Gout is caused due to the increased levels of uric acid in your body. This type of arthritis mainly affects your feet and can lead to severe pain and swelling. Around 6 million people in the United States alone suffer from gout, which makes it one of the most common inflammatory condition that affects people all around the world. Gout treatment mainly includes pain-relievers and anti-inflammatory medications.
Gout medications mainly aim at reducing the inflammation and pain in the affected area. Studies have shown that several lifestyle changes can significantly alleviate the pain caused by gout. You can effectively manage the gout symptoms by controlling what you eat and avoiding high purine foods.
Below shared are some of the foods that you need to avoid if you are suffering from gout symptoms.
Seafood
Two of the most common sources of purines are fish and seafood. Fishes like perch, salmon, tuna, carp, trout, snapper, etc. are very high in purine so you have to completely avoid consuming these fishes if you are suffering from gout. Seafood like shrimp, crab, lobster, and oysters also contain high levels of purines. Therefore, make sure to consume seafood in small amounts.
Sugars
Even though the purine content in sugar is low, you need to reduce the consumption of sugar. This is because if your diet is high in refined sugar, it may lead to other conditions like obesity, diabetes, etc. that can worsen the symptoms of gout. You should also avoid consuming sweetened drinks because it may increase the uric acid levels in your body. Eat fresh fruits if you want anything sweet.
Meat
Organ meats such as kidneys, liver, brains, etc. contain high levels of purines that can increase the uric acid levels in your body. Therefore, you should avoid all types of organ meat to prevent gout. You should also limit the consumption of other meats like pork, lamb, chicken, goose, turkey, veal, etc. Not just meats, animal-based foods like chicken soup, bouillon, gravy, etc. are also high in purines.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption has a wide range of health risks and gout is just one of them. Beers are very high in purines and regular consumption of beer can increase the risk of developing gout. Studies have shown that drinking beer during the gout attacks will significantly intensify the symptoms of this inflammatory condition. Other alcoholic beverages may not contain high levels of purines, but they can increase the purine production in your body.
