Reasons To Love Your Gout Prevention Diet

The most basic point of any good gout prevention diet is to reduce gout symptoms. This is achieved by lowering the levels of purine rich foods in the diet as these often trigger gout by raising the amount of uric acid in the blood, which in turn makes the pain worse.

Though a doctor can help with the quest for a good gout prevention diet, there are some things a person can learn on their own. The problem with this type of diet is that it eliminates many of the foods that men typically love to eat, and gout is something that occurs almost exclusively among the male population. A gout dies doesn't have to mean the end of good eating however, but it might mean learning to love some new foods and finding new ways to enjoy time tested favorites.

One great thing about concocting a gout friendly diet is that medications help more than ever, and the diet does not have to be quite as restrictive as they used to be. However, that does not mean a person can eat whatever they want, whenever they want, without risking a flare up.

The diet will help, and when medication is taken as directed, someone with gout might enjoy long periods of 'remission' before they have to deal with the pain and flare ups that are associated with this condition.

Meats are known to be higher in purines, and they should be avoided. However, you don't have to do without them. The ones that are the biggest problems are the organ meats, and a lot of people don't like them anyway. These include liver and kidney meats.

Other high levels of purines can be found in fish like herring, and mackerel, and some dry beans are also troublesome. Other meats are not as bad, but they still have higher numbers of purines. It is a good idea to limit meat, fish, and poultry foods to about six ounces a day.

When it comes to drinking alcohol your best bet is to drink in moderation, and you may feel the best when avoiding alcoholic beverages completely. Abstinence is essential when a gout attack is ongoing, as alcohol can slow the release of uric acid from the body.

Water is great for almost any health situation, and this is no exception. Drink as much as possible to feel as good as possible. Though many vegetables are good for the body, those with gout should avoid things like asparagus, mushrooms, lentils, peas, and many dark green varieties of veggies during flare ups. Eat these in moderation at other times. Processed foods and foods that are heavy in oils or that have been deep-fried are also not a good idea for gout sufferers.

Here are five tips to keep a gout diet fun:

1. Enjoy color: Keep your diet fun and interesting by keeping it colorful. Foods like tomatoes, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, fruit juices, tangerines, potatoes, oranges, and peppers.

2. Dairy: Dairy is great as long as you stick to the low-fat variety. Thankfully, most of these taste just as good as the normal varieties, and after a while you'll probably develop a preference for low fat anyway.

3. Chocolate: One thing no one wants to hear when they have a special diet is that chocolate is out. The good news is that chocolate is just fine for someone with gout.

4. Fish: Though some types of fish are out, a person on a gout diet can still have tuna and salmon. Both of these are very versatile and can be enjoyed in many different ways.

5. Caffeine: A gout prevention diet does not have to exclude coffee and tea. Carbonated beverages are okay as well, but go for the sugar-free if recommended by a doctor. If caffeine turns out to be a problem for you opt for decaf instead.