8 Gout Triggers

Content

• Watch Your Weight
• Helpful Tips For Preventing A Painful Gout Flare
• Path To Improved Health
• Last Question: How Confident Are You Filling Out Medical Forms By Yourself?
• Plaquenil Side Effects And How To Avoid Them

Exogenous purines are broken down in the body by the digestive system. By sharing your experience, you’re showing decision-makers the realities of living with arthritis, paving the way for change. You’re helping break down barriers to care, inform research and create resources that make a difference in people’s lives, including your own. INSIGHTS assessment, you’ll be among those changing lives today and changing the future of arthritis, for yourself and for 54 million others.

If you’re a coffee drinker, start with a cup of your favorite roast. Pair it with a couple of eggs, whole wheat toast, a side of fruit, and a tall glass of water. If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with gout, you’ve likely been hearing the term “purine” as well—as in, eating a low-purine diet. Whether you’ve always had headaches or they've just started, you might wonder if they’re a minor inconvenience or the sign of an underlying, more serious condition.

Watch Your Weight

Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Warts While warts may not be a major medical concern, they can be painful and unsightly. To avoid the problem altogether, we’ve pulled together some tips to keep warts at bay. Read on to learn how to protect yourself from contracting warts. Meat�Red meat, such as beef and lamb, is especially high in purines, but so is pork. This holiday season, treat your big toe�and the rest of your body�right. Make sure to pass on high-purine foods and instead pile your plate with foods that may reduce the likelihood of a gout attack.

Helpful Tips For Preventing A Painful Gout Flare

Those who suffer from it often have severe flare-ups characterized by pain, swelling, redness, and sensitivity in a specific joint. The most common body part affected is the big toe, though it may affect ankles, elbows, wrists, knees, and fingers. Those who suffer from gout may go months without pain in an affected joint, only experiencing pain when a flare up occurs. In fact, some people have even gone years without a gout attack, while others experience them several times a year.

What are the symptoms of excess uric acid?

Keep yourself warm by donning thick clothes and socks. Avoid exposing your feet to the cold, as gout often affects the big toe.

Patients should be aware that some medical treatments may contribute to gout. These include certain diuretics, the organ transplant-facilitating drug cyclosporine, and chemotherapy, among others. Liven it up by infusing it with fresh citrus , berries, or cucumbers. Also, coffee doesn’t just stimulate your brain in the morning; drinking about 4-5 cups per day lowers your risk for a gout flare. Beverages sweetened with fructose or sugar don’t contain purines but are known contributors to increased uric acid levels. Dr. Rambacher also believes in the value of preventive care, and recommends making lifestyle changes now to reduce your risk factors for gout, especially where your diet is concerned.

Many gout sufferers are told to limit fat and protein intake to prevent attacks and ease symptoms. While this is generally true, nuts and beans are not dangerous fats and proteins for people at risk for gout. Cacao chocolate lowers uric acid levels and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an antioxidant, which means it may lower blood pressure and improve kidney function—both of which can help prevent gout. In addition to dietary changes, you should also focus on maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in daily physical activity to prevent recurrent gout pain.

In fact, the opposite seems to be true, with a vegetable-rich diet being associated with a lower risk of gout compared with the lower consumption of vegetables. A study looking at the effect of wine on gout found that wine, when consumed with meals and in moderation, did not cause chronic hyperuricemia. Moderate wine consumption is considered one 5-ounce drink per day for women and two 5-ounce drinks per day for men. Fatty fishes, such as tuna and salmon, are generally considered a healthy, nutritious addition to the diet, mostly due to the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids they contain. However, due to their higher purine content, it is currently recommended to limit these foods if you have gout.

Last Question: How Confident Are You Filling Out Medical Forms By Yourself?

There are actually several types of foods that may help protect against gout attacks. These include low-fat dairy foods, complex carbohydrates, coffee, and fruits, especially citrus fruits. You should also be sure to get 12 to 16 cups of fluid daily. A 2014 study compared people who fasted and those who did not fast during Ramadan, which restricts food and fluid during daylight hours.

It’s thought that foods and drinks high in purines can directly increase the uric acid and increase the risk of gout attacks. Part of the recommended treatment and prevention of future flairs is to consume a low purine diet. There are other measures that can help prevent gout including limiting the intake of alcohol. People who are overweight are at higher risk and weight loss is important in preventing gout flares.

Tip #3: Steer Clear Of Alcohol

When eaten in moderation, desserts and other rich foods do not affect gout flare-ups. Rich foods may not cause flare-ups directly, but they can cause weight gain. While it may be the centerpiece of your meal, turkey does contain purines, although not as much as red meat. This doesn’t mean you should avoid eating turkey necessarily, but it’s recommended to limit portion size.