Cherries Or Tart Cherry Juice
According to a , cherries whether sour, sweet, red, black, in extract form, as a juice, or raw are a very popular and potentially successful home remedy for many.
One 2012 study and another that same year also suggest cherries may work to prevent gout attacks.
This research recommends three servings of any cherry form over a two-day period, which was considered the most effective.
What Can You Drink If You Have Gout
Foods arenât the only thing that can affect uric acid. What you drink matters, too.
Itâs a good idea to drink lots of fluids — 8 to 16 cups a day. At least half of what you drink should be water. Vitamin C also can help lower uric acid, but studies also show that the high fructose in OJ may boost uric acid levels, so drink it in moderation. Caffeinated coffee can cut uric acid, too, as long as you donât overdo it.
Donâts
Stay away from sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. You also may need to limit or avoid alcohol as well. Talk with your doctor to find out whatâs right for you.
While a healthy diet can help control how much uric acid is in your system, you may still need medicine to prevent future attacks. Talk with your doctor about all your treatment options.
Cherries And Cherry Extract
A 2012 study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology showed that consumption of both cherries and cherry extract reduced the risk of gout attacks by about 35%. These findings were corroborated by a 2014 study that demonstrated that Montmorency tart cherry concentrate reduced blood levels of uric acid and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein.
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Additional Tips For Treating Gout Naturally
Studies show that many of the dietary items we consume lead to gout as well as other health problems. Changing your diet and lifestyle may be the easy solution to beating gout. One of the first things to do is eliminate certain foods and beverages from your diet to beat gout.
1. Eliminate or reduce sugar intake
As many studies are now illustrating, gout is common in people with excessive sugar intake, especially high fructose corn syrup Its wise to read the labels of all your food and drinks. If you find HFCS then eliminate that from your diet. In addition, look for sugar added under the guise of other common names for sugar look for cose at the end of words and these are probably types of sugar you dont want to be consuming.
2. Eliminate grains
Grains in the body are converted to sugars so again you want to limit or avoid grains altogether. They are also very inflammatory to your body.
3. Limit alcohol consumption
Again, alcohol becomes sugar once ingested so eliminate this completely unless you have a healthy body already. Any substance that will be converted to one or another type of sugar by the body should be avoided at all costs. In order to get your uric acid levels down you must consistently avoid sugar in your diet.
4. Eliminate soda and diet soda
5. Consume cherries and strawberries daily
6. Exercise
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If You Have Gout A Painful Type Of Arthritis You May Be Trying To Limit Purines In Your Diet Heres What You Need To Know To Get Started
Has your doctor suggested that you or someone you love go on a low-purine diet to help with the painful symptoms of gout? If so, its important to understand what a low-purine diet is, and how it may help manage gout as part of your overall gout treatment plan.
Gout is a type of arthritis that develops when high levels of a chemical called uric acid in the blood cause uric acid crystals to build up in a joint. This can lead to inflammation and pain, often in the big toe, as well as other joints. Gout attacks, or flares, are often extremely and suddenly painful and debilitating.
In most people, the body produces a manageable amount of uric acid, and the kidneys eliminate any excess through the urine. In a person with gout, however, the body doesnt have good control over the amount of uric acid in the blood. The goal of gout treatment is to lower the level of uric acid back to normal so it wont cause problems, says Calvin R. Brown, Jr., MD, professor of medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University in Chicago. Depending on your specific needs, a combination of medication to manage gout and lifestyle changes, including a low-purine diet, can help you reach that target.
Its very important to get uric acid levels to a healthy level and keep them there. Without proper treatment, gout flares can become more frequent, affect more joints, and lead to bone and joint damage as well as these other significant gout complications.
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What Is The Recommended Diet For Gout Sufferers
There are no foods that can completely prevent the symptoms of gout, but a diet low in purines may help to reduce the frequency of attacks. Following a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet that is low in saturated and trans fats and rich in unprocessed foods can help to reduce the risk of gout attacks. Care needs to be taken with certain vegetables such as asparagus, beans, cauliflower, lentils, mushrooms and spinach as these contain medium levels of purines.
While these dont need to be avoided completely, portion size is important a moderate intake should not increase the risks of gout. All other vegetables should be eaten freely. There is also evidence to suggest that a high consumption of low-fat dairy products , limiting sugary drinks and having a daily vitamin C supplement of 500mg may reduce the risk of gout. Speak to your GP before starting new supplements or altering your diet to manage gout.
