Gout Pain Relief - 4 Ways to Lower Uric Acid

Are you tired of waking up to terrible gout pain? If you are like most gout patients, the majority of your pain is caused by too much uric acid in your system. This acid crystallizes causing painful inflammation of your joints, the most famous being the big toe.

Here are 4 ways you can lower your levels and in the process reduce the likelihood of future attacks and also help your current pain.

1. Potassium

Eating foods rich in potassium such as raisins and bananas are an excellent way to help reduce levels of this acid. Potassium is able to lower uric acid by turning it into a liquid so that your kidneys are able to more efficiently excrete it thereby reducing your numbers. This will help prevent or lessen future attacks. By turning the crystals into a liquid form, this also helps break down the crystals which are causing the damage and inflammation to your joint area. This swelling and damage is what is the chief cause of your pain.

2. Avoid high purine foods

Uric acid is formed when the body processes purines. This is normal for the body to do this, however, the problem arises when you either eat too much of these purines or your body is unable to properly process the uric acid you produce. Therefore reducing the amount of high purine foods can help reduce your levels to a manageable number. Examples of high purine foods would be game meat and peanuts.

3. Vitamin C

Foods high in vitamin C are very helpful in reducing your overall levels. Studies show that this vitamin has the potential to reduce levels by up to 50% when consumed regularly. This fact definitely helps reduce the likelihood of future attacks and also helps to reduce their severity.

4. Eat Plenty of Fruits

Fruits are a great asset to reducing your levels of uric acid as well as providing gout pain relief. That is because most fruits contain the first three things on this list. Many fruits contain potassium, are low in purines, and contain plenty of vitamin C. Not only that, but a variety of fruits have other properties that can help reduce swelling, such as bromelain in pineapples and improve joint damage, such as niacin in avocados. So add plenty of fruits to your diet.