What should be appropriate diet for uric acid patient? How can uric acid be reduced in blood?

Uric acid is a waste product which is present in the blood. It is formed due to the breakup of cells by the food that we eat. Another factor that releases uric acid is the breakdown of purines. Purines are present in the human body tissues and in foods such as beans, peas, and alcoholic drinks. Uric acid is normally excreted from the body via urine and stool. When the kidneys fail to purify the blood properly, uric acid remains in the blood and causes gout or kidney stones. A laboratory urine test is taken to determine the levels of uric acid in the urine.

Diet For Reducing Uric Acid In Blood

Foods that are high in purines normally increase the level of uric acid in the body, and lead to diseases such as gout. Gout is a painful disease that is more common in men, but can also affect women. It is caused by excess of uric acid in the blood. A uric acid diet is low in purine foods and hence helps to regulate uric acid levels in the body. Diets that reduce uric acid are effective in lowering the uric acid levels in the body. The dietary plan involves avoiding foods that have high levels of purine. The goal of treating patients is to keep their uric acid low. These diets are also beneficial in reducing body weight.

High uric acids foods and compounds that formulate uric acid in the body include animal meat such as pork and beef. White meat, poultry, and ham can have some amount of purine, and should be consumed minimally. Bacon is to be avoided at all cost, as it is very high in purine. Alcohol should also be kept out of the diet. Excess of alcohol such as beer and wine will increase your uric acid levels. Alcohol further prevents the uric acid waste from being excreted out of the body.

Foods that help relieve the symptoms of uric acid patients include black cherry juice, also known as sour cherry, bananas, strawberries, and blueberries. Celery seed extract and bromelain are also effective remedies that are used to reduce uric acid levels. Folic acid can also help in improving your condition. Do consume vegetables such as cabbages and tomatoes. It is also a good idea to increase your intake of dairy products. Cheese and yogurt are beneficial for uric acid patients. Drink a lot of water to control your uric acid levels. Liquids which are low in caffeine help in removing uric acid from the blood.

High uric acid levels

High uric acid levels in the blood are the cause of gout and this condition requires medical attention and treatment. These high levels of uric acid could be caused by a hereditary problem, the wrong kind of diet, or a physical problem because of a malfunction of certain organs. If the kidneys do not function as they should, the excretion of toxins in the body is reduced and this causes elevated levels of serum uric acid in the body. This could even be brought on if the intake of purine rich foods is high in an individual’s diet and this is why a uric acid diet should be considered to keep the levels in check.

Uric acid in the human bodyThough uric acid levels in the human body have a certain function and should be maintained at the right level, high levels in women during pregnancy and in children are dangerous. The toxins in the blood of the mother could affect the growth and development of her baby.  It is important to keep in mind that low levels of uric acid could also be dangerous to one’s health, as low levels of uric acid are usually associated with MS or Multiple Sclerosis. This is one of the reasons why gout and MS are rarely found together in the same patient.

High uric acidGout, kidney stones, and kidney failure are just some of the health problems associated with high uric acid and some of the most common causes of high uric acid in the blood include a purine-rich diet and an unhealthy lifestyle. Symptoms of high uric acid levels include shortness of breath, weakness and lethargy, nausea, blood in the urine and swelling because of water retention.

The waste matter and toxins in the body are not completely excreted from the body and this causes a lot of discomfort and pain. If gout is brought on because of high uric acid then there is severe pain in the joints which limits the person’s movements.

High uric acid in bloodIf there are symptoms of high uric acid in the blood then the patient should undergo a blood test which will show whether the levels are elevated and the patient can then discuss treatment options with his/her doctor. Once this is done the causes should be diagnosed and the person should undergo treatment to bring down the levels and also follow a regular diet to control the uric acid in the blood. If the kidneys have been damaged because of the high level of uric acid dialysis may be required.

Uric acid dietA uric acid diet plan is essential if you wish to treat this disorder which would otherwise have far reaching consequences, like kidney failure. To avoid further damage to the system, a change in lifestyle and a proper diet is recommended along with the medication and treatment. to help stabilize the individual’s uric acid levels. The right diet will help to reduce the uric acid levels in the blood and this in turn will relieve the pain if gout has set in. Even if the patient does not have any symptoms of gout there are other problems like kidney failure which could be avoided if the right diet is maintained.

