Diet to prevent uric acid and gout
Uric acid is a waste by-product of purine metabolism. Some people whose uric acid level in blood is high are prone to gout a painful type of arthritis. High blood levels of uric acid or hyperuricemia is also possibly a warning to increased risks of hypertension, diabetes, heart and kidney diseases.
Uric acid increases in the blood primarily due to over production or decreased excretion.
The following are the causes:
1) Medications – Diuretics, immune suppressing
2) Excessive alcohol intake especially beer (binge drinking)
3) Excessive soft drinks
4) Obesity, eating heavy meals (binging)
5) Genetic susceptibility
6) Consuming purine rich foods
7) Some illnesses like Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukaemia, hypothyroidism, psoriasis
Although genetics play a big role in someone getting hyperuricemia and gout, lifestyle and eating habits are shown in several scientific studies as contributing to gout. And these are modifiable, so let us take a look at how to eat.
If you are overweight, reduce the weight gradually, with moderate exercise and diet (walking 30 – 45 min. daily) by eating low fat foods, and avoiding rich desserts and snacks. A sudden weight loss will cause a hike in blood uric acid levels and aggravate gout, so slow and steady is the rule here.
Ayurvedic remedies for gout
Totally avoid organ meats (liver, kidney, heart), hamburger, caviar, ground beef, corned beef, sardines, mackerel, sausages, anchovies, shrimps, meat soups and gravies.
Also avoid rich desserts, refined flours, sugars and soft drinks.
Avoid spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, oats during acute gout attacks. Otherwise you may eat these twice or three times a week.
Go vegetarian if you can or at least reduce eating meat to 3 times a week, and not more than 60gm of meat, fish or chicken at a time.
Do not overeat at any meal or starve in the day. Regular intake of consistent amounts of high fibre, low fat foods is required to prevent a gout attack.
Drink at least 2 litre of water daily. This helps to remove uric acid from the body.
You may eat all kinds of fruits, vegetables, milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, high fibre cereals, grains.
Stop binge drinking. Not more than two drinks a day.
Parvathy R Krishnan
The author is a trained Nutrition & Dietetics expert with over 20 years’ of experience in hospitals like Vijaya Hospital in Chennai and the Armed Forces Hospital and New Mowasat Hospitals in Kuwait. She is presently a member of the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India. Parvathy blogs at http://premadiet.blogspot.in/
More by this author:
How to reduce cholesterol in the Indian diet
Dieting tips for those at work
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Tags: Diet (nutrition), Gout, Obesity, Parvathy Radhakrishnan, Sify Health, Uric acid
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THANK U V. MUCH ON FEED BACK AND EFFECTS OF URIC ACID. I WILL TRY TO CONTROL MAX,M MY EATIGS/ FOODSETC, BUT OUR PUNJABI FOOD HAVE LOT OF MAKHAAN/OIL AND FATS AND THAT IS WHY PUNJABI LADIES GET FATTY V FAST AFTER DELIVERY AS COMPARED TO SOUTH IND. LADIES WHO NORMALLY DO NOT GET FAT IN IDLI SAMBER ,RASAM AND OTHER SOUTH DISHES FREE FRO COLESTROL, OIL AND FATTY ACID.
ANYWAY,PL KEEP ME INF,D ON CONTROL ON DIABETIES AND URIC ACD
Good feedback… But Punjabis are Punjabi. They would keep on relsihing Paranthas, Golgappe, Chat Papri…Never mind You live only once.
Cauliflower, Cabbage, Peas, Lentils, Dhal, All type of Omega food, Eggs, Fried items, Oatmeal, Salad Dressings, All type of Shell Fish, All kind of Meat, All Protein Food, Gravies,Yeast and all food made from Yeast – including Sweet Bread, All Fermented drinks like Wine and all types of Alcohol, Fruit Juices (because of Fructose sugar), All Aerated Drinks including Colas to be completely avoided when Gout is flared up. I have experienced severe attack of Gout when I take Curd or butter milk – though little bit once in a while when there is no Gout attack is Ok – but never when Gout is flared-up.
During a Gout attack it is best to avoid Protein food and stick to Carb food and Vegetables that are not mentioned above. Brown rice is Ok and Wheat Roti is fine.
Certain Blood pressure Tablets like Hydrochlorothiazide increases Uric Acid in the Blood and it is to be verified and avoided.
If my Gout is about to flare-up I take a Goutnil Tablet at night and 1 in the morning and go strict on diet. Then it never flare-up and I should be Ok within 2 days max. Diet is the key. If the Gout is flared-up, then I take an anti-inflammatory tablet at night (but Never with BP Tablets because of Tablet interaction) after about an hour of taking the Goutnil. This is repeated in the morning, after Breakfast and again at night with strict diet. Then I should be alright within about 3 -4 days.
It is also advisable to do a Blood and Urine Creatinine and Uric Acid Test in order to insure that the Kidneys are functioning right. A defective Kidney could also be the cause of excessive Uric Acid. Hence this possibility has to be certainly checked.
I have given above a briefing of my bad experience with Gout that made me do a lot of research and discussing with other peoples experience and the same is mentioned above so that it may be of help to many others – because I know the hell I have gone through.
Happy Healing.
C. Mathew
Cochin, India.
Gout can be controlled by
1. Having a medicine, Zyloric after every meal.(available in all Indian Chemists stores)
2. Foods are basically acidic ( meats, masalas, fried foods etc)or alkaline ( fresh fruits,cherries, salads, lighly fried veg etc). Eat more of alkaline food.
3. Usually Gout attacks in the night, so dinner should be taken early ( around 7.30- 8.00 pm) and eat frugually ( 2 rotis, vegetables, curd rice). Eat non Veg in the afternoons.
4. Light exercise, walking eases any joint pain.
You can lead a normal life