My guess is that if you are reading this, then you or someone close to you already have gout. There are many sites on the Internet that explain gout and give you advice on how to deal with it.
However, what I noticed, when it comes to diet for gout, there is a lot of contradicting information. Some say you can not drink coffee; others promote coffee for gout. Some tell you don’t eat broccoli, while others list it as a part of the diet.
My husband used to get gout attacks time by time. So, we decided to get to the bottom of it and develop the appropriate diet based on nutritional facts and scientific data.
A few revival recipes of drinks and dishes are listed in this post below. But most of them that are very effective in fighting gout symptoms will be presented in a special post for our Patrons. These recipes can be used for creating a weekly menu in various combinations.
But first, let’s go through the main facts about gout and the problems related to it.
What is gout and how to deal with it?
Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that occurs due to a condition called hyperuricemia and is very painful. It usually affects one joint at a time (often the big toe joint). There are times when symptoms get worse, known as flares, and times when there are no symptoms, known as remission. Repeated bouts of gout can lead to gouty arthritis, a worsening form of arthritis.
During a gout flare, people experience pain, warmth, swelling, and redness with skin hypersensitivity around a joint.
Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood. If you produce too much uric acid or your kidneys don’t filter enough out, it can build up and cause tiny sharp crystals to form in and around joints. These crystals can cause the joint to become inflamed (red and swollen) and painful.
Despite the sudden onset and intense pain, gout flares usually get better within a week to 10 days, and symptoms may disappear if the disease is managed correctly. Sometimes the next attack may not happen for months or even years.
Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are chemical compounds that cells use to make the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Examples of purines are adenine and guanine.
Purines are normally produced in the body and are also found in some foods and drinks.
The enzyme required to produce uric acid by breaking down purine nucleotides is called xanthine oxidase (XO). The uric acid itself, as well as the reactive oxygen species released during the enzymatic reaction, can have detrimental effects on the body. Excessive uric acid levels in the blood cause hyperuricemia, which can lead (or not) to a gout attack.
The XO inhibitors are the mainstay of therapy for reducing uric acid levels in patients with gout. Currently available XO-inhibitor drugs, including allopurinol and febuxostat, may have significant side effects, such as hypersensitivity drug reactions, and they are currently not recommended for broad use in many hyperuricemia-related diseases.
Scientists are looking for new XO inhibitors with no or much milder adverse effects. New XO inhibitors may have different chemical structures and could be used in combination therapy at a small dose to reduce toxicity and potential drug resistance.
Meanwhile, medication and lifestyle or dietary changes can help ease symptoms and reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks. When your gout gets under control, it’s important to stick with the lifestyle changes you have made.
If diagnosed early, most people with gout can live a normal life. However, on average, having gout raises a person’s risk of dying earlier than a similar person without gout by 25 percent. Lowering your uric acid level can improve joint function and resolve problems.
You can find answers to many questions in the guide that offers comprehensive yet easy-to-understand information on gout and its treatment: what causes gout, how gout can affect your health, how gout is treated, and the steps you can take on your own to prevent flares, manage symptoms, and avoid long-term complications.
Here are some little-known facts about gout:
More than 8 million Americans have gout
- 50% of gout attacks start in the big toe, but people can have gout attacks in any joint in the body.
- Elevated uric acid levels do not necessarily mean that a person has gout.
- Uric acid levels can be normal during a gout attack.
- Many drugs can cause a gout attack, including thiazide diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide), low-dose aspirin, and some antibiotics.
- Besides causing arthritis (gouty arthritis), gout can damage the kidneys if left unchecked.
- Heart disease is common in people with gout.
- Professor Nicola Dalbeth wrote in the Lancet, that “gout is associated with reduced risk of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and both vascular and non-vascular dementia” (at least some good news).
The Association between Purine-Rich Food Intake and Hyperuricemia
Purine-rich foods intake and recurrent gout attacks
The role of the Mediterranean diet in hyperuricemia and gout
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, Western diet, and risk of gout in men
What can you do?
It is important to understand the main causes of high uric acid levels in the blood to adjust your lifestyle respectively.
According to our personal experience, drinking more water and specialized drinks (see below), cold water bath for feet, and Ibeuprophin (800 mg every 6 hours) helped fight the gout flare.
Extensive hydration is the key!
To prevent future flares, it is important to maintain potassium levels, calcium, vitamins C and D3, and avoid food with high content of purines (diet is a special subject discussed below).
One of the reasons that heart diseases are common in people with gout is the inactivation of nitric oxide by uric acid. Insufficient nitric oxide production results in high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.
The interesting fact is that nitric oxide suppresses Xanthine Oxidase (XO) activity that helps to lower uric acid production. Thus, it is important to support nitric oxide levels in the body.
A diet high in nitrate-rich vegetables and antioxidants or the use of supplements, such as L-arginine or L-citrulline, are beneficial ways to boost your body’s natural production of nitric oxide. One of the highly recommended supplements is beetroot powder (especially if you do not like cooking with beets). Beets are rich in dietary nitrates and may help improve blood vessel function and decrease inflammation.
However, the oxalates found in beets can increase your uric acid level, meaning that too many beets can lead to gout. To avoid this, stick to no more than a single half-cup serving of beets per day.
Herbs can help too!
