Gout is a very painful form of arthritis. This type of arthritis can be hereditary or it can be induced by your lifestyle choices. However, if you have ever had an attack of Gout, it is very important that you keep reading to learn more about what causes Gout so you will be able to avoid any further flare ups.
Let us start by discussing how Gout is formed? Gout is caused by a condition known as hyperuricemia. This medical term simply means you have too much uric acid in your blood. Uric acid is a byproduct of purines, which are found in many of the foods we eat and in almost every living cell. High purine foods are meats and high fatty foods. When you want to avoid the pain of Gout, you should reduce your intake of purines. When it comes to the causes of Gout, there are several things you should be aware of. Read on to learn more about the specific causes for Gout to appear:
- Being overweight. This is responsible for Gout in several ways. First of all, when you are overweight, there is more tissue for the body to break down and turn into Gout. Being overweight means there is a decreased level of circulation to your extremities. This can lead to an increased formation of the uric acid crystals that are likely to settle in your joints and can cause a Gout flare up.
- Excessive alcohol consumption. When you drink too much of alcohol, it can lead to Gout because alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to remove excess uric acid.
- Certain medications. There are specific medications out there than can increase your risk for developing Gout. Talk with your doctor about your medication to determine if they can cause Gout. He may be able to prescribe something else that will not cause Gout.
- Surgery. Some individuals who have never had a Gout attack in their life tend to suffer from a severe Gout flare up after a surgery. This is especially true for gastric bypass surgery. This is because when the body goes through a rapid weight loss, it produces more uric acid, which in turn will cause Gout.
- Being a man. Men are more at risk for developing Gout than women. Men will usually get Gout in their 40’s but can get it as early as their 20’s.
- Environmental exposure. There is some evidences that suggest exposure to lead will lead to a Gout attack.
- Joint injury. If you injure a joint, it can cause a Gout attack.
- Crash diets. This is the same as with gastric bypass. When you go on a diet to lose a lot of weight quickly, it can trigger a higher than a normal level of uric acid in your body, which will lead to a Gout attack.
So now that you know what causes Gout, you need to determine what you can do to make changes that will decrease your risk for Gout. If you are overweight it is important that you start a diet and exercise program that will help you shed those extra pounds sensibly.
Stay away from the purine rich foods and alcohol. Try a diet of fruits and vegetables for a while. The best fruits you can eat for your Gout are cherries, strawberries, blueberries and pineapples. These have been proven to help with Gout symptoms. After you have the symptoms under control, you can add in lean meats such as fish and pork.
The more you learn about what causes Gout you will be better prepared when it comes to preventing a Gout attack. Use the advice given above, and you may not have any more problems with your Gout.
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