Lunar New Year is a time of reunion, family meals become richer than usual. However, for people with gout, this "excess" is potentially risky.
Gout is a purine metabolism disorder, leading to increased uric acid in the blood. When exceeding the threshold, uric acid crystallizes into urate crystals deposited in the joints, causing acute inflammation with manifestations of severe pain, swelling, heat, redness, common in the big toe, ankle or knee.
Why is Tet easy to trigger acute gout attacks?
Tet holiday converges almost all the factors that cause uric acid to increase rapidly. The first is a diet rich in purines. Red meat, organs, seafood, bone broth for many hours, familiar dishes on the feast, all increase uric acid production if eaten continuously for many days.
Second is alcohol. Dr. Hyon Choi, a rheumatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School (USA), said that alcohol not only increases uric acid production but also reduces kidney excretion. "Just a moderate amount of alcohol can trigger acute gout attacks in sensitive people," he emphasized.
Besides, irregular eating habits such as skipping meals, eating too much in the evening, eating too full, combined with drinking less water on busy days, further increase uric acid levels faster.
Prevention of acute gout attacks: Need to prepare in advance
Experts believe that gout is not an "absolutely taboo" disease, but is very sensitive to sudden changes. Patients should control their diet, limit purine-rich foods, divide meat in smaller portions during the day, and increase green vegetables and starches to balance metabolism.
Alcohol and beer should be minimized. Drinking enough water is a simple but effective measure, helping the kidneys excrete uric acid better, especially on days when eating a lot of protein.
In addition, patients need to maintain medication as prescribed, do not arbitrarily stop taking medication during Tet. When signs of joint pain, mild swelling or abnormal tension appear, they need to rest and go to the doctor early. Timely treatment helps control gout effectively and avoid long-term complications.