It is important to note that it is the quantity of purine-rich food consumed that is more important than the purine content in each food. However, if a patient is keen to measure quantities of food, a maximum total daily purine intake of around 200mg is recommended.
Which Foods Are Safe For Gout
Find out which foods to eat and which to avoid if you have gout.
Question: I havegout. Can you tell me which fruits, vegetables, meats or seafoods I should eat or avoid? Is there any type of alcohol wine, beer, spirits that is better or worse for me than others?
Answer: Dietary management of gout is very restrictive and doesnt always work to control gout, so a combination of medication and diet may be the best way to treat your gout. In addition to medications that treat the inflammation and other symptoms that occur during a gout attack, medications exist that can treat the underlying metabolic condition of hyperuricemia too much uric acid in the blood.Hyperuricemia can occur either when the body produces too much uric acid or when the body does not excrete enough uric acid. Drugs exist to treat both causes.
Purine compounds, whether produced in the body or from eating high-purine foods, can raise uric acid levels. Excess uric acid can produce uric acid crystals, which then build up in soft tissues and joints, causing the painful symptoms of gout. Dietary management focuses on reducing the amount of uric acid in the system and attaining and maintaining a healthy bodyweight.
The primary dietary modification traditionally recommended is a low-purine diet. Avoiding purines completely is impossible, but strive to limit them. You can learn by trial and error what your personal limit is and which foods cause you problems.
High-Purine Foods Include:
Nutrition
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Dietary Causes Of Gout And Gouty Arthritis
Some people with gout find it helpful to eliminate specific high-purine foods from their diet. Certain high-purine foods may trigger gout attacks in some people.
Most people with gout will still need medication even if they follow a diet for gout.
Dietary changes alone can lower your uric acid levels by up to 15 percent, according to the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care , an independent scientific institute that evaluates the benefits and harms of medical interventions.
Its not necessary to avoid all high-purine foods if you have gout. Studies have shown that purine-rich vegetables dont trigger gout. And certain high-purine foods can be a good source of lean protein to incorporate into your diet.
Purine-rich vegetarian foods to include in your diet are:
- Peas
- Alcoholic beverages, especially beer, whiskey, gin, vodka, or rum
- Sugary drinks, including sodas, juices, energy drinks
- Coffee and other caffeinated beverages. While some studies show that caffeine can actually protect against gout pain, others find that sudden spikes in caffeine intake can trigger a gout attack.
Whats The Outlook For People With Gout
Untreated gout can lead to permanent joint damage. The buildup of uric acid in the joints and soft tissue is called tophus. Some people with gout can also develop other health problems, such as severe arthritis, kidney stones and heart disease. Its important to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider.
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Lifestyle Changes To Reduce The Risk Of Gout Attacks
Lifestyle measures, such as dietary changes, can help lower levels of uric acid, the chemical that deposits in joints and causes gout. However, for most people, changes in diet alone are not enough to prevent gout. To reduce uric acid levels enough to stop attacks, medication is usually needed. Still making changes in what you eat can lead to fewer gouty flares.
In the past, doctors often handed their patients a list of foods high in purines and instructed them not to eat those foods. By itself, that hasn’t been shown to be particularly helpful.
More recently, experts have begun thinking about diet differently. Instead of trying to figure out which individual foods you should avoid, the focus is on following a healthy diet and trying to lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Just losing weight can lower uric acid levels. Drinking plenty of fluids is also helpful. But limit sweetened drinks and alcohol, which can increase uric acid levels.
In general, a healthy diet emphasizes plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Whole grains are preferred over processed grains. Intake of fat, especially saturated fat , should be reduced. Lean sources of protein, including chicken, turkey, fish, and tofu, are better choices than beef or pork.
To learn more about the causes of gout and ways to prevent it, read , and online guide from Harvard Medical School.
Using Tart Cherry Juice For Gout
Tart cherry juice may help decrease uric acid levels and inflammation in gout. Research is limited, with often small numbers of study participants and short-term follow-up.
Nevertheless, a 2019 review of six studies that looked at the effect of cherry juice or cherry extract intake on gout concluded that cherry intake was associated with a reduced risk of gout attacks. Researchers did note that larger, more long-term studies are needed to clarify this association.
When choosing tart cherry juice, be sure to look for unsweetened varieties to help reduce the amount of added sugar in your diet.
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Foods To Avoid With Gout
People with gout can have a moderate intake of lean meats such as chicken and turkey. They must, however, avoid organ meats such as liver and kidney as they have higher levels of purines, which can cause gout flares. They should also avoid seafood such as shrimp, mussels, anchovies, sardines and lobster as it tends to contain a higher amount of purines.
