Dietary recommendations for gout - creating the right diet

What a nutritionist will prescribe for gout: briefly about the types of diets

When there is excess uric acid, gout develops.
Inflammatory joint disease is accompanied by pain and decreased mobility. The reason is the accumulation of uric acid crystals, which are formed during the breakdown of purines. These are natural substances found in our body cells and many foods. Their content is especially high in meat. Diet number 6 for gout is the recommended diet to reduce purine levels. The diet largely consists of vegetables, dairy products, and fruits. Salts, proteins, fats, products containing oxalic acid, purines and extractive nitrogenous substances are excluded or limited. Diets are followed to reduce the acidity of urine and further formation of uric acid crystals. For gout aggravated by excess weight, diet No. 6E is prescribed. It is built on the same principles, but is characterized by reduced calorie content, reduced proteins and carbohydrates. Meat and fish are allowed no more than once or twice a week. This diet for gouty arthritis is recommended not only for excess weight, but also during exacerbations.

Contraindications

The high content of fiber and organic acids in sauerkraut can be harmful to a patient with gout if there are concomitant diseases. Consumption of this product even by a person in normal health can cause the development of rotting and fermentation processes. As a result of excess gas formation, a feeling of fullness, bloating, pain in the epigastric region, sour belching and heartburn occurs. And the presence of salt in sauerkraut can worsen the well-being of a gout patient. The reason for this condition is the ability of sodium chloride to retain fluid in the body, and with it uric acid.

Nutritionists recommend not purchasing sauerkraut at food markets and stores, but preparing it yourself, minimizing the amount of salt. Undoubtedly, this will worsen the taste of the product, but will significantly increase its therapeutic effectiveness.

A patient with gout will have to refuse sauerkraut if there is a history of the following acute and chronic pathologies:

• ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum;
• arterial hypertension;
• erosive and hyperacid gastritis;
• predisposition to the formation of gallstones, kidney stones, liver stones, urinary stones;
• renal or liver failure;
• pancreatitis;
• irritable bowel syndrome.

Insufficient production of digestive enzymes by the pancreas will provoke a prolonged presence of sauerkraut in the gastrointestinal tract, a disorder in its breakdown and absorption of nutrients. Sugar and even honey are often added to improve the taste of the product. A significant increase in the hyperglycemic index should be taken into account in the presence of diabetes mellitus, which often provokes the deposition of crystals of uric acid salts.

We eat right: what will have to change in nutrition

Meals for gout are prepared according to the principles of a healthy diet. In addition to reducing the amount of proteins, preference is given to boiling, steaming, and stewing. During exacerbations, it is better to switch to a vegetarian menu with the complete exclusion of foods prohibited for gout. The daily diet is compiled taking into account the following rules:

1. You can’t overeat, the portions are small, but sufficient to fill you up.
2. Including recipes with fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, semi-liquid and hot dishes in the diet for gout.
3. Drinking regime is at least one and a half liters of liquid per day. Alkaline mineral water will be beneficial.
4. Dividing the daily diet into four parts; eating more often is undesirable.
5. Complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages.
6. You cannot arrange fasting days, a hunger strike will provoke an exacerbation.

The prepared menu for gout for every day must be adhered to constantly. Errors in the diet increase the level of purines and uric acid and provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Ascorbic acid

Sauerkraut is used for gout because it contains a large amount of vitamin C. The organic compound accelerates the removal of uric acid and urates from tissues and systemic blood flow, and prevents the formation and enlargement of crystals. Almost all redox processes in the human body occur with the participation of ascorbic acid, which can be their direct reagent or serve as a catalyst. Eating sauerkraut prevents the interaction of sodium protons with uric acid and accelerates its excretion by the urinary system. The following properties of ascorbic acid can improve the condition of a gout patient:

• regulation of carbohydrate metabolism;
• normalization of blood clotting, permeability of the walls of large and small blood vessels, inhibition of hyaluronidase;
• acceleration of tissue regeneration;
• reducing the body's need for water- and fat-soluble vitamins;
• maintaining the colloidal state of the intercellular substance;
• acceleration of proteoglycan synthesis, which is disrupted in gout;
• activation of proteolytic enzymes;
• enhancing the detoxification effect of hepatocytes.

Regular consumption of sauerkraut helps reduce the severity of pain during exacerbations of pathology. This is explained by the ability of ascorbic acid to prevent the production of inflammatory mediators (prostaglandins and bradykinins). This property of the vegetable crop makes it possible to reduce daily and single dosages of pharmacological drugs that exhibit serious side effects - neurological disorders and dyspeptic disorders.

Recent research has confirmed that there is a genetic predisposition to developing gout. The body produces an increased amount of uric acid, which the urinary organs cannot cope with the evacuation of.

