Does A Gout Prevention Diet Work?

                

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You've woken in the small hours of the morning in screaming agony - your big toe is red, hot and extremely swollen. So painful that the weight of your bedding is unbearable. It could be gout and what a lot of sufferers want to know is will a gout prevention diet stop a further attack?

Doesn't seem very likely does it, that what you eat can cause such excruciating joint pain? However, for a lot of gout sufferers this is the case.

To understand why diet can bring on and also prevent an attack you need to first understand what causes gout.

Gout is caused by the build up of uric acid crystals in the spaces and inter-connecting tissues between the joints. It usually flares up in the feet and ankle joints. This is because uric acid is sensitive to temperature and will form crystals in a cooler environment. Your feet are the furthest point from your heart and therefore cooler than the rest of your body. This is why your feet and ankle joints are the most common spots for gout, although it can strike in any joint.

Uric acid is a natural by-product that is found in the blood. It is produced when a compound called purine is broken down. Purine is found in the body and also in a lot of food that we eat, but mainly animal protein.

The body is designed to deal with uric acid by dissolving it in the blood stream and eliminating it via the kidneys or bowels. Gout becomes a very real possibility when the production of uric acid exceeds the levels that are being eliminated from the body.

A raised uric acid level in the blood is called hyperuricema and this is what leads to the crystallization of uric acid, and the deposits in the joints.

So, how can gout prevention diet help?

One of the ways to control gout is to control the amount of uric acid produced. As mentioned earlier, uric acid is formed during the breakdown of purines and this is where diet can play a big part in your gout prevention strategy.

Limiting or avoiding foods that have a high purine level will allow the levels of uric acid in the blood to stabilize and the kidneys to catch up on the elimination process.

The key concept behind a gout prevention diet is to bring the body back into balance and to minimize uric acid production. This means a low fat, low protein diet.

Proteins are high in purines, and should be avoided. But there are some that are higher purine that others, like animal proteins, organ meats, fish, gravies, pulses and yeast extracts.

Also, avoid low carb diets and going on 'crash' diets as these will have the opposite effect and raise uric acid levels; an open invitation for a gout flare-up to strike.

For more information about gout prevention diets and some sample recipes please visit our site and sign up for the free gout prevention newsletter.

Gout prevention diets don't have to be boring. Once you have your gout under control you can start to reintroduce some more protein based foods, but the trick is to do it in moderation.

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

Discover Gout Pain Relief Methods

                

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Sick and tired of the side effects of prescription medication for gout? Here is a natural gout pain relief option that is available to anyone.

A study carried out by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), an arm of the United States Department Of Agriculture has made an amazing discovery.

They found that there are some natural compounds in cherries that reduce inflammation and pain caused by arthritis.

As Gout is a form of arthritis bought about by an excess of uric acid, this study points to a natural way to relieve the debilitating pain of gout symptoms.

The study even goes on to suggest that eating cherries can also reduce the severity of other inflammation causing diseases such as cancer and heart diseases.

ARS is one of the first institutions to scientifically research the effects of cherries in a controlled environment, in this study Bing cherries were used. And this study was interesting as it did not try and analyze extracts from the fruit in a test tube. ARS actually used test subjects - Real people who ate the cherries - and checked the levels of important inflammatory disease or markers in blood samples.

Each person, as part of the test, was fed an exact serving of fresh cherries for breakfast. No other fruits, teas, vegetables, or red wine was allowed prior to and during the study as these foods are also high in anti oxidants, and may have interfered with the results of the study.

To measure the effects of the cherries, they took measurements of the amount of plasma urate, which is basically the level of uric acid in the blood. They also measured the amount of uric acid passed through the kidneys in the test subjects urine.

The results of the test where astonishing. The test subjects? urate levels decreased significantly after the meal of cherries, and levels of uric acid in the urine increased over the first 5 hours after the "bowl of cherries" was eaten.

So, this shows that eating cherries may have a significant effect in the battle against gout symptoms.

Further studies are being conducted into the effects of cherries on other diseases, but the results are promising.

This is great news for anyone suffering from gout and who wants to choose a natural solution to relieve the symptoms of their condition. It reduces the possibility of side effects (unless you are allergic to cherries) and means that not only is the "treatment" good for relieving gout symptoms, but also great for boosting the levels of anti oxidants.

So, now you can get the benefit of gout pain relief and an improved immune system, all packed away in fresh and tasty ripe cherries.

Get your free copy of the cure gout now newletter, packed with Gout Pain Relief Natural Remedies infomation - Take a look now and discover more gout information right here

The Missing Link Between Gout And Alcohol Consumption

                

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Although there are many factors that can contribute to a build up of uric acid within your system, alcohol consumption appears to be a leading factor in gout development. However, this doesn?t mean that people who drink alcohol modestly on a regular basis will develop gout. Furthermore, research has discovered that different types of alcoholic beverages have different impacts on uric acid levels.

