Your Weight! Your Health! Your Skin!

Hello, here is an article that I thought might be of interest to all of you who are suffering from gout or all of you who have a loved one who is affected. Read it and give some feedback on how it has helped you, or if you need more information on the subject.

Here goes . . .

Gout affects both men and women, regardless of their body size but it affects mostly men in their 40’s and 50 who are overweight. People who are  obese tend to be more prone to getting gout. What is gout and what causes it?

Gout occurs when there is excess uric acid in the tissues of the body, as well as in the joints. For most people the first symptom of gout is excruciating pain in the big toe. This is mostly accompanied by swelling and redness. For most people who suffer from gout, it can be that the body produces too much uric acid or that the body is not doing a great job in excreting uric acid.

Here are 6 great tips to deal with your gout and help you lose weight:

1. The first step that gout sufferers can do is to reduce their food intake of foods that contain purines, which encourage the formation of uric acid. Foods that are high in purines include organ meats, anchovies, shellfish, bacon, dried beans, liver, kidney and dried peas.

2. Gout sufferers also need to avoid alcohol. Alcohol increases the production of urate and it affects the removal of uric acid from the body. For people who severely suffer from gout it is not good enough to cut down on alcohol, they should eliminate alcohol completely.

3. Weight is a serious issue for gout sufferers. Losing weight can reduce blood urate levels. Not only that, excess weight can put a lot of extra strain on the joints and this can make matters worse for a gout sufferer. Losing weight should be done properly with a healthy diet and exercise. Get your doctor to sign off on the diet if you decide to participate in one, as some diets like the high protein diet can be dangerous.

4. With the assistance of your doctor and your dietitian, you can have a gout diet that compromises of low purine foods. These foods include low fibre breads and cereals, vegetables, nuts, strawberries, dark berries, and fruit juices just to name a few.

5. It goes without saying, what kind of a diet wouldn’t include water? Drinking a lot of water is a great way to flush out your system and get rid of the excess uric acid that is in the body. So, do your 8 glasses a day and you will be on your way.

Just because you were diagnosed with gout is not the end of the world. There are things you can do to make it better, without medication. Make sure you consult your doctor first before you embark on any drastic diet changes.