Got Gout?

by Terry Horner

Most gout attacks are caused by eating a diet high in purines. When purines turn into uric acid they can cause damage and swelling to joints leading to great pain. Avoiding foods high in purines can help you prevent an acute attack.

Bacon is a high purine food. This breakfast favorite can lead to an attack not only because of the high purines, but also because it is high in nitrates. The fact that bacon has lots of sodium doesn’t help either because of dehydration. It is important to be properly hydrated in order to avoid gout.

Hot dogs, whether turkey, chicken, or beef can be very detrimental to your gout treatment efforts. All three of these meats are at least moderately high in purines. Hot dogs also contain organ parts. This is where the highest levels exist.

Wild game such as venison, pheasant, squirrel, and grouse should also be avoided due to their high purine content. While you would think that these animals would not cause us havoc, especially since they are not steroid filled as some meat products are, unfortunately, they tend to be very bad for those with this problem. If you eat game foods in excess, your attacks can be quite severe and disabling.

Turkey and chicken are people dependent. Some people can eat chicken, but not turkey and vice versa. It is important to see what you can handle and stick to that regardless of the foods you choose to eat.

Even though salmon contains healthy omega 3 oils, it would be wise to choose supplements over actually eating the salmon. Salmon contains quite a bit of purines and if eaten regularly can cause a gout attack. Other fish such as mackeral and trout also can contribute to an attack, despite their healthy oils. Purchase a good fish oil on the market to avoid eating the fish. You get the benefits without the pain.

Alcoholic Beverages Alcohol is perhaps one of the most common causes of gout. Beer tends to cause more problems than wine. Beer contains almost 8 times as much purines as it does alcohol.

Peas/Lentils Legumes are not good for you to eat if you suffer from gout. Peas are slightly higher in purines than chicken, however black eye peas are considerably higher than chicken. Again, every one is different. Some can eat these foods without any trouble and some will suffer greatly for it.

About the Author

Terry writes articles about foods that cause gout while showing you natural treatments for gout you can use to alleviate gout.