Other foods to be avoided in gout include:
- Beer and grain liquors such as vodka and whiskey
- Red meat including lamb and pork
- Food products containing a high amount of fructose such as soda and some juices, cereal, ice cream, candy and junk food
Does Avoiding Alcohol Help
There are only a few studies looking into the influence of alcohol on gout. They suggest that people with gout are more likely to have an attack if they have had more than one or two alcoholic drinks in the last 24 hours. One alcoholic drink is equivalent to a small bottle of beer , a small glass of wine or a double schnapps .
There are various reasons why alcohol can trigger gout attacks. On the one hand, it increases uric acid production and reduces the amount of uric acid expelled by the kidneys. On the other, the diuretic effect of alcohol can increase the risk of gout. Uric acid crystals form more readily in joints if the surrounding tissue doesnt contain enough fluid. Beer in particular contains a relatively high amount of purines too, which could also be a factor.
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Choose A Diet You Can Live With
If you are overweight, losing weight can protect you from gout flare-ups. However, losing weight fast can do more harm than good for gout, as rapid weight loss can raise uric acid levels in your bloodstream. Avoid fad diets and “crash” diets. Consider consulting a dietician, who can help you choose a diet plan that works for you.
How Does The Alkaline Diet Help Gout
So what does the alkaline diet have to do with gout? It raises the pH of urine, which increases the elimination of uric acid from your body 2.
So what does the alkaline diet have to do with gout?
- It raises the pH of urine, which increases the elimination of uric acid from your body 2.
- Less sodium and more potassium in the alkaline diet tends to prevent high amounts of uric acid 1.
- It contains substantially less purines, the compounds found in high amounts in animal products that form uric acid.
- It eliminates animal products, which decreases uric acid excretion in urine 3.
- It benefits kidney function the kidneys are responsible for processing uric acid 4.
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What Are The Current Gout Treatments
Current gout treatments include medications to manage gout pain and lower uric acid levels and recommendations to modify lifestyle.
Medications to reduce gout pain and inflammation include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling
- Colchicine to relieve gout pain, usually used as an oral formulation in low dose due to side effects
- Corticosteroid injections or tablets for acute gout when nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are contraindicated.
Medications to lower levels of uric acid such as:
Standard recommendations for changes in lifestyle for ongoing management of gout such as:
- Lose weight gradually and aim to maintain a healthy body weight
- Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid binge drinking
- Drink plenty of water, and staying hydrated
- Avoid sugary drinks
- Avoid or eat in moderation purine-rich foods such as organ meat, red meat, and seafood
- Exercise regularly.
Are Some Types Of Alcohol Better Than Others
It seems that gout attacks are more common in beer and spirits drinkers than in people who drink wine. Many beers contain large amounts of purines, which can lead to elevated uric acid levels in the blood. However, there is no scientific proof that only certain types of alcoholic drinks can lead to gout attacks.
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Common Myths About Eating For Gout
While a gout diet can be restrictive, some foods are just fine for gout sufferers despite myths that surround them. Many people misconstrue acidic foods as contributing to uric acid buildup in the blood, but the two are unrelated. Acidic foods, including tomatoes, oranges, and lemons, dont affect gout at all, so enjoy them as much as you like.
Dairy products are also healthy foods you can include in a gout eating plan. You can even add in beans occasionally, as long as you arent having them every day. If youre already a healthy weight and not currently in the midst of a gout attack, you can have an occasional dessert or a rich main dish without worrying about having a follow-up attack.
Warm Water With Apple Cider Vinegar Lemon Juice And Turmeric
Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and turmeric are each frequently recommended anecdotally for gout. Together, they make a pleasant beverage and remedy.
No strong research supports apple cider vinegar for gout, though studies show it may support the kidneys. Otherwise, research is promising for lemon juice and turmeric for lowering uric acid.
Mix juice from one squeezed half lemon into warm water. Combine with 2 teaspoons turmeric and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Adjust to taste. Drink two to three times per day.
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Natural Ways To Treat And Prevent Gout
According to a study from 2011, the number of Americans with gout has been rising steadily over the past several decades, most likely because of increasing rates of obesity and high blood pressure. At the time the study was published, it was estimated that the number of people in the United States with gout had risen to 8.3 million. Similar figures are being seen in the United Kingdom as well, with rates of gout increasing by about 4% a year. With numbers like these, more and more people need to be aware of this particularly painful form of arthritis as well as the methods available to treat and prevent gout.