Harmful foods: the main enemies of gout

There will be no problems with creating a nutrition menu for gout. Doctors have clearly prescribed prohibited, unwanted and permitted products. The diet is compiled based on these lists. What foods should you not eat if you have gout?

1. Pork, beef, other red meat. Particularly harmful are the legs, heads, and tails—the parts of the animal that produce the sticky broth. Strong broths, jellies, lard, and smoked meats are prohibited.
2. Fish is partially limited. Salted, smoked, fried, fatty fish and canned food are prohibited.
3. Animal fats (except butter), products and dishes containing them.
4. Legumes: peas, beans, soybeans, chickpeas, peas.
5. Alcohol.
6. Spices, except salt, bay leaf and vinegar.
7. Coffee, cocoa and strong brewed tea.
8. Some berries are raspberries, grapes, figs.

What should you not eat in large quantities if you have gout? What foods should you limit? You should not include a lot of mushrooms, pickles, butter, and herbs in your diet. You can eat boiled meat and fish, but in limited quantities. Food for gout should be salted in moderation; it is better if the dishes are slightly under-salted. For vegetables, reduce the amount of tomatoes, radishes, celery, cauliflower, and sorrel.

Recommendations for use

Experts strongly recommend drinking only natural coffee. Soluble types should be discarded, as well as mixtures from bags. The amount of natural component in the sticks barely reaches 15%, and the rest is taken up by chemical elements that can only aggravate the condition of a gout patient.

It is extremely important to strictly adhere to the restrictions on the amount of aromatic drink consumed per day. It is useful to supplement it with low-fat milk to replenish lost calcium, but in no case with cream.

You can't drink coffee at night, because... this can cause severe joint pain.

According to doctors, the aromatic drink can cause arrhythmia, an increase in heart rate as a result of a drop in potassium levels. This indicator can be normalized by consuming dried apricots, new potatoes, and wheat bran. If you observe a negative reaction from the cardiovascular system, you need to switch to liquids that do not contain caffeine.

How to pamper yourself: what foods you can eat without fear

Dietary restrictions for gout are not as strict as they might seem at first. It is mainly built on the principles of healthy food. All prohibited foods can be eliminated from the diet by simply replacing them with others. What can you eat if you have gout?

• dietary meat: rabbit, turkey, chicken;
• fermented milk products, milk for making porridge, adding to tea;
• low-fat varieties of boiled fish, seafood;
• any vegetables and fruits that are not on the lists of prohibited and not recommended products;
• a moderate amount of cereals and pasta;
• vegetable oils, preferably olive or flaxseed;
• eggs, but no more than one per day;
• Sweets include marmalades, jams, marshmallows, candies without chocolate, marshmallows, honey and dried fruits (except raisins).

Errors in nutrition provoke an exacerbation of the disease, so you will have to develop healthy habits. The diet must be followed on an ongoing basis; it must become a way of life. A short-term cessation of prohibited foods will bring slight relief, but will not help in treatment.

B vitamins

Balanced complexes of B vitamins (Kombilipen, Pentovit) are included in the therapeutic regimens of all patients diagnosed with joint diseases, including gout. These biologically active substances are present in high concentrations in sauerkraut, especially in the juice released during fermentation, so nutritionists recommend draining it. Daily consumption of 100 g of a healthy product helps to activate microcirculatory processes, reduce the intensity of joint pain, improve innervation and blood supply to damaged tissues. For the treatment of gout, the presence of the following B vitamins in sauerkraut is especially important:

• thiamine _ Takes part in carbohydrate metabolism, increases the functional activity of nerve tissue, improves impulse conductivity. Prevents the accumulation of urates in the urinary organs by normalizing metabolic processes;
• pyridoxine . Helps normalize the functioning of the peripheral and central nervous systems. Takes an active part in the metabolic processes of the body, stimulates the production of the most important neurotransmitters;
• cyanocobalamin . Accelerates the metabolism of uric acid, improves the functioning of the liver and nervous system, stimulates blood clotting and metabolic processes, and takes part in the synthesis of amino acids.

Nutritionists recommend that patients with gout include sauerkraut in their diet to prevent arthritis attacks. Thanks to the restoration of optimal nervous regulation, the inflammatory process in cartilage and bone tissue is stopped. Restoring their blood supply improves the delivery of nutrients and biologically active substances and promotes rapid healing. B vitamins prevent the spread of destructive and degenerative changes to healthy areas of joint tissue.

What are the benefits of halva?

The benefits of halva for the human body are based on its rich composition, which contains many vitamins and microelements. The product contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which help fight against dangerous pathologies by increasing the strength of the immune system. Halva contains fat-soluble vitamins and phospholipids, which slow down the aging of the body.

