Prevent Gout Flares this New Year

by | Jan 12, 2017 | General Foot Care

The holiday season was hopefully a fun time full of family, parties, and delicious—though usually unhealthy—foods and sweets. Cookies, chocolates, pastries, toffee, and more abound, so it’s all too easy to overindulge and eat all the things you shouldn’t. When you have a condition like gout, however, indulging in sweets and rich holiday dinners can contribute to painful gout flare-ups later. That’s why eating wisely through the new year is especially important.

Gout is a form of arthritis that can be directly affected by what you eat. The problem is related to a build-up of crystallized uric acid in the spaces between joints, which inflames and damages the tissues there. This uric acid comes from breaking down the purines in foods. The more purines in your foods, the more uric acid crystals can form.

That’s why holiday foods can be such a problem, and why committing to eating right for your feet now—especially if you indulged during the holidays—is so important. Here are a few ways you can invest in healthier, gout-free feet:

  • Cut back on the animal meats – The holiday ham or rich roast you ate may have tasted great, but those meats are bad for gout. Limit beef, lamb, and pork consumption and get your protein from alternate sources.
  • Sharply limit or eliminate alcohol – New Year’s champagne is a treat, but not for your feet. Cut back on or cut out alcohol in your diet.
  • Avoid too much sugar – Sugary candies, baked goods, drinks, and snacks aren’t just unhealthy, they’re gout triggers. Sharply limit those high-sugar options.
  • Lower your salt intake – Start choosing the low-sodium options for meals and leaving your salt shaker to the side.

Committing to healthier food habits is just one way of helping control this chronic problem and avoiding pain in the long run. Still, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of your eating habits. If you’re living with gout, or your holiday celebrations put you at risk for a gout flare-up, let our experts at Family Foot & Ankle Care of Jasper help you take care of your lower limbs in 2017. Don’t wait until you wake up in pain. Contact our Jasper, IN, office today for more information or to schedule a consultation. Use our online forms or call (812) 481-7200 to reach us.

Address 695 W. 2nd Street, Suite CJasper, Indiana 47546
Phone 812-481-7200
Hours Mon, Tue, Thu: 9am - 5pm; Wed, Fri: 8am-noon 

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