Gout Prevention

How to Prevent Gout?

 

Gout generally builds up over years and then one day it just strikes you out of the blue.  It normally happens in your big toe and will more than likely bring you out of a deep sleep in the middle of the night.  There are several things that you can do to help with gout prevention however, and if you follow the tips listed below your chances of never getting gout are good.

  • Maintain a proper diet – Eating right not only helps to prevent gout, but it will help you feel better overall and will give you the nutrients that you need to keep your entire body functioning properly.
  • Drink water – Drinking a lot of water keeps your body hydrated, but it also helps to ward off gout.  The water will help your body get rid of all of the uric acid that has built up or it will keep it from building up by eliminating through your kidneys and on to your urine.
  • Avoid alcohol – Drinking too much alcohol isn’t good for you to begin with, but drinking it in excess is even worse.  It can lead to gout by causing the uric acid to build up in your blood.
  • Exercise – Exercising will help to keep your joints strong and your blood flowing the way it should.  Once you start to exercise you will feel better, you will be healthier and the chances of you suffering from gout are lessened.
  • Eat fruits – Eating a lot of fruit can give you the Vitamin C that you need to keep that uric acid from building up.  Fruits and vegetables are a huge benefit as you can eat most of them without counting calories and you can have as much as you want.
  • Lose weight – If you are overweight you need to start trying to lose weight.  The extra weight that you are carrying around can lead to gout and other health issues such as diabetes and varicose veins.  If you eat right and exercise a lot of that weight will begin to melt away and your entire body will look and feel better.
  • Eat foods low in purines – You should avoid eating things like shellfish, organ meats, red meats, and heavy gravies.  These help to contribute to high uric acid thus the body is unable to keep up when getting rid of it.

 

Following the tips above will help to decrease your chances of suffering from gout, but there is no guarantee that you won’t ever suffer from gout.  There are no guarantees when it comes to gout prevention, but the more educated you are on the subject, the better off you will be in the long run.