Uric acid is a product that breaks down purines in food. When uric acid levels in the blood increase and accumulate into urate crystals, they will settle in the joints that cause inflammation, typically gout. According to the Cleveland Clinic, maintaining some simple daily habits can help reduce the risk of increased uric acid and effectively prevent gout.
First, you need to drink enough water every day, from 2 - 2.5 liters, to help the kidneys excrete uric acid better. Drinking water regularly throughout the day, especially after high-profile meals or after exercise, will dilute uric concentration in the blood and reduce the risk of urate crystallization.
Second, reduce the consumption of foods rich in purines, such as animal organs, seafood, red meat and thick broths. Instead, you should prioritize foods rich in fiber such as green vegetables, whole grains and low-sugar fruits. One study shows that the Mediterranean diet - rich in vegetables, fish, olive oil - significantly reduces the risk of increased uric acid and gout recurrence.
In addition, the habit of light exercise of 30 minutes a day such as brisk walking, swimming, yoga helps stabilize weight and improve purine metabolism. Being overweight is a factor that increases uric acid, so controlling the BMI index plays a very important role.
In particular, avoiding alcohol is a key recommendation. Alcohol reduces the kidney's uricodexcretion function and increases total uric production in the liver. By simply reducing alcohol, many people have improved uric acid levels in just a few weeks.
