2. Gout is caused by elevated uric acid levels, otherwise known as hyperuricaemia.
3. When the levels of urate in the body reach the point where they can no longer be dissolved, the salts begin to crystallize in the form of needle-shaped crystals of monosodium urate monohydrate.
4. One of the main causes of high uric acid levels in the body is diet, specifically the amount of a type of chemical called purines. .
5. A purine is a molecule with two rings and is of the same type as essential components of the body such as RNA and DNA.
6. When excess purines are ingested and there is more available than the body requires they are degraded to uric acid.
7. Once the uric acid concentration gets too high the uric acid crystallizes into urate salts and is deposited into the human body tissues, where they cannot be degraded.
8. Ingesting high-purine food is a chief cause of excess uric acid. Purines can be found in many foods such as:
9. * Offal – liver, kidney, sweetbreads * Seafood – such as herring, mussels, sardines, anchovies, scallops, oysters * Game – grouse, pheasant, partridge, turkey
10. * Yeast – breads, beer * Yeast extracts – vegemite, marmite * Mutton, veal, bacon * Legumes – beans, lentils Purines can be found in many foods such as:
11. As well as reducing the intake of foods high in purines there are foods believed to be beneficial. These can help keep the gout away.
12. Some of these are: * Cherries * Lemon Juice * Apple Cider Vinegar * Grapes * Green Leafy Vegetables * Fruits High in Vitamin C * Nuts and Seeds * Certain Herbs (Devil’s Claw, Garlic, Hawthorn, Parsley and others)
13. It is vitally important to treat your gout, rather than just letting it get worse.
14. Over time the symptoms of gout get much worse, and can cause permanent damage and even deformity. Gout should not be taken lightly, it is a serious problem.