Alcohol And Gout Risk
Although beer may be the worst drink for gout, any alcoholic beverage can trigger gout symptoms in people who are prone to the disease. “Alcohol causes the kidneys to excrete alcohol instead of excreting uric acid. That increases the amount of uric acid in the blood, which could provoke a gout attack in about one or two days,” warns David Freeman, MD, a rheumatologist at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass.
The 10 Best Foods To Eat If You Have Arthritis
If you have arthritis, you know just how devastating this condition can be.
Arthritis is a term for a class of diseases that cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. It can affect people of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds.
There are many different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is one type, which develops in joints with overuse. Another type is rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks your joints (
Fortunately, there are many foods that can ease inflammation and may help relieve some of the joint pain associated with arthritis.
In fact, one survey found that 24% of those with rheumatoid arthritis reported that their diet had an impact on the severity of their symptoms (
This article will look at 10 of the best foods to eat if you have arthritis.
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Things To Cut Down On
Meat and seafood
High intakes of red meat and seafood are associated with a greater risk of gout because of their high purine content and impact on uric acid production.
Foods that contain yeast, such as Vegemite and Marmite, are also high in purine.
Sugars
Fructose is a simple sugar found in honey, fruit, some vegetables and sweeteners. Fructose increases purine metabolism, raising blood uric acid levels.
Avoid sweeteners high in fructose such as honey, brown sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, golden syrup and palm sugar. Check your tolerance for fruits, vegetables and other foods high in fructose.
Uric acid levels tend to be higher in people who regularly consume sugar-sweetened drinks. Those drinking one to two sugar-sweetened soft drinks a day are almost twice as likely to have gout as those who drink only one a month.
When it comes to whole fruit, results are not clear. While one study found a higher risk of gout with higher fruit intakes, another found a lower risk. The opposing results are partly confounded by the variation in fructose content of different fruits.
Alcohol
The effect of specific alcoholic beverages on blood uric acid levels varies. Beer is high in purine and increases uric acid more than spirits, while moderate wine intake appears neutral.
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Treating Gout With Diet:
This disease is based on unbalanced dietary habits as well as insufficient exercise. Consumption of too much protein such as meat, and excessive weight gain are some of the main causes for raised uric acid concentration. It is therefore only fair to give the body a chance to recover from within without taking medication.
Health professionals and doctors advise the Gout patients to bring drastic changes to their lifestyles or take medication. This modification also prevents future recurrence of the disease. Some of the food groups that have been proven beneficial in this regard are as follows:
Take plenty of Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is naturally found in many fruits and vegetables. The goal of the diet is to lower the over all body concentration of Uric acid. Vitamin C has shown promising results in achieving this goal. At higher doses the vitamin itself acts as a Uricosuric agent . In addition, it acts as a strong antioxidant. This property can help in aiding kidneys and liver against higher urea and uric acid concentration.
The vitamin is abundantly found in the following foods:
- Citrus fruits such as Tangerine, orange, grape fruits etc.
- Broccoli, brussels sprouts
- Berries such as raspberry, strawberry
- Peppers
Caffeinated drinks and foods:
Caffeine rich foods as follows:
- Tea
- Chocolate
Fiber containing diet:
- Whole grains such as wheat, barley, oats
- Seeds and beans such as Lima beans, black beans
- Nuts such as almonds, pistachios
High water fruits and vegetables:
- Watermelon
Which Type Of Alcohol Is The Worst For Gout
All types of alcohol affect gout, but the impact on flares and symptoms may vary by type of alcohol, depending on which studies you look at. Some research suggests that beer is especially bad for gout because it contains higher levels of purines that break down directly into uric acid.
A 2004 study published in the medical journal The Lancet found that alcohol is strongly associated with an increased risk of gout, the study authors concluded. Risks varied according to type of alcoholic beverage:
- Two or more beers daily increased gout risk over non-beer drinkers two-fold
- Two shots of spirits daily increased gout risk over non-drinkers by 1.6 times
- Two four-ounce glasses of wine daily was not associated with a higher risk of gout
However, other research has found a link between wine consumption and gout risk. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine in 2014 looked at how much alcohol consumed over a 24-hour period was associated with a recurring gout attack. It found that all types of alcoholic beverages, including wine, were associated with an increased risk for recurrent gout attacks. Even though one drink didnt raise the subjects risk for a gout attack by that much, having one to two drinks in a 24-hour period was associated with a 36 percent higher risk of recurrent gout attack, compared with those who had consumed no alcohol in that time period.
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Why Coffee Might Be Beneficial
There are a few reasons why coffee may provide a protective effect against the buildup of uric acid. To understand why, we first need to understand how certain medications for gout work.
There are two types of gout medication that your doctor may prescribe: xanthine oxidase inhibitors and uricosurics.
