Is The Dash Diet Good For Gout?
Your risk of developing gout may be decreased by the DASH diet. By lowering uric acid levels in the blood, this well-known heart-healthy diet may also minimize the incidence of gout.
Experts have long highlighted that uric acid, a metabolic waste product that can accumulate in the joints and cause gout, can only be reduced to a certain extent through diet. Gout is a severe form of arthritis brought on by an overabundance of uric acid in the body. These uric acid deposits typically build up in joints and can occasionally cause an explosive, dramatic flare-up of joint pain, typically in the foot or ankle, along with significant soreness, edema, and redness. According to tradition, the typical gout patient is a male who is overweight and who drinks excessive amounts of alcohol and fatty meals.
In reality, a number of variables, not the least of which is a genetic predisposition leading to a kidney malfunction that prevents uric acid from being eliminated in the urine, contribute to the elevated levels of uric acid in the circulation.
What Is The Dash Diet?
While reducing saturated fats and processed foods, the DASH diet plan prioritizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension is known as DASH. The diet aims to lower high blood pressure and be helpful for the heart as a lifelong healthy eating plan. Gout sufferers are more likely to have cardiovascular disease.
Does The Dash Diet Work On Gout?
The DASH diet may lower uric acid levels, but the effect is minor compared to what taking gout medicine can do to lower uric acid levels, according to a recent study. However, the evidence for this study included a number of flaws that made it necessary to conduct additional research.
First, neither the blood samples nor the eight-week research period were used to test participants for gout, nor were they monitored for gout attacks.Furthermore, the diets were changed to reduce participant weight loss, which underestimated the entire effect of food on uric acid in the context of weight loss.
(If you’re overweight, losing weight can help you manage your gout.) Finally, because the study focused on eating habits, it was unable to pinpoint whether particular food groups or micronutrients may have contributed to the drop in uric acid.
Future research is required to fully comprehend the potential contribution of the DASH diet to the treatment of gout. Nevertheless, the research points to the benefits of a heart-healthy, well-rounded diet for treating gout.
Summary
Gout sufferers would be better to concentrate on a general healthy eating routine rather than avoiding foods high in purines. Even if there isn’t any concrete proof that this diet directly treats gout, it’s crucial to remember that diets are only guidelines. It serves as a gauge for the recommended amount of food to improve your overall health. As a result, I usually recommend trying to lose weight, abstaining from alcohol, and taking your uric acid-lowering medicine as prescribed.
