The main cause of gout for most people is the food that they eat. Gout can be caused by kidney affections or by a genetic malfunctions too, but most of the patients have it because they eat a lot of food that causes gout. So the best way to prevent the painful gout attacks is to be informed on what are the types of food that cause gout and try to maintain a healthy diet.
The types of food that cause gout are the ones that are rich in chemicals called purines. After the body digests these foods the purines inside them turn into uric acid which is afterwards eliminated by the body through the kidneys. But if there's too much uric acid in the body not all of it can be 'processed' by the kidneys and a part of it gets in the blood. After some time it will start to crystallize into a hard shell into the joints and cause the gout attack. So if you eat low-purine food the uric acid will be slowly eliminated from the body and gout will go away.
The food that contains the largest amount of purines is red meat. Eating liver and brain will also raise your uric acid level. Some fish have purines in them and some vegetables too.
Here's a detailed list of foods that are known to cause gout: kidneys, brain, sardines, sweetbread, herring, gravy, spinach, asparagus, peas, sea food, mushrooms, eggs, and even hot-dogs.
As you may see there are both meat and vegetable foods with many purines in them. There also are drinks that may increase the uric acid. Among these you can find beer, carbonated drinks, coffee, black tea, and in general all drinks that contain alcohol. If you have been diagnosed with gout it's important to stop drinking alcohol.
Some of the ingredients that can be found in many foods form a lot of acid after digestion. These are: flour, sugar, chocolate, pasta, jelly and salt.
Many people that have been diagnose with gout continue to eat these foods and their illness persists, and so do the painful gout attacks. If you want to cure yourself you will have to take the prescribed medication and change your diet. If you do this your gout will surely go away.
Avoiding food that cause gout is the surest way to preventing gout. To determine which foods are detrimental, you should first get to know the main factors that contribute to the development of gout. Uric acids and purines are precursors to gouty flare-ups, so you should look for food or beverages that are low in purines, low in uric acids and sufficient in Alkalines.
What happens when gout occurs?
When you develop gout there abnormally high concentrations of uric acid that accumulate in certain parts of your body, especially in your joints. The accumulation turns the uric acids into crystals that somehow "jam" your connective tissues, making it hard for you to move your fingers or toes. The crystals will grow overtime, usually in a matter of hours and therefore causes inflammation-you will see your skin physically swelling and turning red as a result. If left untreated, the swollen area will burst as the crystals exude through the skin.
What is uric acid?
Uric acid comes from food substance called purine. We all naturally have uric acid in our bodies, but sometimes we could have abnormal levels either at birth or by eating certain types of food that cause gout. Uric acid can form into crystals that cause pain and swelling.
What are purines?
Purines are the chemicals in certain food that occur as nitrogenous compounds in nucleic acids. They are excreted as uric acid and are not considered vital in our diet. Since purines are excreted as uric acid high-purine sources are obviously food that cause gout. It is estimated that 50% of those who have high-purine diets have a higher tendency of developing gout. Purines can be found in food that cause gout, so listing food sources would be essential.
Found below is a list of high-purine food that cause gout:
The above-mentioned are just some of the foods that can trigger high level of uric acid. One way to lower acidity is by eating alkaline foods.
What is alkali?
Alkali is a compound that neutralizes acids in the body. It raises pH levels to more than 7. Acid has a pH less than 7, so alkali can be used to dilute uric acid in the body.
Found below is a list of alkaline foods that could help counteract high uric acid levels in your system:
- Bananas - Watermelon - Orange juice - Potatoes - Spinach - Figs - Dandelion Greens - Chocolate - Mineral water
Take note: Sources high in fat are known to be food that cause gout. Also avoid foods that are high in proteins, because they are often high in purines that raise levels of uric acid in the body.
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