Gout Diet
Do you know which foods to avoid with Gout?
If you have gout then there is no mistaking it. You need to know about The Gout Diet because adpoting a gout diet approach can radically help control the symptoms of gout.
In my practice, I have found that both men and women can experience gout, which is an extremely painful type of arthritis.
If you suffer from this gout, it indicates that there is an excessive buildup of a type of acid in your blood.
This acid is referred to as “Uric Acid” and when an excessive amount accumulates in the blood, it results in a condition that medical professionals refer to as “Hyperuricemia”. It's a long technical name that you don't need to remember unless you really want to. As I explained, it only means that you have too high levels of uric acid circulating in your blood. This is the cause of gout.
While it is true that doctors have the ability to prescribe medications that will assist in treating gout associated issues, in particular gout pain and discomfort, the patients that I work with find that they experience higher levels of relief by utilizing natural gout treatment.
However I cannot stress enough that one of the best gout treatments is knowing which foods to avoid with gout.
In this natural health guide, you will learn which foods to avoid with gout so that you can try a Gout Diet and consequently successfully reduce the complications of gout.
You might also be interested to know that there are other supportive natural gout treatment options to try alongside of changing your diet. You can check them out on my Natural Gout Relief Page. This page also goes into more details about what gout is, and what causes it so if you did not yet see it, then feel free to check it out.
The Goal of The Gout Diet
Before delving into the foods to avoid with gout, it is important that you acquire an understanding of the goal of the gout diet.
Gout is a potentially debilitating condition that has commonly been associated with the foods and beverages that sufferers elect to ingest.
Many studies conducted on the condition have concluded that individuals that suffer from this condition should follow strict guidelines when it comes to the food and beverage products that they wish to ingest.
According to research, high uric acid levels contribute to gout in the body. Approximately 85% of all uric acid is created by the body.
However, there are substances contained within foods and beverages that medical professionals refer to as “Purines” that also contribute to the production and distribution of uric acid.
The gout diet works to reduce and/or eliminate the uric acid contained in the body.
Additionally, it assists in reducing additional pounds that a sufferer may be carrying as obesity is also a risk factor for gout.
Gout Diet Facts
When researching foods to avoid with gout, you will find that those that contain high amounts of purines are the ones that are designated as having a negative impact on the body.
In my practice, I have found that when my patients reduce or eliminate purine containing foods from their diets, it drastically reduces the amount of flare ups that they experience.
It follows that by reducing the amount of purines that you take into your body, you will also be assist your body in reducing the amount of uric acid that it naturally produces.
By knowing which foods to avoid with gout, you will experience fewer complications, such as inflammation, discoloration and peeling of the skin as well as debilitating moderate to severe pain levels.
Research shows that all of the foods to avoid with gout actually do play a role in the development of each of these symptoms. Naturally, avoiding the foods that cause gout allows you to avoid the symptoms that those foods often lead to.
Foods to Avoid with Gout
When researching foods to avoid with gout, you will see that there are many that should be completely avoided and others that should just be limited.
In this section of this natural health guide, we will cover both the ones to limit and the ones that should be completely eliminated from your diet.
In order to avoid triggering a gout flare up, you should use the following guidelines when choosing food and beverage products to consume:
Animal Proteins
You should drastically reduce the amount of animal proteins that you consume in your diet.
While it is true that these biochemical based compounds assist in numerous cellular functions such as cell signaling and the process of ligand binding, these proteins contain a large amount of purines.
This is particularly true if the meats that contain animal proteins are organs – such as liver.
Red meats such as beef, fatty seafood varieties such as shrimp and scallops and poultry are considered to be exceptionally high in purines also.
If you do wish to eat these products, it is essential that you consume no more than a total of six ounces each day.
A quick summary of foods high in purines:
- Fatty meat, and especially red meat
- Dried Peas
- Beans
- Creamy things including sauces and rich gravies
- Anchovies, scallops, sardines
- Brains and Liver
Sugar
When researching foods to avoid with gout, you will also discover that foods that contain sugar should be eliminated.
If you do desire to consume products that contain sugar, you should ensure that there are low amounts of it contained in those products.
Many medical professionals believe that high levels of sugar may impact the amount of uric acid that is contained in the body; however, research is still being conducted on this theory.
What has been concluded is that sugar is considered to be high in calories, has the potential to increase a patient’s weight and they have a detrimental effect on proteins that are derived from plants – which, are considered to be beneficial for those that suffer from gout.
Alcohol
Food products and beverages that contain alcohol are on the top of the list when it comes to foods to avoid with gout.
This substance has been proven to interfere with the process of eliminating potentially harmful uric acid from the body.
Out of all of the food and beverage products that contain alcohol, beer products seem to be the most challenging for gout patients.
In my practice, I have seen patients who have eliminated this substance from their diet completely and have then experienced very few gout flare ups as a result.
Quick and Easy Tip
Drink 10-12 glasses of water a day to assist the kidneys in flushing out the excess uric acid (unless you are on a special medically prescibed diet to restrict fluids for any reason.
You may also wish to flush your kidneys out to give them a head start when you begin to make these changes in your life. Feel free to check out my Kidney Detox Page.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several food types to avoid with gout.
If you suffer from this potentially devastating condition, it is always best to learn which foods contain the lowest amount of purines and focus on consuming those in your diet.
The gout diet that I have provided to patients in my practice has proven to be exceptionally beneficial in combatting the uncomfortable symptoms associated with the condition.
In this guide, I have provided the same advice that my patients find to be highly productive.
While it is true that this strict gout diet will not cure the condition, it will prove to be exceptionally helpful in reducing – or possibly even eliminating – the uncomfortable flare ups that occur with the condition.
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