Foods to Avoid When Experiencing Gout – Important Diet Tips You Need to Know

Gout is one of those medical conditions that most of us know absolutely nothing about until we experience it. Once you have gout, you’ll likely do everything in your power to find out as much as you can about it. That’s because the pain itself is so debilitating. Gout hurts incredibly. It can leave you feeling worn out and exhausted by the end of the day. Even though the pain is concentrated in your foot, it radiates throughout your body, affecting everything you do. There are many medical approaches to take to treat this disease, but they all have consequences. In the case of anti inflammatory drugs, they can damage the sensitive lining of your stomach causing even more pain. That’s why more and more people are turning to a natural approach to take care of the condition. One way to do that is through diet. There are several foods you’ll want to avoid if you do have gout.

Purines is a word you need to become very familiar with if you have gout. High levels of uric acid in your body are the cause of a gout attack. Eating foods rich in purines causes more uric acid to be produced. So it just makes sense that if you have gout, you want to avoid the foods that are full of purines. To start with that includes red meat. That means you need to greatly limit, if not completely remove, all beef, lamb and pork from your diet. Start the switch over to fish and chicken as your main sources of protein. It may take a bit to get used to giving up hamburgers and pork chops, but you’ll quickly realize how beneficial it is in terms of controlling your gout.

Other foods that have purines include those that are fried. If you’re accustomed to stopping by the local fast food place to indulge in some french fries, you should consider changing that eating habit. Fried foods and gout just don’t get along. If you are really craving something fried, try baking it instead. Baked chicken breast with some seasoned breaded coating is just as tasty as traditional fried chicken is. You can also make your own french fries at home by cutting up a potato, tossing it with some olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt and bake. They’re a healthier version of what you’re used to and gout friendly too.

Flushing impurities out of your body can be very helpful with treating gout. That means drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day. If you struggle with drinking plain water, you can always brew up some herbal tea to add to the taste. Avoid sugar filled juices and instead switch over to orange juice for your breakfast or a snack. It’s filled with nutrients and doesn’t contain empty calories. Watching everything you eat and drink will help better control your gout in the future.