Uric acid diet chartEvery hospital and clinic will have a qualified dietician who will be able to give you a uric acid diet chart and a food list which will let you know what you can eat and what to avoid. It is important to avoid alcohol and foods which have yeast.

Diet for uric acid patientsThe diet for uric acid patients should be one which will eliminate their problems and reduce their symptoms. The juice of black cherries when consumed in large quantities is known to relieve the symptoms and pain of gout. The extract of celery seeds is an alternate remedy as it is supposed to have anti – inflammatory ingredients in the natural form. Foods which have a high content of uric acids should be avoided, while folic acid could be added to the diet as it helps to reduce the inflammation and some of the other symptoms.

Diet for high uric acidOnce the patient has a blood test which proves that their uric acid level is high, then it is best for him/her to start on a diet for high uric acid reduction. A certain level of uric acid is required for the health of the blood vessels and for the normal functions of the body, however, if this is in excess then there is danger of gout, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes. It is the purines in the food which we eat that are responsible for the rise in uric acid levels in the blood, so reducing the intake of such foods will help in reducing these levels.

Weight reduction and a healthy lifestyle can help in bringing down the uric acid levels in the body.

High uric acid treatmentTo find out clinically whether a high uric acid treatment is required, a urine test could also help to diagnose this with a urine sample which is collected over a twenty four hour period. There is some preparation involved before conduction this test and the doctor will tell you what to avoid before your have the test done.

Once the diagnosis is confirmed treatment can be started for the problem. Apart from the medications which help this condition there are a lot of natural therapies which could help to bring down the levels in the blood and the urine. As some of the methods of treatment for high uric acid levels could cause some discomfort like diarrhea and headache there are some natural detoxification therapies which your physician and dietician may recommend. However, people react differently to these treatments and therapies and a different method may have to be used for those who do not react well to a certain kind of treatment.

The post Diet For High Uric Acid And Gout appeared first on Diet, Nutrition, Exercise for a Healthy Life..

The normal range for uric acid in women is 2.0 – 7.0 mg/dl per 24 hours. The range is likely to be higher with age. However the normal range may vary slightly among different laboratories. To get the correct interpretation of your result talk to your specialist as high uric acid levels may be due to many reasons. Some of these include a purine rich diet, gout, disorders that affect the white blood cells or the bone marrow and other rare syndromes. Your levels are 6.9 mg/dl so they are not considered too high. However ways to keep it under normal levels should be adopted. There are a number of diet tips to maintain your uric acid levels in the normal range. For specific medication you will need to consult a specialist. After a correct diagnosis and examination he/she would prescribe you medications to lower your uric acid levels, if needed. You can try the following dietary modifications to lower your uric acid levels –

Reducing Uric Acid

• Drink plenty of water and other fluids in the form of coconut water, thin skimmed buttermilk, sugarcane juice, fresh unsweetened fruit juices and vegetable juices. An increased water intake will help you to increase your urine output and thus in turn help to flush out the excess uric acid from your system.
• Lose weight if you are above your ideal body weight. Losing even a few pounds can drastically improve your uric acid levels. However avoid starving or going on any fad diet which restricts food intake as this can increase your uric acid levels and make matters worst. Go for a gradual weight loss with a combination of diet and exercise.
• Decrease your intake of foods rich in purines. High uric acid is due to the breakdown of purines in the body. Purines are naturally present in our body as well as in the foods we eat. Some of the foods rich in purines are – meats, organ meats like liver and kidney, sweetbreads poultry, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies, lentils, peas, spinach, asparagus, alcohol, beer, mushrooms and yeast. Also avoid the gravies of meat and poultry as they are also rich in purines.
• Focus on eating a healthy diet comprising of whole cereals, grains and its products along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed foods, refined foods, packed and canned foods, junk foods and oily or fatty foods.
• Exercise or increase your physical activity. A simple exercise like brisk walking for 30-40 minutes daily will not only help to decrease your weight but also help to lower your uric acid levels and keep them in the normal range.

