Whenever the topic of gout and food comes up, all you hear about are the foods you should stay away from. But what about the foods you should be eating? What kinds of foods can protect you from the ravages of gout?

Gout is caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints. Uric acid is a byproduct of the metabolism of purines. Purines are compounds found in many of the foods we eat, especially animal products.

Menopause doesn’t have to lead to gout for women. In fact, preventing the development of gout can be fairly simple. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet low in foods that contain a lot of purine and exercising can in many cases stop the disease before it starts.

A 2006 study of almost 13,000 men has shown that gout indeed is a risk for heart attacks. While not a huge risk factor, there is a link between gout and heart attacks that cannot go unnoticed.

Eating healthily and taking proper supplements are always great steps to take when trying to treat illnesses such as gout (which can be caused by eating improper foods and/or excessively). But what supplements can really help with your gout symptoms?

When researching gout, you will likely find the word hyperuricemia associated with it many times. So what is hyperuricemia? Hyperuricemia means, having a lot of uric acid in the blood. Many times patients will have high levels of uric acid without developing kidney stones or gout.

When you take folic acid vitamins, it neutralizes the enzyme called xanthine oxidase. This enzyme is what produces uric acid, so when blocked by folic acid, it will help to reduce the amount of uric acid being produced in your body.

It’s true. A twelve year study has shown that coffee consumption seems to affect a man’s likelihood of having gout.

Yes. A recent study has shown that high heat and humidity can worsen your gout, even double your chances of experiencing a gout attack.

Gout is inflammatory arthritis that affects mostly older men. It is caused by a build up of uric acid, which is a normal acid in the blood stream.