My patients have asked me many times to prepare a brochure on the gout diet that they can refer to. Gout is one of more than one hundred types of arthritis that can affect the body. It is the result of having an excess of uric acid in the blood. When I prepare for each patient’s diet brochure, I keep in mind that the point is how I would neutralize their uric acid levels. The brochure I put together often focuses on these four tips: Avoid alcohol, drink plenty of water, and eat fruit.
Avoid alcohol
I say this over and over to my patients: alcohol can do them no good. Alcohol is known to have diuretic effects that can contribute to dehydration and precipitate acute attacks of gout. Worse still, alcohol can also affect uric acid metabolism and eventually cause hyperuricemia. That’s why the gout diet booklet that I always put together stresses the importance of avoiding alcohol.
Drink plenty of water
Another important thing that I always include when preparing a gout-friendly food brochure is drinking plenty of water. Water and other fluids can help remove uric acid from the body. Therefore, water is extremely good for gout patients to help flush uric acid. Water can even help prevent acute gout attacks by preventing dehydration. Also, it can help dilute uric acid in the blood and urine.
Eat fruits
Fruits are very useful in any diet due to the vitamins and general nutrition they can provide. In gout diets, dark colored fruits like cherries are very helpful. Cherries are even strongly associated with lower uric acid levels. Other fruits that contain vitamin C, such as strawberries and citrus oranges, would also help.
Those are the three important things that I always include in any gouty arthritis brochure I put together for my patients, which I hope is easy enough for others to follow as well. Follow the mantra: avoid alcohol, drink lots of water and eat fruits.