For hundreds of years, medical researchers have suspected that gout is linked to specific lifestyles such as diets high in red meat, salt and alcohol, combined with little to no exercise. This type of lifestyle, which many people in Western countries tend to adopt as they become older and closer to middle age, is very much like the lifestyle that was once led by English kings. In fact, gout is often called ?the disease of kings?.

Today, researchers that have conducted studies on men in relation to alcohol consumption and its link to gout, have found that men who drank excessive amounts of certain forms of alcohol ? especially beer ? greatly increased their risk for developing gout.

What has been discovered is alcohol may not only affect the production of uric acid, but also its removal from the body. It appears that when alcohol is changed into lactic acid, it decreases the quantity of uric acid that the kidneys are able to remove from the body. The reason is because uric acid has to compete with the lactic acid in order to be removed by the kidneys.

In addition, researchers have found that certain types of alcohol have less risk of causing gout than others. Of all the alcohols studied, it appears that Beer poses the highest risk of gout, while moderate consumption of wine or spirits has little to no increased risk of gout.

What?s so risky about beer? Some researchers believe that beer has a non-alcoholic ingredient that makes the increase of gout even higher than other alcoholic beverages. Beer is apparently the only alcoholic beverage to include purines, and an excessive amount of purines in the system can lead to higher production of uric acid. Conversely, other researchers do not believe it is the purines in the drink that increase the risk of gout. These researchers don?t believe that having too many purines in the diet increase the risk of gout. Their reasoning is based on a study that was conducted on vegetarians from Taiwan who indulged in a diet that was high in purines. The study revealed that theses individuals actually had a lower risk of developing gout.

So, if it?s not the purines in beer then what is it? Some experts have a hunch that excessive beer drinkers have a higher risk in contracting gout due to their lifestyle. For instance, a person who drinks wine usually has their alcoholic beverage with a meal, or with healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables, crackers and cheese. A beer drinker, on the other hand, will often indulge in eating salty and fatty snacks such as peanuts and chips, while they sit and watch TV on the couch hour after hour. Thus, enthusiastic beer drinkers are likely to have a more sedentary lifestyle.

Regardless of the alcohol beverage you enjoy, you can dramatically reduce your risk of developing gout by drinking modestly (IE a glass of wine or beer per day). Overindulging in alcohol on occasion isn?t going to have a dramatic effect on your chances of getting gout, but regular overindulgence may eventually lead to a serious pain in the big toe.

For more information about Gout diets take a look at Cure Gout Now.

Gouty Arthritis Symptoms - Oh My Aching Big Toe

                

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Gouty Arthritis - Do You Have It?

The joints in your big toe have been hurting really bad, and you?ve noticed that it has turned warm, red, and seems to be swelling. For a while, you ignore the pain, and thankfully it disappears for a while, only to come back at odd times with a vengeance. If you?re no longer too young, but just young at heart, then chances are, you may want to go see your doctor and ask if you might have symptoms of gouty arthritis.

This kind of arthritis is just one of the more than 100 types of diseases in this category. However, gouty arthritis is one of the most painful among these and is caused by needle-like crystals of uric acid that form in your joints (usually, in this disease, the big toe, although other joints can be affected as well, like the heel, elbow, knees, wrists, fingers, etc.). So, if you can imagine those ?needle-like crystals? pricking your joints, then you can understand why there is so much pain involved in this disease.

Gouty arthritis has four stages, namely:

1.Asymptomatic ? At this stage, the person may have tested to have elevated levels of uric acid, probably in a general medical screening, but is not experiencing any pain in any joints. The doctor usually will not prescribe any treatment at this stage, but may suggest some diet changes to prevent the condition from worsening.

2.Acute Gout ? At this stage, the person begins to feel pain, and swelling and redness of the joints, leading to what is called as a ?gouty attack?. These attacks can happen intermittently. It is a good idea to visit your doctor once you feel any acute pain in the joint area to prevent the disease from progressing.

3.Interval ? This is the ?interval? between gouty attacks, when a person is not experiencing any pain at the moment. Many people mistakenly think that the worst is over when they are in an interval stage and refuse to visit the doctor. What they don?t know is that this is exactly what it is named, an interval, and there may be an attack waiting just around the corner.

4.Chronic Gout ? When there is no or very short interval between attacks, and there is already permanent damage to the joints. Constant pain medication is needed for this type of gout and it is essential that a physician oversee this disease at this stage. If proper treatment is adhered to in the Acute Gout stage, then one may never progress to this stage.

How is Gouty Arthritis diagnosed?

