Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood, which forms microscopic crystals in the joint. These crystals lead to inflammation, called acute gout. As part of gout treatment, you will want to examine your diet and avoid or restrict food that is high in purine, which are foods that when broken down produce a lot of uric acid. On a strict gout food diet, you will be advised to avoid shellfish, red meat, liver, peas, lentils and beans.

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According to the American Medical Association, people following a gout food diet need no more than 30 percent of their calories from fat. Also, it recommends no more than 10 percent of the fat in their gout food diet come from animal fats. Forty percent of the gout food diet is recommended to be fiber-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables or complex carbohydrates. The final component of one’s gout treatment diet is made up of protein. They recommend just 15 percent come from soy, poultry and other lean meats that are acceptable on the gout treatment diet.

In fact, studies have shown following the gout food diet and limiting caloric intake to 1,600 calories a day, depending on your weight and frame, can help.

In one study conducted in 2001, there was a 67 percent reduction in gout attacks when patients consumed a 40/30/30 diet with 40 percent being complex carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 30 percent protein. Studies indicated unsaturated fat had a positive effect on cholesterol levels as well as the levels of uric acid, so it is better to avoid saturated fats.

Another study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine March 11, 2004, showed how important it is to include low-fat dairy products in your gout treatment diet. Low-fat dairy reduced the risk of gout by 50 percent, although scientists are still unsure as to why it helps to include dairy in your gout treatment diet.

In addition to consuming more dairy and less protein, there are several steps you can take to reduce gout attacks;

_ Stay on the gout food diet while drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding alcohol. You should stay hydrated because fluids can remove excess uric acid from your system.
_ Staying on the gout food diet will help you lose weight, which is important because obese people have added stress on their joints.
_ Even though it’s important to lose weight, be sensible. Rapid fad diets, particularly high protein diets, can sabotage your efforts to stay on the more effective gout treatment diet.

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It’s frustrating to go on a new diet because it means altering recipes and changing habits, but you don’t have to stop going to your favorite restaurants.

Some of the foods you may continue to enjoy on your gout food diet include avocados, so take an extra dollop of guacamole on your celery stick. Celery along with black cherries was once used as a folk remedy for people with gout.

You may also feel free to order a salmon or tuna dish. Many Italian restaurants cook with olive oil, which is a good source of unsaturated fat for your gout treatment diet. Other good sources of fat include flaxseed and nuts. 

In addition, make sure to include foods in your gout treatment diet that are high in bromelain, a pineapple enzyme, and vitamin C, which is a vital vitamin to cleanse uric acid from the body. Also, when it comes to grocery shopping for your gout food diet, search for all kinds of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

In addition to following a strict gout food diet, people with gout need to give up, or at least moderate, their alcohol consumption. People who suffer with obesity, and those who take certain drugs used to treat high blood pressure and those with kidney disease need a gout food diet.

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