Learn About Foods That Cause Gout Flares

Gout's a type of arthritis. Ladies, it causes severe joint pain and swelling to suddenly appear! The episodes are known as gout flares. You will see them the most at night! They can affect any of your joints, though the most common is your big toes. Others are your ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows. Other gout signs are discomfort after a flare and a limited range of motion. Ladies, gout's the result of uric acid building in your blood and making urate crystals appear around your joints. Your body makes more uric acid when it breaks down purines in your food! That's why eating lots of purines triggers gout flares.

Gout pills are great for helping you get gout pain relief! Ladies, you will likely take colchicine tablets. However, there are more options for uric acid medicines! Despite this, following a gout diet is also quite helpful. This starts by knowing what foods cause gout flares!

Shellfish

Ladies, shellfish make up a big category of seafood! It includes lobster, mussels, shrimp, and crab. These are quite healthy for so many people. However, they're not recommended when you have gout! It's because they have a lot of purines in them. Ladies, you know that purines are a common trigger for gout flares. You have to stop eating all kinds of shellfish during a flare. Some of you will be able to eat a little bit of shellfish when you don't have a flare. That said, you have to ask your doctor first! Ladies, your doctor will direct you on how much is safe for you. They will also talk about what ones are the best!

Of course, your cooking method matters. When you do eat shellfish, boil or steam them! Ladies, boiling reduces purines by up to 60 percent. Steaming reduces them too, though by a little less. Microwaving doesn't help at all, and freezing only gives you a tiny reduction after 10 weeks! Boiling and steaming your shellfish gives you more control and lowers your risk of a symptom flare.

Veal And Venison

Veal and venison also trigger gout flares. Once again, it's because they're high in purines! Ladies, you need to stop eating these meats when you have gout. Take liver and other organ meats out of your diet too! Purines, remember, are a major cause for symptom flares. Focus on white meats like turkey and chicken instead, since they have fewer purines. Of course, you still have to watch how much meat you eat. Your doctor will often recommend a limit of 4 ounces daily when you have gout.

Most of the time, your doctor will recommend plant-based protein instead of meat. You still have to think about how much you eat, though. Ladies, work with a nutritionist to make sure you're not eating too much and triggering gout flares!

Alcohol

Alcohol's not good for you when you have gout! Ladies, it increases your risk of gout flares. That's not all, though, since it also makes you more likely to develop gout in the first place! Studies have shown that alcohol is the cause of over 50 percent of gout flares. It's usually because of the purines. Beer has the most! Beer also has brewer's yeast in it, which is another risk factor for gout flares. Of course, all types of alcohol make flares more likely. Even wine has some purines. It also makes your kidneys get rid of alcohol instead of the purines. The result is more uric acid in your blood and more symptom flares! The flares often come in 1 to 2 days.

Ladies, watch how much alcohol you drink, as it's going to keep your uric acid low. Limit yourself to one serving in a day. This is equal to 12 ounces of beer when the beer is 5 percent alcohol by volume! of course, when you have gout, check with your doctor. They can give you a specific recommendation for your situation! This is vital, since some of you won't be able to drink any alcohol.

Lentils And Kidney Beans

Ladies, lentils and kidney beans are a concern too. They have more purines than other legumes! That's why you often need to watch out for them when you have gout. Of course, recent research says you can safely consume them. After all, they're plant-based protein and don't increase your gout flare risk as much as meat! It's because they don't have as many purines as meat. That said, you can't rely on them for all of your protein.

In addition, there's still a risk of gout flares from lentils and kidney beans! Ladies, watch your serving sizes. One serving is about a half cup of cooked lentils or kidney beans. A few servings in a week is likely safe. However, ask your doctor to make sure you have the best recommendation for your needs!

Spinach

Spinach can cause a flare of your gout symptoms. It's because a 100-gram serving has 57 milligrams of purines! This is widely considered a moderate amount of purines. That's why many experts believe you need to limit how much spinach you eat when you have gout. However, ladies, you can still have some spinach when you have gout. After all, meat has a lot more purines than spinach. All you really need to do is substitute meat with some spinach! Try a side salad of spinach instead of extra meat.

Of course, you still need to watch your portions! That's why adding spinach to soup or eating a side salad are good choices. Both limit how much spinach you eat, but still give you the benefits! When you're in doubt, ladies, ask a nutritionist or doctor about how much spinach is safe for you when you have gout.