What should you eat to avoid severe gout attacks?

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - In some cases, gout can occur even in people with healthy lifestyles, causing sharp pain in the joints.

Suffering from gout despite having a healthy lifestyle.

Having passed the age of 50, Mr. Minh Hao (residing in Ho Chi Minh City) is always proud of his healthy lifestyle. For the past few years, he has been dedicated to running, consistently maintaining an ideal weight of 55-58kg.

With healthy lifestyle habits, a balanced diet, frequent home-cooked meals, infrequent drinking, and annual general check-ups, Mr. Hao never thought he would contract any metabolic-related diseases.

But then one evening, everything changed suddenly. After a normal day at the office, the man felt unusual pain throughout his body. Initially, it was just a tingling sensation in his right knee joint, but the pain quickly spread, making it difficult for him to walk; each step felt like needles piercing his flesh.

An acute gout attack causes joint pain, a feeling like needles piercing the joints whenever the patient moves (Photo: Unsplash).

That night, the pain worsened. Hao lay in bed, sweating profusely from the pain, his knee joint swollen, red, and burning hot. The sharp, throbbing pain was particularly severe in the middle of the night, preventing him from sleeping.

The next morning, the man went to the hospital for a check-up. The test results showed abnormally high levels of uric acid in his blood. Mr. Hao was diagnosed with acute gout.

"Even with a healthy lifestyle, gout can still occur in people with genetic factors or a constitution that makes it difficult to excrete uric acid," Minh was surprised to hear the doctor's announcement, as he had always thought gout only affected obese people or those who overeat.

What can be done to prevent an acute gout attack?

According to Dr. Kieu Xuan Thy, Deputy Head of Facility 3, University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City, gout is one of the common metabolic disorders, characterized by elevated uric acid levels in the blood, leading to the deposition of urate crystals in the joints.

An acute gout attack is typically characterized by severe joint pain, swelling, redness, and warmth in one or more joints, often occurring suddenly, especially at night. Preventing acute gout attacks not only helps reduce pain but also avoids chronic joint damage and kidney complications.

The main causes of gout stem from an unhealthy lifestyle. Habits such as consuming large amounts of red meat, seafood, alcohol, sugary drinks, and fast food rich in purines are the leading factors contributing to increased uric acid levels in the blood.

However, another less-noticed contributing factor to this disease is genetics. More specifically, if either parent has microcrystalline arthritis, their child has a 20% chance of developing the condition.

According to Dr. Thy, to prevent the recurrence of acute gout attacks, the first thing patients need to do is to effectively control uric acid levels in the blood. The use of uric acid-lowering medication must strictly adhere to the specialist's instructions. Patients should not arbitrarily increase the dose or stop the medication abruptly, as this can trigger a new gout attack.

In addition, diet plays a crucial role in controlling and preventing the disease. Patients should limit foods rich in purines such as organ meats, red meat, seafood, especially sardines and anchovies. Furthermore, alcohol and sugary drinks containing fructose should be avoided as these increase uric acid production.

Meals should include plenty of green vegetables, fresh fruits, low-fat dairy products, and enough water (about 2-3 liters) each day to increase the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys.

Maintaining a healthy weight can also significantly reduce the risk of acute gout attacks.

Obesity not only increases uric acid production but also reduces the kidneys' ability to excrete it. Overweight individuals need to lose weight gradually and properly, and should not fast or adopt excessively restrictive diets, as this can disrupt metabolism and trigger gout attacks.

In addition, patients should avoid factors that easily trigger gout attacks such as prolonged stress, trauma, the use of diuretics without a prescription, or an unbalanced diet. If there are underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, patients need to have them treated and stabilized because these conditions worsen gout and increase the risk of complications.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, gout is classified as a type of rheumatic disease, often caused by stagnation of dampness and heat, poor blood circulation, or accumulation of phlegm in the joints. Prevention relies not only on herbal remedies but also on a balanced lifestyle, including massage and acupressure to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and minimize toxin buildup.

Some traditional remedies can be used to clear heat and dampness, and promote blood circulation, but they should only be prescribed by a qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner. One should not self-medicate with remedies passed down through word of mouth.

Regular follow-up with a doctor is essential to assess treatment effectiveness, check blood uric acid levels, and adjust medication accordingly. With proper management, patients can live healthy lives, minimize recurrent gout attacks, and avoid chronic damage to the joints and kidneys.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/an-gi-de-tranh-con-dau-du-doi-do-gout-cap-20250815154702305.htm