If you think you are already are experiencing the attacks, when you visit the doctor, then chances are, he may ask for any one or all of the following tests:

1.Synovial Fluid Analysis ? Synovial (joint) fluid is extracted from your joints through a sterilized needle inserted in the space. The fluid has a straw-like color and is then analyzed in a lab. Normally, joint fluids that look cloudy or is thick may be abnormal.

2.Uric Acid Test ? This is done through a simple blood test taken from a vein or capillary. The blood is then tested for levels of uric acid. If it is high then it will confirm gouty arthritis

3.Joint X-ray ? An x-ray of the joint may also be needed to properly see how the arthritis has progressed in the area.

How is Gouty Arthritis treated?

Treatment of gouty arthritis is usually geared toward immediate relief and stopping the pain and inflammation that come with the attacks. Medication is also given to prevent future attacks.

One of the drugs prescribed to reduce the pain, inflammation and swelling is Colchicine and often makes the pain settle in 12 to 48 hours. This medication decreases the inflammation and therefore the pain, but it does not alter the uric acid levels in the blood, although daily use of it helps to prevent subsequent attacks.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can also be effective if it is taken at the onset of the pain.

At times, a diet low in purines is given to lessen the uric acid levels. Some foods that may have to be abstained from are beef, pork, poultry, fish, shellfish, gravy, soda pop, beer, wine, etc.

Monica Nelson writes about health topics, about women's health issues, and about specific ailments such as gout. These health articles are provided as a helpful news service and are not to be considered medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about health issues such as gout and arthritis.

Common Causes of Gout: Sometimes They're Not Easy to Avoid

                

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Gout is certainly not a fun condition to have. It's a common rheumatic disease and it counts rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis among its close cousins. Figures show that some 840 people out of 100,000 are afflicted with this disease, most of them men. Just what are the causes of gout, and are there any effective ways to avoid it? More often than not, gout is a result of lifestyle choices, but there are other factors that contribute to the disease's occurrence.

A condition called hyperuricemia is one of the causes of gout. This is when the body fails to eliminate excess amounts of uric acid. Some people are born with a genetic metabolic defect in which they not only produce extra uric acid, but they fail to excrete it efficiently as well. This is bad because excessive amounts of uric acid will lead to the formation of uric crystals, which will then become embedded in the joints and the tissue surrounding them. These crystals are also known as tophi, and they are the cause of joint inflammation and pain. Gout usually appears in the joint of the big toe, but it can also become manifest in joints in the ankles, feet, knees, wrists, hands, and elbows. Pictures of a gouty toe almost always show the same characteristics: swelling and redness, and as you can probably imagine, pain.

Gout can also be caused by certain medications, such as thiazide diuretic drugs, which are prescribed for heart failure and hypertension. Figures show that the majority of people who use this kind of drug acquired gout later in life. Other drugs that may contribute to a higher risk for gout are immunosuppressants (such as cyclosporine), low doses of aspirin, and pyrazinamide, an anti-tuberculosis agent. Gout is also strangely related to organ transplantation. Heart and liver transplants can heighten the risk, but perhaps it's a kidney transplant that poses the greater risk, since renal problems can prevent the elimination of uric acid from the body.

A number of health problems have been shown to lead to gout. Certain cancers or diseases involving blood-manufacturing organs are specifically cited, such as lymphoma and leukemia. A skin disease called psoriasis has likewise been linked to the emergence of gout in a number of people. And over-exposure to lead does not only cause birth defects and blood poisoning, it can lead to gout as well. Another all too common health problem among many people, especially those in the West, is obesity. Being overweight can cause not only gout, but other diseases as well, including diabetes, hypertension, and other forms of arthritis.

From obesity, we move to related causes of gout, specifically dietary and food habits. There are many types of food that have large amounts of purines, or substances that play a large role in uric acid production. It's kind of disturbing to find out that most foods that are rich in protein and fat also have a high purine content. But in today's fast-paced mode of life, this is just the kind of food that we're accustomed to eating! To further reduce the risk of acquiring gout, one should also refrain from taking in too much organ meats or sweetbread (including heart, kidney, and liver delicacies). Some seafoods, such as scallops, mackerel, and mussels are also dietary no-no's because these too are rich in purines. Intake of high-fat dairy foods should also be curtailed, including comfort foods like ice cream, butter, and cheese.

Alcoholic beverages should strictly be avoided or at least restricted to an occasional glass or two. This is because alcohol has a high purine concentration and contributes in significant ways to the body's production of uric acid. Not only does it spur the body on to produce more uric acid, but it also affects the ability of the kidneys to flush out excess amounts of this substance. Plus, alcohol is fattening, and we know that surplus weight can also lead to gout.

Though scientists are as yet uncertain about how gout really occurs, they have discovered that the causes of gout can be genetic or environmental in nature, as discussed above. Knowing the things and events that can cause the disease would be a big step in reducing one's risk of acquiring it.

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