Xanthine oxidase inhibitors function by inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase. Xanthine oxidase is an enzyme that helps the body metabolize purines. Since purines are a source of uric acid, inhibiting this enzyme can help to keep uric acid levels low.
Caffeine is considered to be a methyl xanthine . Therefore, it can also compete with and potentially block the action of xanthine oxidase.
Uricosurics function by helping the kidneys rid the body of uric acid. Although caffeine isnt necessarily considered a uricosuric, it may function in a similar manner.
Theres a lack of research that suggests coffee may contribute to raising your risk of gout. However, some researchers believe that theres insufficient evidence in favor of drinking coffee to reduce gout risk.
In one , 11 studies were investigated for their results on coffee intake and serum uric acid levels. The researchers found that while there was evidence to suggest coffee intake reduces gout risk, the results were not statistically significant enough to matter.
What Is Gout And What Causes It
Before we can look at foods to avoid with gout, it is necessary to briefly understand what it is.
Gout is a form of joint inflammation, caused by excessive uric acid in circulation .
When the bodys natural uric acid threshold is exceeded, painful crystals can form in and around the joints. These crystals trigger the characteristic symptoms and pain.
Not everybody with high uric acid levels will get gout, but those who do always have high uric acid levels. This indicates there are other factors at play, but from a dietary perspective uric acid is the focus.
Excessive uric acid in the blood stream is typically driven by two factors: genetic predisposition and the ingestion of high-purine foods. Obviously, the dietary factor we can control.
When purines we eat are broken down and metabolised by the body, uric acid is formed as a by-product of this process. Its normal and healthy for uric acid to be formed, but excessive amounts are problematic.
Therefore, consuming less purine-rich foods should lower uric acid levels in your blood, lowering gout risk.
At least, in theory.
Its actually not that clear-cut because other nutrients appear to aggravate gout symptoms too
Heres a list of foods to avoid if you have gout, based on real scientific evidence.
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Red Cabbage Vs Green Cabbage
While both red and green cabbage are good for you, red cabbage packs a more powerful nutritional profile. For example, red cabbage contains about 85 percent of the daily vitamin C our bodies need, while the green variety provides 47 percent. In fact, red cabbage has more vitamin C than oranges, believe it or not.
Red and green cabbage are two different cabbage varieties, but they have a similar flavor. Red cabbage tends to be more peppery and is usually smaller and denser than green cabbage heads. The leaves of the red cabbage are dark purple or reddish, which comes from the pH levels of the soil in which its grown, as well as the pigment that comes from the nutritionally valuable anthocyanins in contains.
In acidic soils, the leaves usually grow more reddish, while in neutral soils, they grow more purple. This explains why the same plant is known by different colors in various regions. Red cabbage needs well-fertilized soil and sufficient humidity to grow at its best. Its a seasonal plant, seeded in spring and harvested in late fall.
Its also important to note that red cabbage is ranked fifth in the Clean 15 on the Environmental Working Groups Guide to Pesticides in Produce, noted as one of the fruits and vegetables with the lowest amount of pesticide residues. However, if you are concerned at all about pesticide use, go for organic cabbage.
Heres a little more on how red and green cabbage stack up based on a one-cup serving:
Vitamin A
Interaction With Certain Medications
Spinach may interact with certain medications and should be consumed in moderation after consultation with your doctor to avoid food-drug intolerance risk.
Spinach may interact with diabetic medications like glimepiride , glyburide , insulin, pioglitazone , rosiglitazone , chlorpropamide , glipizide , tolbutamide , and others.
Vitamin K in spinach may interfere with anticoagulants like warfarin and decrease their effectiveness.
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about the topic and is not be taken as medical advice or as an alternative to medical advice, treatment, and/or diagnosis. Always consult with your doctor before trying out any of the remedies/recipes suggested in the blog post.
P.S- Consider sharing this post, if you find it useful and/or interesting.
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What Is The Evidence On Coffee And Gout
A study conducted over a 12 years span published by the Arthritis and Rheumatology medical journal proved that men over the age of 40 who drink coffee regularly had a lower risk of developing gout. This was a study that followed 45,869 with no history of gout at baseline by the way and 757 of these men developed gout after the 12 years. Furthermore, the more coffee the men drank the more they decrease their risk of a gout attack the study claimed.
Men who drank 5 or more cups a day appeared to have the lowest risk. Drinking one to three cups of coffee a day lowered gout risk by only 8%. The risk of gout was 40% lower for men who drank four to five cups a day and 59% lower for men who drank six or more cups a day than for men who never drank coffee. Wow! Thats a lot of coffee man! This correlation also seemed to hold true for decaffeinated coffee too! Decaffeinated coffee did have an effect, although it wasnt as large as the effect of caffeinated coffee. The conclusion the researchers came to was that coffee caused reduction in uric acid levels in the blood stream allowing coffee drinkers to avoid gout.
