Diet For Uric Acid And Gout Prevention

By | December 5, 2008

Food For Gout Patient And Diet For Uric Acid Kidney Stones

In order to control your uric acid levels, you need to cut down your intake of foods that are high in purines. Purine is a substance that is obtained from many food sources and is also generated by the body as a by product of natural processes. In turn, purines are processed by the body and broken down into uric acid. In some cases, a problem with this process of metabolizing purine may cause excessive levels of uric acid in the body. This cannot always be controlled, but monitoring and controlling your intake of purine rich food is possible and is one of the best ways to control uric acid levels.

There are many food sources of purine, but meat sources seem to have the most impact on uric acid levels. It is therefore important that you cut down your intake of meat, especially red meat. The much sought after “spare parts” – liver, kidney, heart etc – are unfortunately particularly high in purine content, and should be completely avoided. Duck and goose meat also tends to be high in purine, and should be avoided as far as possible. Sea food is usually considered extremely healthy for almost any condition, but unfortunately for people with high uric acid levels, sea food intake needs to be cut down as well. Fish tends to be very rich in purine, especially anchovies, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and shell fish such as mussels.

Recommended Diet For Gout Treatment

As far as meat goes, chicken and pork, as well as most sea food other than the ones mentioned, are quite safe. However, make sure that you do not consume an excess as compensation for the meats that you are avoiding, or your diet will not be very useful. Certain vegetables are also high in purine, but these somehow do not affect uric acid levels much. You can therefore eat pretty much any vegetables you like, preferably maintaining as wide a variety as possible.

If you are concerned about your protein intake being too low due to the drastic cutting out of meat from your diet, you can supplement it with eggs, milk, and milk products. This too should of course be done within reasonable limits – eggs and milk products will not affect your uric acid levels, but an excess could cause other problems. Finally, you should control your intake of alcohol, particularly beer. If your uric acid levels are particularly high, you should completely cut out alcohol for a few months, and then limit consumption to rare occasions.

Uric Acid Diet

The foods we eat play a very significant role in the quality of life that we lead. While the consumption of a hamburger on a regular basis may not really seem like you are doing too much wrong, apart from a little self indulgence, the impact that it will have in a few months time is something that you will usually not consider while munching on that lovely snack. If ignored those few months down the line, the condition can spiral out of control into a full blown case of obesity. While the most obvious effect that obesity has on an individual is the fact that it affects the aesthetic appeal of the person considerably, the other problems that it causes – such as heart failure, chronic respiratory illnesses and blood pressure as well as cholesterol levels can have a significant impact on the individuals quality of life. Just as with obesity, there are a number of other conditions that will usually develop as a direct result of the kinds of foods you consume. For instance, gout is a very common condition that is particularly influenced by the foods you consume.

Before getting into the details of exactly what gout is, it is important to understand exactly what uric acid is. Uric acid is a chemical substance that is created within the body as a result o the breakdown of substances known as purines. Under normal circumstances, this uric acid is dissolved into the blood and is flushed out of the body through the kidneys. However, some cases will see a buildup of uric acid within the body – giving rise to serious medical ailments such as gout and kidney disease. Medical research has shown that the intake of foods that are high in uric acid content play a substantial role in the development as well as aggravation of certain conditions that can have a significant impact on the workings of the human body. The uric acid condition in the body is a very painful and common condition – especially in older men, although it is also known to affect some women. Understanding the various symptoms as well as causes of gout will help you understand better the best methods of gout prevention, diet and beneficial foods, herbs and medication. There are also a number of gout prevention tips that can be found on a number of websites on the Internet that will share information on how you can deal with the condition better and also ensure that the condition does not affect you significantly.

One of the most common causes of the development of gout is the lack of adequate consumption of liquids. This will occasionally cause the kidneys to malfunction and the uric acid will not be removed from the blood through the normal process of excretion. Another very common cause of the buildup of uric acid in the human body is the excessive consumption of purine rich foods. Essentially nitrogen containing compounds, these foods will cause elevated levels of uric acid – causing it to accumulate in the tissues of the body and form crystals. Some of the more popularly consumed foods that contain high levels of purines include red meat, certain types of seafood and organs. Excessive alcohol consumption is also known to be a very significant factor in the development of uric acid buildup within the body. Most cases of treatment will require the individual to almost completely cease any intake of alcohol until the acid levels have been returned to normal.

Before getting into the details of how to control uric acid in the blood and human body, it helps to understand the most prominent symptoms of the condition – thereby helping you diagnose the condition much earlier in the chain of its development. Probably the first symptom of the development of the condition is the swelling at the base of the big toe. However, there are a few cases in which the first swelling can occur in some other joint in the legs. The individual is likely to experience a significant amount of pain as soon as any kind of pressure is applied to the affected area.

Because of the fact that gout prevention is very sought after, there are a number of uric acid diets that have been developed all over the world to help deal with the condition. Exercise is one of the most important, while also being one of the most overlooked, aspects of gout prevention and a regular period of between 20 to 30 minutes every day will help significantly in helping the body reduce the amount of uric acid it contains. The best uric acid is to consume foods that are low in sugar and salt content. Basil is known to be a very effective substitute for salt in the event that you are looking for something to help season the food. Increasing your intake of foods like brown rice, whole wheat bread, fruits and vegetables will also go a long way into preventing the development of gout in your body. Another aspect of dealing with gout that one should point out is the fact that there is no medical cure as yet for the condition. This means that, as of yet, no chemically based medication has been developed that can help with the condition. Any gout prevention will always require a readjusting of the individual’s lifestyle and habits to ensure that the uric acid content in the body is reduced substantially. Obesity is also known to play a significant role in the development of gout because of the fact that the additional weight will, more often than not, press down on the kidneys and cause them to malfunction – thereby causing the condition to develop further. Exercising when one has gout can be a little painful and so it is best to include in your exercise schedule those exercises that do not place undue stress on affected joints. Simple yoga poses and exercises for the upper body can be very useful in remaining limber despite suffering from gout.

USeful information on uric acid foods