The product is high-calorie, since 100 grams contain about 500-600 kcal. In this regard, it is necessary to limit its consumption. People for whom regular halva is contraindicated can replace it with one prepared with fructose. But you can also eat up to 230 grams of it per day.

This delicious dish has many beneficial properties. The main ones are:

1. Improves visual acuity. Sesame and tahini halva contains a large amount of vitamins A, B, C and D, which are responsible for the functional functioning of the immune system and vision.
2. Solves the problems of hair loss and brittle nails, fights against premature aging of the skin. Especially useful for people over 30 years old.
3. Recommended in the presence of cardiovascular pathologies. Improves heart function, protects the body from diseases through the content of plant proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Sesame halva works to reduce blood cholesterol and stabilize blood pressure. The composition contains magnesium and potassium, which complement the list of benefits of the product and help prevent dangerous cardiac pathologies.
4. Improves the quality of blood. Prevents anemia due to the increased amount of iron and phosphorus contained. The latter also has a beneficial effect on brain function.
5. Accelerates recovery after illnesses. Halva is able to regulate cellular and oxygen metabolism, which contributes to the rapid resumption of the functional work of the whole body both after illness and after intense physical activity, nervous and emotional exhaustion. Halva also helps to recover from alcohol intoxication.

How to give up sweets

Eliminating sweets from your diet is actually not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Those who consider themselves to have a sweet tooth and cannot imagine their life without such products can actually understand the root cause of this phenomenon from a physiological and psychological point of view. A few tips to help you give up sweets:

1. The reason for addiction to sweets may lie in an unbalanced diet. The human body, which does not consume the required amount of calories or carbohydrates during the day, will necessarily require fast fuel for immediate energy. And for this purpose, sweet dishes are best suited. For this reason, when giving up sweets, you need to monitor your diet and supply your body with enough healthy calories and healthy carbohydrates.
2. It is worth keeping healthy sweets in the form of fruit on hand at all times. Products should be easily accessible, washed and even peeled. It is worth accustoming yourself to take such food to school or work, and even for a regular walk, in order to avoid the temptation to go to the store and buy unhealthy sweets.
3. There is no need to test your willpower and buy sugar-containing products. During the period of giving up sweets, you should bring home only healthy food.
4. Don't go to the store hungry. It is much easier for a well-fed person to pass by the “dessert” shelves in the supermarket.
5. If you have a desire to eat something sweet, you should put chewing gum or mint candy in your mouth. You can also brush your teeth, which will also interrupt the receptors and help you forget about dessert.
6. Change the “psychological anchor” that helps smooth out negative emotions and disorders, if sweet foods are one of them. As a replacement, films, books, music, communication with a pleasant person or sports training can be used. It is important to wean the body to perceive sugar-containing dishes as a cure for a bad mood.
7. To prevent relatives and friends from tempting you with sweets and other goodies, you can refer to the doctors’ ban. Most often, in such cases, people try not to offer prohibited dishes.

It will take time to form a habit, so you should be prepared for it. You can give a period, for example, 30 days, and promise yourself not to eat industrial sweets. A month is not so much time, but you will want to eat unhealthy foods less and less every day.

What can you replace sweets with?

It is best to replace unhealthy treats with fruits, as they contain many vitamins and beneficial elements. You can also resort to other gentle delicacies that will be a worthy replacement for high-calorie cakes and pastries:

1. Dried fruits. They are able to retain almost all the beneficial properties of fruits. This is a kind of concentrate rich in calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber. The product is useful for the gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels. It is recommended for use by gout sufferers due to its anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. The average calorie content per 100 grams is 250-280 kcal.
2. Honey. It contains a lot of calcium and iron. The product can have an anti-inflammatory effect against gout, as well as an antibacterial effect. Honey strengthens the immune system and improves digestion. It is important to remember that it is a strong allergen, so caution should be exercised. Calorie content per 100 grams – 300 kcal.
3. Marmalade. It is usually made from pectin, which reduces cholesterol in the blood. The product has a beneficial effect on removing toxins and restoring lipid metabolism in the body. If the marmalade is prepared on the basis of agar-agar, then with its help you can normalize the functional functioning of the liver, as well as obtain the required dose of iodine for adequate functioning of the thyroid gland. Calorie content per 100 grams – 250 kcal.
4. Marshmallow. It contains a lot of phosphorus, iron and other beneficial components. Good for blood vessels and hair. Calorie content per 100 grams – 300 kcal.
5. Paste. Has a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Helps cleanse the intestines of toxins and has a positive effect on strengthening intestinal motility. Marshmallow can slow down the absorption of cholesterol, thereby protecting the human cardiovascular system. Calorie content per 100 grams – 310 kcal.