How to Prevent Gout and high blood uric acid levels (hyperuricemia)
Abstract
High uric acid levels is something which is very common these days. A lot of patients are there who face this problem and are in a constant search for a solution to this painful condition. Today in this article we are going to learn how we could prevent these high uric acid levels naturally.
Introduction of hyperuricemia
Before we jump to the measures to prevent the gout and high blood uric acid, it is important to know about the uric acid. Uric acid is a chemical which is created when our body breaks down purines. Most of the uric acid dissolves in the blood and passes out of the body through kidneys. When this uric acid does not pass out in urine, it could lead to a condition called hyperuricemia.
Causes of hyperuricemia
There are certain food items which are high in purines which could cause hyperuricemia like red meat, codfish, alcohol, seafood, and sweetened beverages etc.
Symptoms of hyperuricemia
Following are the symptoms of hyperuricemia:
- Stiffness in joints especially in the morning
- Pain in the joints along with redness
- Swelling around the joints
- Kidney stones
Measures to be taken to avoid gout and high uric acids
- Avoid taking foods with high purine: As we already discussed that the uric acid is the end product of the breakdown of purines so it is self explanatory that we should avoid taking those foods in excess which have high purines. Therefore food like red meat, pork, beans, mushrooms, cauliflower are to be avoided in high uric acid levels.
- Limit the intake of sugars: Sugars are a good source of carbohydrates which means they could be used for an instant source of energy. But the problem starts when the energy demand is not that high as in the cases of intense physical activity, but the consumption remains the same. Today most of us are living sedentary lives and consuming sweetened drinks like carbonated drinks, milk shakes, chocolate shakes, energy drinks etc acts like oil in the fire. According to a study the chances of developing gout increases by 80-85% if there is a daily consumption of soft drinks. So we should limit the intake of excess sugars by avoiding these soft drinks and other carbonated drinks.
- Lose body weight: The type of foods that we eat these days comprises many unhealthy substances like sauces, mayonnaise, high spices, excess salt and sugars. These food items cause several health problems like diabetes, obesity, thyroid problems, hypertension etc. There is a direct link between body weight and gout. According to several reports it was found that the chances of the gout decreased remarkably in those individuals who lost some weight.
- Drink plenty of water: Water helps to keep our body hydrated and also flushes out the toxins. A healthy individual passes urine every 2-3 hours of time. This is why it is required to drink at least 3-3.5 litres of water everyday. In short it is important for you to keep your system or body hydrated. This could be done in both ways. Not only drinking water is enough, avoiding food items is also equally necessary which might cause dehydration. And a perfect example of such a food is caffeine. Caffeine causes dehydration but also is very famous in the fitness world. So try to limit the intake of such sports drinks which contain caffeine.
- Avoid or limit your intake of alcohol: These days it is a trend to consume alcoholic drinks. If any person does not drink alcohol he or she is believed to be an old school. In this peer pressure of friends and relatives one starts drinking alcohol. Alcohol damages the liver gradually which in turn causes accumulation of the toxins in the body. This is because it is the liver which plays a crucial role in the detoxification process. It does not stop here till accumulation of the toxins, alcoholism intake causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and kidney diseases also.
- Good sleep: Sounds strange? Or out of context? But it is not. A good and sound sleep is something which could act as a natural healer not only in case of high uric acid but almost in all diseases. Ever seen a person who is not able to cope up with sad news, doctors give him sedatives. Why do they do it? Because they know, once that person is asleep he will calm down and will gain the strength to fight this hard situation. Such a power our sleep holds. But nowadays the sleeping pattern has drastically changed. People remain deliberately awake at night lying in their beds just to waste their time on their smartphones. Therefore it is recommended to have a sound sleep of at least 8 hours in a day.
- Vitamin C: For a strong immune system it is required to intake the adequate amount of vitamin C, this we all know. But only few of us are aware of this fact that vitamin C could also protect our body from the flares of gout. This is because vitamin C helps to remove the excess of uric acid from the kidneys. Now comes the question which is the best vitamin C supplementation available in the market. The answer is no supplementation in the market could ever replace the natural vitamin C. The richest source of vitamin C is Amla.
- Avoid drugs: There are certain categories of drugs which are responsible for increasing the risk for gout and high uric acid levels. A few examples of such drugs are diuretics, aspirin, steroids etc. Therefore it is important to keep an eye on your uric acid levels when you are on any of these medications.
Conclusion:
One could feel really bad about this painful condition that we know with the name of gout. But this could be easily avoided or managed with the correct diet and regimen like avoiding foods which could cause flare, drinking plenty of fluids to ease out the process of detoxification, good sleep etc. Apart from this, if anyone has a health related query, they could simply drop it at herbalremedies123@yahoo.com and you will get an answer from our experts in the next 24-48 hours.