Herbs are healthy and generally safe and can strengthen the body’s systems.
In a landmark human trial, scientists demonstrated the effectiveness of Terminalia bellerica, which reduces serum uric acid buildup without reported side effects. This extract appears to inhibit XO, an enzyme involved in the synthesis of uric acid.
There are also other several herbs that many people find helpful when treating gout symptoms, such as Burdock root (Arctium lappa L.), Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), Milk thistle (Silybum marianum), Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa), and Hibiscus.
Other popular herbs for gout include cranberry, green tea, devil’s claw, cat’s claw, bromelain (pineapple), and turmeric.
Life Extension Uric Acid Control – Ayuric Terminalia Bellerica Fruit Extract Supplement – Support Healthy Uric Acid Level
Banyan Botanicals Bibhitaki Powder (Terminalia bellirica) – Organic Herbal Powder for Detoxification & Rejuvenation
Snap Supplements Organic Beet Root Powder Nitric Oxide Supplement, Support Healthy Blood Flow, Heart Health, Natural Energy, Circulation Superfood
If you are interested in the latest YouTube videos, publications, and events related to longevity, just click on the corresponding words, and you will be redirected to the associated web pages.
At the end, it all gets down to diet!
Uric acid is a byproduct of purine breakdown in the body. Purine is a compound found in many common foods. So, what may help you manage your gout is to reduce the amount of purines you eat. No known specific eating plan prevents gout flares, but a good diet will help you.
Some sites promote DASH and Mediterranean diets for people with gout.
The Mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diets, but is it good for your gout?
The results of studies on the Mediterranean diet are encouraging. However, there is a need for more studies on gout to see if the Mediterranean diet, in combination with other non-nutritional parameters, may prevent gout or reduce gouty attacks.
While it is full of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and flavonoids, it also includes processed food, red meat, and a lot of seafood, which are not recommended in the case of gout.
DASH, or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a healthy-eating plan designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure (hypertension). It is rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy and is reduced in fats and saturated fats. It is also rich in potassium, which deficiency is linked to gout manifestation.
Studies and trials suggest that standard dietary arrangements for uric acid reduction should include advice to adopt the DASH diet.
There are many good recipes associated with these two diets that you can find online.
Here we are sharing some beneficial revival recipes that are easy to include in your diet to lower uric acid levels and prevent gout flares. We will publish more recipes, as well as weekly menu examples for our Patreons, in a special post (upcoming).
Revival recipes that can help with gout
Rose hip infusion
Rose hips contain high amounts of vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid. They are also packed full of vitamins E and B and contain high levels of polyphenols, which help strengthen and protect your immune system.
Moreover, studies showed that rosehip inhibits xanthine oxidase activity and reduces
Pour 1 tsp crushed dry rose hips with 200 ml of hot water and infuse in a thermos for 40-50 min. Drink filtered through the day.
You also can make it from fresh berries: pour water over the fruits in the evening and leave overnight. In the morning, bring it to a boil and cool it down.
Rose hips contain (in 100g):
- Purines – 0
- Fibers – 24 g
- Calcium – 169 mg
- Potassium – 429 mg
- Vitamin C – 426 mg
- Vitamin E – 5.8 mg
Cabbage pancakes
Cabbage can purify the blood and get rid of toxins, thus helping lower the uric acid in the blood.
Carrots are rich in antioxidants that are great in controlling the production of enzymes. These enzymes advance the amalgamation of uric acid in the blood. Because of their high fiber content, carrots help oust the uric acid content from the body.
Chop 200 g of cabbage and grate carrots (1 pc.). Place the products in a pan; add water and 1 tbsp of sour cream. Cook on medium heat until half-done. Drain the liquid. Grate 100 g of hard cheese. Combine the products, add 1/2 egg and 3 tbsp of flour. Season with salt and pepper. Form pancakes and fry in olive oil on medium heat. Serve with sour cream.
Cabbage contains (in 100g):
- Purines – 13 mg
- Fibers – 2.5 g
- Calcium – 40 mg
- Potassium – 170 mg
- Vitamin C – 36.6 mg
- Vitamin E – 0.2 mg
Carrots contain (in 100g):
- Purines – 7 mg
- Fibers – 2.8 g
- Calcium – 33 mg
- Potassium – 320 mg
- Vitamin C – 5.9 mg
- Vitamin E – 0.7 mg
Potato soup
Potatoes are low in purines, so you won’t have another gout episode by eating them. They are one of the most recommended foods for anyone suffering from gout.
Boil the potatoes in slightly salted water until ready, pour the water into a separate container, and then mash them. To achieve the desired consistency, diluted with the water in which the potatoes were boiled. Then add a little bit of butter and chopped celery leaves. Serve the soup together with sour cream.
Potatoes contain (in 100g):
- Purines – 5 mg
- Fibers – 1.9 g
- Calcium – 5 mg
- Potassium – 379 mg
- Vitamin C – 13 mg
Celery contains (in 100g):
- Purines – 13 mg
- Fibers – 1.6 g
- Calcium – 40 mg
- Potassium – 260 mg
- Vitamin C – 3.1 mg
- Vitamin E – 0.3 mg
What is next?
In our upcoming posts, we will publish information new revival recipes that will help you to prevent and fight gout and other conditions.
Be sure to check back!
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