How Lifestyle Changes Can Help Erase Your Gout

eserved for the joint at the base of the big toe. Gout is a form of arthritis that can affect both men and women, but tends to happen more often in men. Those with gout experience symptoms suddenly and may describe the pain as feeling as if their toe is on fire. Gout is anything but pleasant; however, what you eat could help improve your condition and prevent a recurrence.  

Avoid Alcohol

While it can be challenging to eliminate your nightly glass of vino, if you are suffering from gout you may need to remove alcohol altogether just to be safe. While it’s certainly not a comparable replacement, you should be choosing water over alcoholic beverages. Beer is particularly bad for those with gout, as both the alcohol and the brewer’s yeast can trigger a flare up.

Say No to Sugar

Sugar gets a bad rap, and rightfully so. Besides the laundry list of other issues sugar causes, it can also raise your uric acid levels. As gout is brought about by too much uric acid in the bloodstream, this naturally can lead to more flare ups.

Limit Purine­Rich Foods

If you have gout your podiatrist has probably already warned you about staying away from purine­rich foods like seafood and organ meats. When our body ingests purine, it begins to break it down into uric acid. While avoiding alcohol and sugar are probably your most effective ways to stop gout, it’s not a bad idea to also limit foods high in purines.

Work Out

No one should have to explain how great regular exercise is for your body; however, for those who are at a greater risk for developing gout, you will want to spend a little extra time making sure you are getting routine exercise. When you work, out you reduce your urate (salt created from uric acid) levels, which in turn reduces the likelihood that you will develop gout.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

When you are overweight your uric acid levels will also be elevated. To ensure that this doesn’t continue, you will want to eat a healthy, balanced diet to help you maintain a healthier weight. Avoid diets that promote high levels of protein and low levels of carbohydrates, as these diets tend to be high in purine consumption.

Sometimes over­the­counter pain relievers aren’t enough to reduce your gout pain. If this is the case, talk to your podiatrist about other medications you can take to alleviate your symptoms.