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Gout is a form of arthritis that's characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in joints. The cause of gout is a high blood level of uric acid (hyperuricemia), which can accumulate in joints and lead to inflammation. Uric acid is a waste product formed from the breakdown of purines - substances which are found naturally in your body as well as in certain foods.
Gout caused due to Uric Acid Crystals
One of main causes of gout is the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints, skin, and kidneys. Uric acid is an end product of the body's chemical processes. Those affected by gout have a higher level of uric acid in the blood than the normal, due either to formation of increased amounts or reduced amounts of acid being passed out by the kidneys in the urine. This uric acid usually remains dissolved in the blood. But when the blood becomes too full of it, the uric acid forms needle-shaped crystals in the joints which bring about attacks of gout.
Diet for Gout:
After the acute symptoms of gout have subsided, the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for further three or four days. In this regime, he should have three meals a day of juicy fruits such as grapes, apples, pears, peaches, oranges anpineapples.
Drink plenty of fluids. Fluids can help remove uric acid from the body. However, limit consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks, which have been linked to an increased risk of gout.
Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts more stress on your joints and increases the risk of hyperuricemia and gout.
Apple Cider Vinegar : 1 x tablespoon mixed with a table spoon of filtered water, make sure it is organic with "Mother" still in it , add honey to taste and take about an hour after a meal 3 times a day..this will regulate your pH levels and reduce them...clean your teeth also after using this as it stains..then after an attack reduce this to once a day.
Medical Treatment
Allupurinol - this is most popularly known as the brand Zylprim and is prescribed to lower uric acid levels by controlling the system that creates the substance in the body. This is more helpful for preventing gout, instead of treating attacks.
Probenecid - sold as Probalan or Benemid, this is usually prescribed for gouty arthritis and chronic gout. It is also helpful in preventing gout attacks rather than treating actually occurrences. The medicine helps the kidneys eliminate more uric acid out of the body.
Colbenemid - sold as Proben-C or Col-Probenecid, this medicine treats gout direcly and also lowers uric acid. This drug contains Colchicine and Probenecid.
For the long-term, you may be advised to take moderated daily doses of either NSAIDs or oral colchicine to stave off future attacks. To reduce uric acid levels, tophi formation, and sudden attacks, allopurinol or probenecid may be prescribed.
Proper treatment may allow you to control gout symptoms and live normally. It will work better if you also undergo physical exercise and alter your dietary patterns to reduce uric acid levels.
Recently, a gout and diet prevention study was published in by Dr. Hyon K. Choi and Gary Curhan in Arthritis Care & Research's June 2007 issue which examined the fact that, contrary to popular belief, coffee may not be as bad for gout sufferers as previously thought. Although gout patients have been told to stay away from coffee, there may be an ingredient in the beverage that can actually help to lower the uric acid levels in the body.
Though it is not yet known what part of coffee is responsible for lowering the uric acid levels in the body, it is known that it is not just the caffeine content, as the same results were not found from drinking caffeinated tea. Whatever the cause, when participants drank one to two cups of coffee every day, the levels of uric acid in the blood reduced dramatically. Furthermore, as coffee consumption increased, uric acid levels decreased.
A similar study in Japan looked into the same concept, but used decaffeinated coffee. Similar, though not equal, results were witnessed. This is why it is now thought that components of coffee other than soley caffeine are responsible for lowering the uric acid levels in the body.
Considering that until this study, gout sufferers had been discouraged from drinking coffee, many gout sufferers may now be wondering what other gout and diet prevention beliefs may soon turn out to be disproved. For example, though tea has not been found to reduce uric acid levels in the body as has now been demonstrated with coffee, tea is often thought to be unacceptable as a part of a gout and diet prevention strategy. Instead, tea can indeed be a part of a gout diet as long as it is consumed in moderation and as long as its dehydrating effect is compensated for by taking in additional water.
It was also believed at one time that eating rich foods was the root cause of gout. Indeed, some rich foods are high in proteins and purines and therefore may contribute to gout flare-ups, however low fat dairy products have now been shown to have a preventative effect. Also Gout is believed to be caused by many factors, including being heredity.
A similar belief was once applied to alcohol. It was thought that spirits, wine, and beer were the true cause of gout. Indeed, drinking to excess can be harmful to gout sufferers, especially due to the resulting dehydration of the body. Hydration is especially important to gout sufferers as it allows the body to flush the uric acid out of the blood, preventing its buildup as crystals on the joints. However, drinking alcohol is not a direct cause of gout.
It is important to speak with your doctor and dietitian about gout and diet prevention and what you should be eating to help to control your gout. However, it is also wise to keep up with the latest research, as the "truths" that we know about gout diets are always changing.