How to Prevent Gout

Gout is the painful inflammation of a single joint, caused by a build up of uric acids. Even if you have a family history that predisposes you to gout (6 to 18 percent of us), you can make many lifestyle modifications to prevent it.

Things You'll Need

• Drinking Waters
• Strawberries And Cherries

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Instructions

• 1

  Avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. It leads to hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels), which causes gout.

• 2

  Maintain a healthy body weight. Obesity leads to increased toxins and metabolic by-products that need to be filtered, increasing your risk.

• 3

  Watch out for high-purine foods, which break down into uric acid: sardines, herring, organ meats such as kidney and sweetbreads, shrimp, anchovies, mushrooms, and dried legumes.

• 4

  Avoid exposure to lead in your drinking water or household environment.

• 5

  Eat cherries and strawberries. Some studies indicate these are helpful anti-gout foods.

• 6

  Maintain a healthy blood pressure. Hypertension predisposes you to gout.

• 7

  Review your medicines with your doctor. Some interfere with the body's ability to remove uric acid and can trigger gout: diuretics, cyclosporine, niacin, levodopa and low doses of aspirin.

• 8

  Drink lots of water, to flush the uric acid out of your body so that it does not have the opportunity to collect in one of your joints.

• 9

  Get plenty of rest, and don't put unnecessary stress and strain on any of your joints.