Preventing Gout Flare-Ups

Gout is an incredibly painful type of arthritis. Often caused by dietary choices, gout occurs when your uric acid levels in your blood grow faster than your body can naturally remove them. This causes uric acid to crystalize in joints causing intense pain, swelling, and stiffness. Note that gout can form in any joint but is more common in the legs, feet, and toes.

A gout flare will go away on its own in time, but you can find relief by reducing the use of the joint in question, keeping it raised, using an ice-pack on it, taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications, and drinking plenty of water.

Food choices and diet are a huge factor in preventing gout flair ups. If you suffer from gout often, cutting back on the following foods can help reduce your chances of developing a gout attack: alcohol, red meat, sugary beverages, and anything with large amounts of high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is in a lot of products these days, but the good news is that many brands now advertise on their packaging that they do not contain it.

There are some foods that you can eat that will lower your uric acid build-up and prevent gout attacks from occurring. The biggest one is water. Drinking a healthy amount of water each day flushes out your system and lowers the build-up of uric acid. Some other foods that help are produce rich in vitamin C like tomatoes, oranges, strawberries, and broccoli. Cherries have also been shown to be a good food to lower uric acid levels.

Anyone who suffers from gout can tell you how awful it is when it flairs up. Sticking to a gout-focused diet and maintaining a healthy weight can stave off this painful condition but attacks can still happen. If you suffer from frequent gout attacks, talk to a medical professional about your options.