People are very quick to take pain killers and anti inflammatories when they have a gout attack.
And they work, to an extent, by reducing the pain and swelling for a time.
What these medications will not do, however, is reduce the number of attacks or the duration of them when they strike.
A gout treatment diet is the very important next step in controlling the condition.
There are foods that you should be eating and foods that you should avoid whenever possible.
You need to stay away from foods that are high in purines, which turn into uric acid in the body.
Organ meats (heart, liver, kidneys, brains), red meats, most shellfish, mackerel, anchovies, caviar, and sardines head the list.
But surprisingly, so does poultry, though eating it a couple times a week, in small portions, and cooked without the skin makes it doable.
Avoid asparagus, mushrooms, and cauliflower...
cherry and grape tomatoes, too, on a gout treatment diet.
Believe it or not, the bigger the tomato, the safer it is for gout patients.
Yeast is on the bad list...
so if you have to eat bread at all, make it whole wheat and not too fluffy...
the fluffier, the yeastier! Alcohol should be avoided, but if you have to have a sip, don't drink beer, which, of course, has yeast in it.
So basically you are avoiding fats, sugars, coffee, tea, and most of the other foods you love.
There is a bright side to all this.
Cherries and strawberries seem to reduce pain and swelling.
Eat lots of them during an attack, and a maintenance dosage all year round.
Drinking lots of water every day (at least eight glasses) will help the kidneys to flush out those nasty uric acids.
Eat lots of raw veggies, especially the green, leafy ones, all kinds of fresh fruits...
berries and citrus in particular, and aim at high fiber in your food selections.
Apple cider vinegar is another gem you can try...
put it on your salad or add it to a beverage.
It might sound discouraging, but by following a gout treatment diet, you will see encouraging results.