Helpful Apps for People With Gout
Managing a chronic disease brings a load of challenges, but some smart technology can really cut down on time and confusion. The key is to find an app that will simplify your gout management, not complicate it.
Your gout diet is crucial — you’ll want to track it closely — and your gout pain deserves some attention, too. Luckily, there are plenty of apps that address both of these major issues.
But new apps come out every day, and while some are clearly helpful, others can make things pretty confusing. Which one do you start with? Take a look at some of the most popular apps for gout, and some that might be over-hyped, before you make your choice.
Diet and Weight Loss Apps
You probably know that a diet low in purines will keep uric acid from building up and causing pain, and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for long-term management. In turn, both diet and weight loss apps can play a part in your gout plan.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of diet apps out there — it’s one area that appeals to almost everyone. The best diet apps for gout sufferers will have a heft database of food information, and include some sort of purine detector.
Gout-specific apps are appealing, but a good, all-around diet app can be just as useful, once you’re familiar with your “good” and “bad” foods.
Purine and Uric Acid List (iPhone, iPad)
This has been a go-to gout diet app for a few years now — a fact that might be working against it. Although it has the specific information you need (the amount of purines in a given ingredient, and whether that marks it as high or low risk), this app definitely has its limits.
Pros:
- Clearly states the purine level of more than 200 types of foods
- Nice images
- Ability to bookmark foods for easy future reference
Cons:
- Food list isn’t updated
- Some technical glitches with the search form
- Limited usefulness
MyFitnessPal (iPhone, iPad, Android)
This is a fantastic, well-rounded alternative to a gout-specific app. A health and fitness heavyweight, MyFitnessPal can do it all, and without overloading your screen with stuff you don’t want.
Pros:
- One of the largest food databases among mobile apps
- Easy to log meals, whether at home or at a restaurant
- Tracks exercise well
Cons:
- General nutritional info rather than gout-specific info
- Big social community is supportive, but may be intimidating at first
SparkPeople (Android)
This fitness app boasts a really enticing layout, and it connects to a network of other health and lifestyle sites. The best part? It keeps all your nutrition and fitness info right there in front of you, making it easy to stay on top of food, workouts and weight loss.
Pros:
- A complete view of your fitness, nutrition, and health improvements in one place
- Lots of linked resources for health and wellness
- A barcode scanner to decode nutrition info in packaged food
- Very user friendly, and a favorite among those looking to lose weight
Cons:
- A couple of bugs, but not much else!
