Enjoying the July 4th Holiday Without a Gout Attack

July 4th Without Gout Flares

The last thing you want to have to go through is another gout attack. It can be so painful that you can’t even wear a sock. The pain can be so bad that taking painkillers don’t help much. The pain lasts for hours on end. Why not do whatever you can to prevent another attack for this upcoming holiday?

Six Ways to Prevent Gout Attacks at a Holiday Event

Here are some different suggestions for you to have a great 4th of July free from a gout attack at your barbecue or afterwards:

1. Don’t eat a lot of meat at one time. This doesn’t mean not eating meat at all. It means keeping the portion size to 4 or 5 oz. in a 3-hour period of time. When you have gout, eating a lot of protein foods at one time increases the rate of clearance of the nitrogenous wastes from the protein, which increases uric acid.When eating a maximum of 4 to 5 oz. meat at any one time, there’s plenty of room in your stomach for vegetables, fruits and a dessert. However, if you indulge and make your meal primarily the meat as some people do, you’re eating an unbalanced meal and neglecting other components of your diet that are essential. A balanced diet is the secret weapon of those who have high nutrient reserves.
2. Don’t drink alcohol at the party. I know it’s difficult to not grab a beer or a glass of wine or even a wine cooler when several people are offering you one, but the problem is that your body can’t metabolize the alcohol correctly without creating high levels of uric acid. You’re not like everyone else in this regard.The metabolism process starts just as soon as you drink the alcoholic drink; not four or five hours later. That means uric acid levels will skyrocket while you’re at the outdoor party and you may not make it to the fireworks without pain starting. Plan what you will be drinking at the holiday party and stick to your commitment; it’s the best way to avoid a gout disaster.
3. In between drinking the beverages you are drinking at the party, down a 16-oz bottle of water. Set a goal of at least two bottles of water per party. One beverage might be cherry juice on ice. This is an incredibly refreshing beverage that you will learn to love if you haven’t discovered it already. It’s also kind of a gourmet food item, too.

4. Eat plenty of vegetables. Vegetables are good fiber sources. Fiber can help bind toxins, including uric acid. Flood your body with the benefits of vegetables.
5. Be smart about your dessert selection. Consider bringing a dessert for everyone – cherry crisp or cherry pie. The cherries are known for their ability to prevent a gout attack.
6. Increase the vitamin C content of your diet. You can do this in one of two ways: 1) Bring a fruit salad that includes mandarin orange segments, grapefruit pieces, lemons, cherries, walnuts, mint leaves, pineapple, and kiwi fruit. You’ll get a hefty dose of vitamin C, which will grab the uric acid and pull it out of the bloodstream. 2) Take a vitamin C supplement of 500 mg up to 1000 mg a few times a day. Make sure that the supplement contains bioflavonoids and quercetin; these increase the absorption of the vitamin.

Now go have the best 4th of July holiday yet!