Understanding Uric Acid and how to manage them.

Understanding Uric Acid and how to manage them. 

Uric acid results from the breakdown of compounds known as purines in the body. Purines are both produced in the body and consumed through the diet. Normal values of uric acid in the blood range from 2.4 to 6.0 milligrams per deciliter for females and 3.4 to 7.0 milligrams per deciliter for males. Uric acid levels higher than 7.0 milligrams per deciliter in the blood can cause crystals to form and build up around joints, resulting in a painful form of arthritis known as gout. Many foods contain high levels of purines, and eating these foods can lead to high levels of uric acid in the blood.

Diet Tips for High Uric Acid Patients:
  1.    Lower fat intake as excess fat reduces normal excretion of uric acid.
  2.    Liberal fluid intake to keep the urine dilute and uric acid soluble to facilitate excretion by kidney.
  3.    Restriction or elimination of alcohol.

What to Avoid:
  1.    Shell fishes, red meat, mince meat, meat extracts, organ 
        meats, fishes (sardine, roe, makeral).
  2.    Whole pulses (masur, rajmah, chana, chole, etc.). Other dals 
        are allowed.
  3.    Vegetables and fruits - green peas, spinach, French beans, 
        brinjal, cauliflower, mushroom, chickoo, custard apple.

Diet Rules:
  A.    Use less salt while cooking. Avoid adding salt while cooking 
        rice or in chapatti dough.
  B.    Use adjuncts like tomato, vinegar, cocum, amchur, lime juice, 
         curd, pepper powder to make the food cooked with less salt 
         palatable.
  C.    Remove the salt shaker from the table.
  D.    Avoid salted nuts/ biscuits, papads, pickles, chutneys.
  E.    Avoid excess consumption of processed and preserved
       foods; eg. Bakery products
  F.    Caution - Do not overdo on salt substitutes as that might 
        cause an electrolyte imbalance.

Recommended Foods: 
  a.    Fresh cherries, strawberries, blueberries and other red-blue
        berries 
  b.    Bananas 
  c.    Celery 
  d.    Tomatoes 
  e.    Vegetables including cabbage and parsley 
  f.    Foods high in bromelain (pineapple) 
  g.    Foods high in vitamin C (red cabbage, red bell peppers,
        tangerines, mandarins, oranges, potatoes) 
  h.    Low-fat dairy products 
  i.    Complex carbohydrates (whole grain breads, cereals) 
  j.    Chocolate, cocoa 
  k.    Coffee, tea

Although Purines (organic compounds, which create uric acid breakdown in the body) are found in vegetable sources, they don't cause the same amount of uric acid buildup in the body that meat sources do. In fact, fresh fruits and vegetables reduce acid levels in the body and it is often advised to avoid red meats, organ meats and highly processed foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are encouraged so the patient can increase alkalinity in the blood. 
Therefore, rather than attempting to find foods that are free of purines and uric acid, it’s important to know how to increase the body’s alkalinity, which naturally reduces the body’s acidity. Fresh, non-processed foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are the way to go.

Foods identified that lowers your Uric Acid 

1.    Water
Water flushes out toxins including excess uric acid from the body. Have at least 10- 12 glasses of water daily.

2.    Cherries
Cherries have anti–inflammatory substances named anthocyanis that help reduce uric acid levels. It prevents the uric acid from crystallising and being deposited in the joints. Cherries also neutralise the acids and help prevent inflammation and pain. 200 gms per day is very effective in bringing down uric acid.

3.    Apple

Malic acid in apple neutralises uric acid and thus provides relief to the sufferers. You should consume one apple daily after a meal.

4.    Lime
The citric acid found in lime is a solvent of the uric acid .The juice of half a lime squeezed into a glass of water should be taken twice daily.

5.    French bean Juice
Another effective home remedy for gout is French beans juice. The healthy juice can be consumed twice everyday for treating gout or high uric acid.

6.    Celery seed
This is a popular home remedy to lower uric acid levels in the body. Have celery seeds extract to get best results.

7.    Berries
Berries especially strawberries, and blueberries have anti-inflammatory properties so include them in your diet.

8.    Apple Cider Vinegar
Drink apple cider vinegar. Add 3 teaspoons of vinegar to 8 ounces of water and have it 2-3 times every day to treat uric acid.

9.    Pinto Beans
A diet rich in folic acid can help lower uric acid naturally. Folic acid rich foods like pinto beans, sunflower seeds and lentils should be included in your diet.

10.    Vegetable Juices
Carrot juice in combination with beet and cucumber juice is also very effective. 100 ml each of beet juice and cucumber juice should be mixed with 300 ml carrot juice and taken daily.

11.    Low fat dairy products
Low fat dairy products like milk, curd help lower uric acid level.

12.    Foods rich in Vit C
Include Vitamin C rich foods and supplements in your daily diet to reduce uric acid in the body. It disintegrates uric acid and forces it out of the body through urine. Good sources of vitamin C are Awla, Guava, Kiwi, Sweet lime, oranges, capsicum, lemon, tomato and green leafy veg.

13.    High-fiber foods
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, adding foods high in dietary fibre may help lower uric acid levels in your blood. Dietary fibre may help absorb uric acid in your bloodstream, allowing it to be eliminated from your body through your kidneys. Increase the consumption of dietary soluble fibres such as Isabgol , Oats, Broccoli, apples, oranges, pears, strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, celery, and carrots, barley.

14.    Bananas
Bananas are also beneficial in lowering  uric acid.A banana-only diet, consisting of eight or nine bananas per day for three or four days, may alleviate the swelling and inflammation of joints caused by gout or other forms of arthritis more rapidly.

15.    Green tea
Consume green tea on a regular basis to control hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels) and lower your risk of developing gout.

16.    Grains
Eating grains that are more alkaline such as jowar, bajra are helpful to reduce the level of uric acid in the body.

17.    Tomatoes, broccoli, and cucumbers
Tomatoes, broccoli, and cucumbers are some of the veggies that you need to start including in your meals. Tomatoes are one of the best vegetables that you could have for lowering uric acid. Fresh tomato is alkaline by nature and when it is exposed to the blood stream it increases the alkalinity of the blood.

18.    Dark Chocolate, cocoa
Theobromine is an alkaloid that is similar in structure to caffeine. It is found mainly in the cocoa bean and is at the highest levels in dark chocolates. Theobromine also can relax the bronchial muscles of the lungs and according to a small study, was more effective than codeine in relieving coughing. According to Dr. Shmuel Halevi at Acumedico.com, theobromine has the highest concentration of uric acid per gram of food than any other substance”, as reported by Livestrong.

19.    Raw vegetables
Raw vegetables like potatoes or corns are effective to reduce uric acid in the body. Have them raw or steam these vegetables.

20.    Omega-3
Essential fat Omega 3 from flaxseeds, walnuts, fishes like salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines reduces inflammation and swelling