Doctor gives tips to prevent gout from "visiting" during Tet

NDO - To avoid sudden pain and swelling of joints due to gout, people should maintain 7 habits and pay attention to foods that should be limited.

Seven tips to prevent gout

Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Tu, Department of Internal Medicine, Orthopedics and Trauma Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Tam Anh District 7 said that during Tet, the habit of forgetting to take medicine, eating and drinking freely with candy, seafood, alcohol, etc. can easily increase uric acid, causing the risk of acute gout to flare up strongly.

Doctor Tu recommends that everyone should maintain the following 7 habits:

Drink enough water, avoid alcohol: Water helps the kidneys eliminate uric acid better, while alcohol slows down this process. Prioritize filtered water or herbal water instead of alcoholic beverages to protect your health.

Limit sweets and sugary foods: Although sweets are appealing during Tet, the high sugar content in them can increase uric acid levels. Although you can eat sweets, gout patients should not eat too much.

Stay away from foods rich in purines: Seafood, red meat, animal organs, dried fish… are the “enemies” of gout patients. Choose healthier foods such as green vegetables, tofu, or low-fat fish.

Get enough rest: Fatigue and nervous tension can increase uric acid levels in the blood, triggering acute gout attacks.

Gentle exercise: Avoid sitting in one place for long periods of time, especially when traveling by train or plane. Get up and walk around to improve blood circulation and reduce the risk of joint pain.

Take medication as prescribed: If you are on treatment, take your medication at the correct dose and at the correct time as directed by your doctor. This is the most effective way to control your illness during the busy Tet holiday.

Treating pain at home: If an acute gout attack occurs, you can: Apply cold compresses to reduce swelling and pain; elevate the joint to improve blood circulation; take prescription pain relievers and see a rheumatologist immediately if the condition does not improve.

Foods gout patients should limit

The Tet feast usually includes boiled chicken, meat jelly, ham, fried spring rolls, bamboo shoot and bone soup... These dishes contain large amounts of purines, increasing the concentration of uric acid in the blood, increasing the risk of acute gout attacks if eaten in large quantities.

Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thi Kim Loan, Department of Musculoskeletal, Tam Anh General Hospital Hanoi said that nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of bone and joint diseases, especially gout. A relaxed mentality when eating during Tet can aggravate acute gout symptoms such as pain, swelling, and redness in the joints.

According to Dr. Loan, gout patients should limit or abstain from the following foods and drinks:

Banh chung: Sticky rice contains a lot of starch, which is easily converted into sugar, thereby increasing uric acid in the blood. The mung bean filling in banh chung contains purine; pork contains a lot of saturated fat which can reduce the excretion of uric acid. You can eat a small amount of banh chung combined with green vegetables to balance nutrition.

Sweets: Fructose in Tet sweets such as carbonated soft drinks, candies, dried fruits, fruit jams, etc. is metabolized to create uric acid, increasing the risk of urate crystal deposition in joints.

Processed foods such as ham, sausage, spring rolls, etc. often have high salt (sodium) content, increasing inflammatory reactions in the body, causing inflammation, joint pain, and accelerating the aging process of cells. High sodium intake reduces the ability to absorb calcium, easily triggering pain attacks or worsening gout symptoms.

Alcohol: The high amount of purines in beer or alcoholic beverages makes gout worse. Purines are converted into uric acid. Drinking too much alcohol causes uric acid to accumulate, causing gout to flare up. Research shows that drinking just a small amount of alcohol can trigger an acute gout attack within 24 hours. If a gout attack occurs, the patient should completely limit alcohol until the disease is under control.

Red meat and seafood: Dishes on the Tet tray made from beef, shrimp, crab, oysters, etc. all contain a lot of purine, which can easily increase uric acid in the blood, causing acute gout attacks. People with gout should only eat a small amount.

Fried foods such as fried banh chung, fried spring rolls, etc. contain a lot of fat. If you consume fat, it reduces the ability to excrete uric acid through the kidneys, increasing the risk of recurrent acute attacks in gout patients.

Dried bamboo shoots and mushrooms: High in purines, increase uric acid levels and symptoms of gout.

Doctor Kim Loan recommends that to avoid the onset or worsening of gout symptoms in the first days of the year, patients need to have a suitable diet, supplement vitamin C, keep the body warm and maintain physical activities, and drink enough water every day. If the pain, swelling, and redness are severe and persistent, the patient should go to a musculoskeletal specialist for examination and treatment.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bac-si-mach-meo-de-ngan-benh-gout-ghe-tham-ngay-tet-post857993.html