Don't Let Gout Derail Your Holiday Fun

This is a time of year that you want to savor, creating special memories with the people you love. If you wind up with a gout flare-up, though, you’ll probably want to fast forward until the pain eases.

That’s unfortunate because the way we eat and drink this time of year can heighten your risk for this painful joint inflammation. 

We want to intervene to prevent gout from spoiling your holiday fun. With extensive experience treating gout, our team at Rogers Foot & Ankle Institute has some guidance to help you avoid this inflammatory issue. If you have a history with gout and you want more personalized guidance to avoid a gout attack this holiday season, come visit us at our offices in American Fork or Saratoga Springs, Utah. 

Food, drink, purines, and gout: Understanding the connection

To understand what causes gout, you have to start by understanding purines. These are compounds that contain nitrogen. Purines are in a lot of the food and drinks we consume, and to some extent, that’s a good thing. Your cells use purines to make the building blocks required for DNA and RNA. 

Purines break down to uric acid. Normally, your body processes out that uric acid. When you get too much of it in your system, though, it can trigger a gout attack. 

That makes the holiday season a particularly risky time of year for this particular kind of joint inflammation. Many of the most popular foods and drinks make gout worse. 

For starters, between the nog, cider, and other celebratory alcoholic drinks, a lot of us drink more during this time of year. Alcohol is high in purines. 

Then there’s sugar, which contains fructose. That breaks down into uric acid. High-fructose corn syrup is a major culprit here, and a lot of the sweets of the holiday season use it as a core ingredient.

Finally, the centerpieces of many holiday tables are purine-rich. Turkey, red meats, game meats, and some kinds of seafood can all increase your risk for gout. So can gravy and meat sauces. 

Tips for enjoying a healthy holiday 

To help make this a special, not painful, time of year, our team has some tips to help you lower the likelihood of a gout attack: 

• Drink lots of water. That helps your body process uric acid out through your kidneys into your urine. 
• Limit yourself to one or two alcoholic drinks each day. This gives your body time to process the resulting uric acid.
• If you want to enjoy a drink, choose red wine. It’s lower in purines than a lot of other alcoholic beverages. 
• Have a daily cup of coffee. It helps your body break down purines more slowly and supports your ability to get rid of uric acid. 

If you’re worried about a gout attack, we can also help you find medication that can lower your risk. 

You can come see our team for a personalized gout prevention plan to carry you through the holidays and beyond. To schedule an appointment, contact us by calling (801) 756-4200 today.