Uric acid reduction

There are several substances that are present in human urine and uric acid is one of those substances. Uric acid can be described as a byproduct that is formed by the metabolism of the purines, which are present in various foods. Uric acid is made up of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen as well as nitrogen and it contains strong antioxidant properties. However, if the amount of uric acid in a person’s blood stream goes above the normal uric acid levels, then it could lead to a painful condition known as gout. The excessive amount of uric acid that is present in the blood forms crystals, which get accumulated in the joints. The parts of the body that are affected the most are the toes. These crystals in the toe joints can lead to levels of pain that are so high they could actually wake a person up from deep sleep. Hence it is important to maintain the normal uric acid range within the body, in order to avoid suffering from such a painful condition.

The normal uric acid levels in a person’s urine can range between 3.0 mg/dl and 7.0 mg/dl. However, it has been seen that the normal range of uric acid fluctuates a bit, from one lab to another. It is comparatively rare to see a low level of uric acid in people, as opposed to high uric acid levels in the blood, even though there are a few factors that can lead to low levels of uric acid. These factors include genetics, liver malfunction, exposure to toxic chemicals and certain kidney diseases. However, there are many more factors that can take the uric acid levels above normal too.

In order to check if the levels of uric acid in the body are within the normal range or not, a doctor may need to conduct a medical exam and conduct a few lab tests too, to diagnose the exact cause of the high uric acid levels in the body. There could be two main factors that increase uric acid. The first one is that the body does not excrete the right amount of uric acid; the second is that the body is producing too much uric acid. Once the doctor determines the cause of the high levels of uric acid in the body, the appropriate measures can be taken for uric acid reduction.

The consumption of certain foods has been known to increase the levels of this waste product in the body, above the uric acid normal range in humans. Foods that are high in protein usually have this effect on the body. For effective uric acid reduction, most people are asked to strictly avoid or at least restrict the consumption of such foods.

Given below is a list of some of the foods that are high in purines and can therefore increase the levels of uric acid in the body:

• Most types of meat and meat products are very high in protein and purine, which include beef, pork, venison and lamb. At the same time meat organs kidneys, liver, brain, tongue and so on should be strictly avoided too.
• The flavor and texture of several gravies are usually enriched with meat extracts. These extracts can increase the levels of uric acid in the blood to a great extent.
• Several varieties of sea food can be instrumental in increasing the levels of uric acid in the blood. Therefore, for uric acid reduction, food items like sardines, haddock, mussels, anchovies, scallops, cod, herring, oysters, clams, lobsters, fish eggs and shrimp should be eaten only on certain occasions.
• Most people believe that all vegetables are a part of a uric acid prevention diet. However, that is not true, as certain vegetables are very high in protein. Some of the vegetables that should be avoided are spinach, peas, beans, cauliflower, asparagus and mushrooms. Vegetables like corn and potatoes should also be consumed no more than once a week.
• The most important thing that should be eliminated completely from a uric acid diet chart is alcohol. While all alcoholic beverages have a bad effect on people who have high levels of uric acid in their body, beer is believed to be the worst.
• Any beverages or food items that are high in sugar could lead to several health problems, which include gout. Therefore, foods that contain high amounts of sugar should be eaten in small quantities.

Uric acid diet plan

While there are many foods that could increase the levels of uric acid in the body, there are certain food items that can also help in uric acid reduction.

Given below are some of the foods that can help reduce the levels of uric acid in the body:

• Certain fresh fruits can work wonders on uric acid reduction and hence, fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and bananas should be eaten on a regular basis. Several health experts also state that wild cherries, black cherries or the juice of cherries should be consumed every day, to reduce uric acid.
• Dairy products are usually excellent for preventing gout, as they reduce the levels of uric acid in the body. Hence, most health experts advise patients to increase their daily intake of plain yogurt, low fat milk as well as cheese (preferably low fat).
• A uric acid reduction diet is incomplete without a high amount of water. Uric acid, as well as any other toxins that are present in the human body, usually get flushed out by drinking high amounts of water. Hence, it is important to increase the consumption of water and if possible to drink more than the recommended minimum of 8 glasses a day.

Apart from following a uric acid foods diet plan, there are other ways of reducing the levels of uric acid in the body too. Many people practice Pilates, Yoga asana (poses) and other exercises, to reduce the discomfort caused by the buildup of uric acid in the body. However, it is important to consult a doctor, before making any dietary changes or trying out any exercises for uric acid reduction.

The post Uric Acid Measurement and Range of Uric Acid appeared first on Diet, Nutrition, Exercise for a Healthy Life..