DIETARY CHANGES CAN HELP PREVENT GOUTY ATTACKS

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by a build-up of uric acid in joint tissues and joint fluid, which happens when the body is unable to keep uric acid levels in check, according to Allan M. Boike, DPM a podiatrist at the Cleveland Clinic and the dean of the College of Podiatric Medicine at Kent State University in Ohio. Although gout isn’t a foot condition per se, typically, one of the first places this build-up occurs is in the big toe joint. This is because, temperature-wise, the toes are the body’s coolest parts, and uric acid crystallizes with temperature changes, Dr. Boike says.

 

Dr. Allan Boike

 

You can help reduce your risk of gout attacks by making changes to your diet to avoid foods known to cause a rise in uric acid, like red meat, seafood, and alcohol, particularly beer, Boike says. Significant consumption of beer or liquor (more than one drink per day) has been linked to an increased risk of an attack of gout, he says.

 

Source: Brian P. Dunleavy, Everyday Health [9/4/20]

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News