.

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