What causes gout
High levels of uric acid
The more important question is: What causes high levels of uric acid? More precisely: What causes an overly acidic inner bodily terrain or acidosis?
From the western medicine point of view, approaching gout as simply an unacceptable high level of uric acid in the body and blood is enough. Limit or manage the production of uric acid and the job is done. There are different ways to accomplish this, as well as promotion of greater excretion and improved kidney function which is the topic of another article.
Isolating and treating gout from this perspective is often times completely acceptable for a large percentage of the population, for another percentage of the population it is not. To approach gout in this manner, the condition is temporarily satisfied but the cause has not been sufficiently addressed.
A great deal of study, experiments and testing have been done and more are currently underway to determine the genetic predisposition of developing the condition of gout. Currently, available statistics vary between 10 - 20% as a marker for those who have a genetic component for their susceptibility to develop gout.
Gout occupies greater stature in the list of lifestyle related diseases. Like all other diseases and conditions in this category, gout stems from an overly acidic body chemistry.
Acid-forming or acid-producing diets, unmanaged levels of stress, environmental pollutants, smoking, and negative thought processes are a few of the ways that facilitate the production, build-up, and accumulation of toxic acid wastes in various parts of the body.
In regards to gout, the body in all it's wisdom, looks for places to store this excess toxicity to protect the vital organs by depositing it in the joints for later removal. That "later", as in the case of obesity and excess fat, never really comes.
Treatments that only concern themselves with limiting the production of uric acid fail to address the mounting overall condition of acidity that is continuing to increase many other metabolic acids and substances. This "ripening" of the acidic inner terrain is conducive for the proliferation of not only gout but heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a whole host of other degenerative diseases as well.
Poor blood oxygenation can also lead to high levels of uric acid being fed into the blood stream. The lower our blood oxygen levels, the more tendency there is for acidity and the formation of uric acid.
An extreme example of this is sleep apnea, a condition where someone stops breathing in their sleep for prolonged periods of time. New studies are showing that due to the cessation of breathing during periods of sleep, the lack of oxygen or hypoxia leads to the generation of uric acid. This is becoming a more well-accepted conclusion for why most gout attacks happen at night and especially in the early morning hours.
Food to eat and avoid
If you have gout, certain foods may trigger an attack by raising your uric acid levels.
Trigger foods are commonly high in purines, a substance found naturally in foods. When you digest purines, your body makes uric acid as a waste product.
This is not a concern for healthy people, as they efficiently remove excess uric acid from the body.
However, people with gout can’t efficiently remove excess uric acid. Thus, a high-purine diet may let uric acid accumulate and cause a gout attack .
Fortunately, research shows that restricting high-purine foods and taking the appropriate medication can prevent gout attacks .
Foods that commonly trigger gout attacks include organ meats, red meats, seafood, alcohol and beer. They contain a moderate-to-high amount of purines.
However, there is one exception to this rule. Research shows that high-purine vegetables do not trigger gout attacks .
And interestingly, fructose and sugar-sweetened beverages can increase the risk of gout and gout attacks, even though they’re not purine-rich .
Instead, they may raise uric acid levels by accelerating several cellular processes .
For instance, a study including over 125,000 participants found that people who consumed the most fructose had a 62% higher risk of developing gout .
On the other hand, research shows that low-fat dairy products, soy products and vitamin C supplements may help prevent gout attacks by reducing blood uric acid levels .
Full-fat and high-fat dairy products don’t seem to affect uric acid levels .
If you have gout, certain foods may trigger an attack by raising your uric acid levels.
Trigger foods are commonly high in purines, a substance found naturally in foods. When you digest purines, your body makes uric acid as a waste product.
This is not a concern for healthy people, as they efficiently remove excess uric acid from the body.
However, people with gout can’t efficiently remove excess uric acid. Thus, a high-purine diet may let uric acid accumulate and cause a gout attack .
Fortunately, research shows that restricting high-purine foods and taking the appropriate medication can prevent gout attacks .
Foods that commonly trigger gout attacks include organ meats, red meats, seafood, alcohol and beer. They contain a moderate-to-high amount of purines.
However, there is one exception to this rule. Research shows that high-purine vegetables do not trigger gout attacks .
And interestingly, fructose and sugar-sweetened beverages can increase the risk of gout and gout attacks, even though they’re not purine-rich .
Instead, they may raise uric acid levels by accelerating several cellular processes .
For instance, a study including over 125,000 participants found that people who consumed the most fructose had a 62% higher risk of developing gout .
On the other hand, research shows that low-fat dairy products, soy products and vitamin C supplements may help prevent gout attacks by reducing blood uric acid levels .
Full-fat and high-fat dairy products don’t seem to affect uric acid levels .
Treatments for gout
A variety of treatments can help you manage your gout. Traditionally treatment for acute gout has consisted of colchicine , which can be effective if given early in the attack. Gout often is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as naproxen (e.g., Anaprox, Naprosyn) and indomethacin (e.g., Indocin), usually for 3–7 days.
To prevent future attacks, your doctor can prescribe a medicine to reduce uric acid buildup in your blood. Changing the way you eat can help you conduct your gout. Eat a healthy mix of foods so you get the nutrients you need. Limit foods like meat, fish, and beer. Drink plenty of water and other fluids. Life style changes such as limiting alcohol consumption, and limiting meals with meats and fish rich in purines can also be helpful in controlling gout. Weight loss may be very important this condition. You should also avoid certain animal proteins, such as: seafood; liver; kidney; heart; gizzard; sweetbreads; meat extracts; and gravy.
Herbal remedies for gout have become very popular in recent years. There is very little evidence right now that shows these therapies are effective for gout. Uricinex is a breakthrough herbal product that we have recently discovered. Blueberries are high in anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which help ease the pain of gout. Other herbal treatments that have shown some success include vitamin C - Taking supplemental amounts of vitamin C helps some people to reduce the uric acid in their blood. Taking 2-3 teaspoons of black cherry juice a day helps some people. Cherries are a popular home remedy for gout.
A variety of treatments can help you manage your gout. Traditionally treatment for acute gout has consisted of colchicine , which can be effective if given early in the attack. Gout often is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as naproxen (e.g., Anaprox, Naprosyn) and indomethacin (e.g., Indocin), usually for 3–7 days.
To prevent future attacks, your doctor can prescribe a medicine to reduce uric acid buildup in your blood. Changing the way you eat can help you conduct your gout. Eat a healthy mix of foods so you get the nutrients you need. Limit foods like meat, fish, and beer. Drink plenty of water and other fluids. Life style changes such as limiting alcohol consumption, and limiting meals with meats and fish rich in purines can also be helpful in controlling gout. Weight loss may be very important this condition. You should also avoid certain animal proteins, such as: seafood; liver; kidney; heart; gizzard; sweetbreads; meat extracts; and gravy.
Herbal remedies for gout have become very popular in recent years. There is very little evidence right now that shows these therapies are effective for gout. Uricinex is a breakthrough herbal product that we have recently discovered. Blueberries are high in anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which help ease the pain of gout. Other herbal treatments that have shown some success include vitamin C - Taking supplemental amounts of vitamin C helps some people to reduce the uric acid in their blood. Taking 2-3 teaspoons of black cherry juice a day helps some people. Cherries are a popular home remedy for gout.