Low Purine Diet for Gout
If you have gout or have a family member who has gout, you know that it is an extremely painful condition. Gout is caused by excess amounts of uric acid in the bloodstream.
Uric acid is what is created when you have a diet that features high purine foods, and these are broken down by the body. The excess uric acid settles into the bone joints and then crystallizes, which is extremely painful. This is how people end up with “attacks” of gout.
Although gout is painful, fortunately there are options for reducing the severity of the attacks. One of the main options for controlling gout pain is to start eating a low purine diet. This diet reduces the amount of uric acid buildup, which lowers the pain associated with gout.
A low purine diet is one that emphasizes vegetable protein, dairy products, and water intake. People who suffer from gout need to make sure that they are drinking a good deal of water each day.
Water helps to flush the uric acid out of the bloodstream, which stops it from being able to accumulate in the joints. Being on a low purine diet requires avoiding foods like meats and meat extracts, and focusing your diet around fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Although it may seem difficult to eliminate high purine foods from your diet, there are many, many foods that are low in purine. For example, rice is a food that is low in purine. If you purchase a rice cooker, you can make enough rice to last several days, then just eat it with different meals.
Most vegetables are also low in purine. Broccoli is particularly good for you since it is full of nutrients. Nuts are a low purine food that can make an excellent snack. If you are monitoring your fat intake, be sure to only eat a small handful of nuts at a time. Fruits are also an excellent staple of a low purine diet. Look especially for fruits that have a large amount of vitamin C, as this has been shown to reduce the pain of gout attacks.
While gout is an extremely painful condition, avoiding high purine foods while focusing on foods that are low in purine can help you to manage the attacks. Of course, there are other options to reduce the pain from gout attacks, but some of these require medication or surgery and you should consult with your doctor before making a decision.
i think it down to the balance of diet and eating within moderation, i still eat high purine foods but not as often, sometimes its ok as a treat, but i also drink my daily 8 glasses of what.
Jay Peace to all gout sufferers!