What I do to combat Gout
This is what I have been doing to combat gout successfully without pharmaceutical. I'll mention once again that I am not a doctor - but I've tried a lot of things over the over the past few years, and these are what seem to work for me - I haven't had a gout attack in almost 2 years. My strategy has been the following.Exercise
Once the gout attack would subside, I began an easy excersise program. Basically, I just started taking a walk every day. I started with about 10 minutes a day - gradually increasing length of time and increasing the pace somewhat. Now after several years I walk a minumum of 30 minutes each day.Supplements/Medications
Vitamin C can help reduce uric acid levels, so I take a standard vitamin C supplement every day.My strategy:
Light excercise, uric-acid reducing supplements, weight loss, and an anti-gout diet, featuring cherries (dried, fresh, and juice).
Weight loss diet
My doctor told me that my weight was a factor in the onset of my gout, so I looked around for a good weight-loss diet. I settled on the Zone diet and stuck with it long enough to lose 35 pounds. I'm still not exactly super-model material but I think weight loss has been a big factor in avoiding recurrences of gout.WARNING: Avoid the low-carb diets such as Atkins if you have gout. These can make things worse because they emphasize lots of protein and few whole grains - basically the opposite of an anti-gout diet (see below for more on that).
Anti-gout diet
I cut back on purine rich foods such as red meat, shellfish, anchovies. Purines are what the body converts into uric acid, so the more you eat - the more likely you'll have a gout attack. I still enjoy a good steak once in a while, but I'm careful not to over do it.I also drink less beer, which is a bit tough, but alcohol in general inhibits the excretion of uric acid from the body, and beer is said to be especially bad. On the bright side, my other favorite drink, coffee, has been found to reduce uric acid levels, so I drink plenty of coffee - usually 2 or 3 cups a day.
What I eat more of, is low-fat dairy products like skim milk and hard cheeses, whole-grain breads and cereals, fruit and vegetables. Breakfast is typically granola, with a few dried cherries sprinkled on it. I also drink cherry juice regularly, and fresh cherries when they're in season.