Does A Gout Free Diet Really Exist - Or Is It A Outright Lie?

                

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Suffering through a gout attack will inspire anyone to find ways of managing their symptoms and diet has been a traditional treatment option, however does a gout free diet really exist?

Before you decide to blindly follow a gout friendly diet, it's worth understanding why what you eat can have such an impact on gout symptoms.

Gout occurs when the body is in a state of hyperuricemia; where there is an excess of uric acid in the bloodstream. This sounds scary but it really isn't. Hyperuricemia doesn't usually cause harm to your body, except in extreme circumstances, when it can lead to gout or the development of kidney stones.

In fact, lots of people have hyperuricemia and don't go on to develop gout. Hyperuricemia problems start when the bloodstream is overloaded with uric acid and, and it starts to leave deposits in the joints and connecting tissues that surround the joints. These deposits turn into sharp, jagged crystals that cause the inflammation and pain associated with a gout flare up.

So, how do you develop hyperuricemia? It is usually a hereditary issue, whereby you inherit a susceptibility to either over produce uric acid or eliminate uric acid too slowly from the body. This causes a build up of uric acid in the bloodstream, which can lead to other complications as well as gout, including kidney stones in some cases.

Uric acid is produced naturally in the body. Production is increased when we eat a diet high in purine, as the metabolizing purine naturally produces uric acid as a waste product. Uric acid levels can also go up due to some medications and illnesses.

When uric acid production is increased our kidneys normally speed up the elimination process, however when this does not happen gout can strike.

To minimize the levels of uric acid in our system we generally need to do two things, reduce the volume of uric acid produced and increase uric acid elimination. A gout Diet can help with both these factors.

It is important to note that if you?re a gout sufferer and overweight you need to lose those excess pounds. Being overweight or obese increases uric acid production and with your kidneys under strain already, elimination can be slowed down.

Don't go on a crash diet as this will have the opposite effect and actually raise uric acid levels and could bring on a gout attack. Instead, lose weight slowly through sensible eating and adding exercise into the mix.

The other vital action you need to take is to keep your body hydrated. You need to be drinking at least 8 - 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day and cut out or severely restrict your alcohol intake. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which is dehydrating and can also contribute to an increase in uric acid production. Especially avoid beer as it high in purine.

When trying to reduce uric acid levels you are advised to follow a low-fat, low calorie and low-purine diet. This will help you to lose weight, if you need to, and maintain uric acid levels at an acceptable rate that your body can easily expel. The following foods are considered 'safe' gout foods:

Fresh cherries
Red or blue berries
Green-leafy vegetables
Red cabbage
Red peppers
Tomatoes
Celery
Fruit & fruit juices
Potatoes
Low-fat dairy products
Cereal based products
Rice
Nuts
Seeds
Tofu

Try adding herbs and spices to your foods to liven them up rather than relying on processed foods. You can also eat poultry, salmon and tuna in moderation.

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By following a gout free diet that consists of eating low purine foods, avoiding alcohol and drinking enough water you can successfully lower the concentration of uric acid found in the blood and therefore minimize the risk of further gout flare-ups.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up for a free newsletter & discover how a gout free diet can be an effective natural cure for gout