Out with gout

Acute gouty arthritis or acute gout. There are many factors that cause an increase in uric acid level: the following are some of the common :

• heredity ( family history)
• Obesity
• High alcohol intake
  
• High intake of foods containing purines
• some of the drugs used to treat high blood pressure
• less commonly, longstanding kidney disease met result in high blood levels of uric acid

The first step, wherever possible, in treating gout must be to correct those factors mentioned above which give rise to high uric acid levels, Purines are substances found in foods, which when broken down produce a lot of uric acid. Therefore the following foods which are high in purines should be restricted or avoided;

• Offal foods such as liver, kidneys, stripe, sweetbreads, and tongue
• Excessive amount of red meat
• shellfish, fish roe, and scallops
• peas, lentils and beans

Alcohol intake should be reduced. Weight loss may be very important. medication for a high blood pressure may need to altered.