A common appearance of Gout - Redness and swelling around the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toeHaving a well planned gout diet is important if you are suffering from gout. Gout is a form of rheumatic arthritis that results from the accumulation of excess uric acid in your joints. The big toe is often the first target of gout, but it can easily spread to the small joints in your toes, instep, and fingers, and the ankles, knees, elbows and wrists. You suffer sudden, excruciating pain from acute attacks of gout; the joint will swell, redden, and feel rather warm.

There are hereditary influences in development of gout, but there are things you can do to minimise the frequency of attacks. Physical exercise and reduced alcohol consumption will do a lot towards preventing gout, and so will a good healthy diet.

High uric acid levels associated with gout derive largely from foods rich in protein and purine, which produce uric acid as a waste product when broken down. Reducing such foods will mean less material for uric acid formation. You should adjust your dietary patterns to achieve the following:

  1. Less consumption of meat products that have high purine content, such as beef, pork and lamb, as do organs like liver, kidney, and brain, along with gravy enriched with meat extracts.
  2. Reduction (if not total elimination) of alcoholic beverages, especially beer.
  3. Reduction of mushrooms, legume foods like peas, beans and lentil, and vegetables such as cauliflower, spinach and asparagus.
  4. Avoidance of seafood that contribute to high uric acid levels like cod, anchovies, herrings and sardines, haddock, and fish eggs; also minimised consumption of mussels and scallops.

If possible, target to have protein comprising less than half of your diet to achieve more balance. Protein is a necessary element in your body, but taking more than what’s necessary will upset your body’s nutrient balance.

There are beneficial foods that help you lessen the discomfort and pain of an acute gout attack. Increase your consumption of fresh vegetables, either raw or lightly steamed; you can also mix them in soups or make them into juice. However, limit potatoes and corn to only once or twice a week.

Half a kilo (one pound) of wild or black cherries, eaten as fresh fruit or drunk as juice, will help you get over a gout attack. The cherries contain anthocyanocids that dramatically reduces uric acid. Do not use commercially prepared juices as they no longer have anthocyanocids.

While genetics can sometimes predispose your body towards developing gout, you can play an important part in reducing the chances of getting it by making appropriate lifestyle adjustments.

Is Gout Treatable … or Preventable?

Yes, gout is one of the most treatable forms of arthritis, and with proper treatment, you need not have any long-term consequences. Medications are available to relieve the pain and inflammation of acute bouts of gouty arthritis. For long-term care, you may need to take medications to treat the underlying metabolic disorder along with making such lifestyle changes as avoiding alcohol (primarily beer) and foods high in purines and increasing intake of dairy foods.

If you have a gout attack, many doctors recommend oral doses of ibuprofen or naproxen, available in both prescription and nonprescription versions, or other anti-inflammatory drugs. If you are taking aspirin, your doctor may recommend that you stop it temporarily. Aspirin can slow the elimination of uric acid and make gout worse. But if you take a low dose of aspirin to prevent other problems such as a heart attack, check with your doctor before stopping it.

For reliable Gout treatment information, read Lisa McDowell’s Cure Gout Now. It is an easy to follow, comprehensively researched book that shows you how to change your diet and gain control of your gout with useful strategies that have been proven to improve health for people with gout.

Find out how Lisa, a long-suffering wife of a gout victim, challenged the uncaring drug companies and made a shocking discovery that cured her husband once and for all. You’ll learn how to cure gout quickly and naturally in 7 easy steps. These tips will put you on the fast track to better health.