Gout, a type of arthritis that commonly affects your big toe, will be usually triggered by the higher levels of uric acid present in your blood. Uric acid is a compound produced in your body naturally, however, when too much of this acid is found in your bloodstream, it can result in the accumulation of sharp uric acid crystals in your joints. This can cause gout flare-ups. Some of the common gout symptoms include pain, swelling, redness, stiffness, warmth, tenderness, etc. Gout can result in severe pain and it can be controlled with the help of gout medications and changes in your diet, lifestyle, and habits.
There are some factors that can cause the flare-up of gout symptoms. It is important to avoid them for preventing your gout from getting worse. Some of the factors that can result in gout flare-ups are listed below:
Foods Rich In Purine
Foods that are rich in purine can make your gout symptoms worse. Your body will breakdown purines into uric acid, therefore, it is important to avoid certain foods that are high in purines including organ and glandular meats and some seafood like cod, mussels, salmon, shellfish, trout, sardines, scallops, and haddock.
Other purine-rich foods that you have to limit include pork, mutton, duck, turkey, veal, bacon, venison, etc.
Alcohol
Different types of alcohol can also result in your gout symptoms getting worse. When you drink alcohol, your kidneys will have to work for eliminating alcohol rather than uric acid. So it can result in the uric acid build-up in your body. Therefore, it is better for people with gout to avoid all types of alcohol including beer, liquor, wine, and cider.
Sugary Beverages
Sugary drinks can also cause gout flare-ups. This usually occurs in adults who are obese and overweight. Sugary beverages can increase the amount of sugars called fructose in your body. Increase in the amount of blood sugar can result in the accumulation of uric acid. Therefore, make sure to avoid beverages such as soda, energy drinks, fruit juices, sugary flavored drinks, sweetened ice tea, fruit juice from concentrate, sweetened lemonade, etc. if you have gout.
Medications That Can Trigger Gout
Certain medications can also cause gout flare-ups. Medications like aspirin, diuretics (water pills), etc. can make the gout symptoms worse. In addition to this, drugs like ACE inhibitors, chemotherapy drugs, beta-blockers, and cyclosporine can also trigger gout.
Different factors can result in the flare-up of gout symptoms. Therefore, it is important to seek the help of a doctor to form a gout diet and make changes in your lifestyle, so that it will become easy for you to deal with this disease.
