Gout sufferers tend to be overweight. A big contributing factor to this dilemma is a low quality diet. Many of the foods that overweight people eat tend to be high in purines. These foods are main contributors to not only weight gain, but also a gout attack.

Decreasing the amount of high purine foods are central to overcoming both obesity and hyperuricemia, the main risk factor in getting gout. High purine foods are usually loaded with unhealthy fat making if difficult to lose weight. Foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and bacon would be in these categories. It would be best to eliminate these foods altogether from your diet, but at the very least eat them in moderation.

Studies have shown that drinking several soda pops a day actually raises your chances for gout by up to fifty percent. This is partly due to the dehydrating effects of soda which makes your kidneys work harder. Proper renal function is critical to getting rid of gout as it helps excrete excess uric acid.

Diet sodas are not a good option if you drink regular soda. Diet pops can have a negative effect on losing weight. These seemingly helpful drinks make you hungrier and some health professionals actually think diet sodas are worse than drinking regular pop. Not to mention the chemicals used in diet drinks have been found in studies to increase your risk of cancer. Just don’t drink pop. Water is a much better alternative.

Drinking coffee can have useful benefits when trying to eliminate future gout symptoms. Even though coffee can dehydrate you, studies show that drinking four cups a day can reduce uric acid levels almost in half. Decaf works also in case caffeine use is a concern.

You don’t have to make wholesale changes all at once. In fact, this usually proves disastrous to long term health as most people quit due to the difficulty of making large lifestyle changes in a short time. A very easy goal to reach is one pound a week.

Lowering your risk for disease whether it is gout or heart disease can be accomplished if you take small steps. While you won’t see immediate improvement you will be more likely to keep on course to long term health. Your kidneys will reward you by working more productively which will reduce your risk of getting gout attacks.

Eating a healthy diet will not only help you in losing extra weight, but can help you get rid of gout. Many of the foods we take for granted such as most fruits, can actually help you beat the symptoms and causes of this painful arithritic disease.