Deadly Inflammation Causing Foods Fatal For Inflammatory Arthritis
Arthritis is a painful condition that involves inflammation, swelling and joint pain. Although there is not strict diet for arthritis, excluding certain foods from the diet can help in reducing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and calming the excruciating pain.
Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates
It is difficult to resist the temptation of desserts, chocolate bars, pastries, soda and other sweet treats but sugar and refined carbohydrates must be eliminated from a rheumatoid arthritis patients diet because processed sugars trigger inflammation in the body by increasing the release of cytokines the inflammatory messengers.
Fruit juices, canned fruits and other sweets are loaded with fructose and sucrose which are poisons by themselves. Refined carbs such as white flour, white rice and sugar) are also called pro-inflammatory carbs. Such carbs are not used as energy rather they are stored as inflammatory saturated fats in the body which triggers inflammation and cause heart disease.
Salt and Preservatives
Excessive salt in food and added table salt in food is one of the main causes of inflammation. Processed foods and ready to eat meals contain high levels of sodium and preservatives to increase their shelf life. Regular consumption of these foods results in the inflammation of joints.
Dairy Products
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Why Some People Should Avoid Eating Spinach
I may be giving away my age, but when I grew up, Popeye was a popular cartoon hero, and he ate spinach to get strong muscles. We were always urged to eat your spinach, and be like Popeye.
Unfortunately, the spinach that was primarily available back then was the nasty, cooked to death kind that came in a can. It wasnt until my family started growing spinach in our own garden that I learned to love its tender, sweet, fresh-picked leaves in a salad or lightly stir fried with lemon and butter. Its tender texture and mild taste make it a favorite addition to smoothies, soups, and stir-fries. According to the USDA, Americans consume nearly 2½ pounds of spinach per year per capita these days.
Spinach is a nutrient-dense, dark green leafy vegetable, high in niacin, and other B vitamins, vitamins A, C, E, K, packed with calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. Spinach also contains some serious antioxidants that fight free radicals that damage the cells in your body, helping prevent cancer, chronic diseases, aging and other serious health issues. The folate it contains, an essential B vitamin, is especially vital for pregnant women and their fetuses, and also protects your cardiovascular system, paired with magnesium that helps essentially every bodily function, as well as maintaining a healthy blood pressure level. Spinach is also excellent brain food, improving memory and mental clarity.
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How Much Coffee Is Ok
The recommended safe amount of caffeine to consume in a day is about 400 milligrams , which is about four 8-ounce cups of coffee per day.
When you’re considering your total caffeine intake remember to consider other sources of caffeine, including espresso, soft drinks, energy drinks, black or green tea, and energy shots. Dark chocolate is another source of caffeine, providing about 20 mg of caffeine per 1 ounce of dark chocolate.
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How Does Coffee Reduce Uric Acid
Although theres sufficient evidence for the uric acid reducing properties of coffee, it isnt clear yet what the mechanism is.
One theory put forward is that its the phenol chlorogenic acid a powerful antioxidant found in coffee that is the active ingredient.
Some studies suggest that chlorogenic compounds can significantly regulate iron absorption in the body. This is important since iron overload contributes to the development of gout.
But dont suddenly start drinking 5 or 6 cups of coffee a day!
Another 2010 study showed that greatly increasing caffeine consumption in a short period actually increases the risk of a gout attack.
So whats going on here?
Well, its been observed for some time now that rapid changes in blood uric acid levels can actually trigger an attack.
We really dont know why this happens we just know that it does.
When someone suddenly starts drinking, say, 4 to 6 cups of coffee a day, when previously they drank none at all, or 1 or 2 at most, theres a good chance that an attack will be triggered.
So if you are thinking of increasing your coffee intake, start slowly and work up to what is comfortable for you. Remember that those large-scale studies were about long-term, not short-term, coffee consumption.
And remember also that, although coffee has numerous health benefits including helping to lower the risk of gout, it does contain caffeine, and too much caffeine can be bad for you:
- pregnant women
- people with sleep problems
Get Tested For Sleep Apnea
Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of gout.12,13 Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes the body to take in less oxygen while sleeping, which in turn causes the body to produce more purines.12,14 Sleep apnea is typically treated with a continuous positive airway pressure machine or other device that increases oxygen intake while sleeping.
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Best Drinks For Arthritis
Get recommendations for staying hydrating to support overall health.
Theres an old saying you are what you eat. But what you drink, and how much you drink, can have an enormous effect on your body and health, too. Beverage Basics Start every day with a glass of water before you eat any food, since most people wake up a bit dehydrated, says Sonya Angelone, a dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Its also best to stick with water throughout the day, she says. The typical recommendation is eight glasses a day. In general, avoid soda since it can be full of sugar, aspartame and phosphoric acid. The latter can negatively affect your bodys ability to absorb calcium. Water can get a bit boring, but there are other ways to stay healthy and hydrated. These recommendations can help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of popular beverages.
Nutrition