Gout is the most painful form of arthritis and is caused by an excessive amount of uric acid in the body. Gout symptoms come on quickly and intensely and often include extreme pain, swelling in the affected joint, redness, and decreased mobility. Uric acid is a natural chemical in the body and if it is produced in excess it can be controlled with some medications specially made for the treatment of gout, although most excess uric acid levels come from a diet rich in uric acid. purines.

Purines are found in protein-rich foods and can be found in common foods like salmon, yeast, bacon, turkey, and scallops, as well as unusual foods like heart, lamb, smelt, sardines, and the liver. When considering a gout treatment plan, it’s important to work not only with your doctor, but also with a nutritionist trained in gout diets.

Gout and exercise have also made some recent jumps up the scale of the gout treatment plan. When thinking about gout and exercise, it’s important to consider exercises that are gentle on the joints and won’t further aggravate gout symptoms. It has been determined that the two best forms of exercise for gout patients are water aerobics and yoga. Water aerobics allows you to strengthen your muscles and joints in a low-impact environment that doesn’t put stress on your joints during your workout.

Yoga offers joint and muscle stretching to help with flexibility, which can also help prevent gout episodes and symptoms. Yoga is also a progressive form of exercise that allows someone who is just a beginner or experiencing severe gout symptoms to start with smaller movements and then move up to more challenging movements and positions as she can. Both forms of exercise are widely available at most gyms and community centers.

While gout and exercise are a great way to help treat and prevent gout episodes, it’s important to work with a nutritionist to develop a gout diet to get and keep excess uric acid out of your body. to better prevent future episodes. You may also need to include pain control in your treatment plan as you work to prevent future episodes. With a little help and some dedication you can control your taste and keep it from affecting your active life.