Gout affects both men and women regardless of their body size, but it affects mostly women and men who are in the 40's and 50's who are overweight or obese.
One thing is clear, it affects more men than women, as research has shown that it affects 7 to 9 times men than it does women.
Gout occurs when there is excess uric acid in the tissues of the body, as well as in the joints.
People who suffer from gout have one of two problems, and sometimes it can be both - the body is not excreting the uric acid as it should or it is producing too much uric acid.
The first sign of gout appears in the big toe, and this is typical for most people.
It starts with excruciating pain in the toe, and it can spread to the other joints.
The pain can be accompanied by redness and swelling.
As a gout sufferer, here are 6 things that you can do to cope better with gout: 1.
Shellfish, bacon, anchovies, liver and organ meats are just some of the foods that are high in purines and purines are the culprit for gout sufferers because they encourage the formation of uric acid.
People who suffer from gout need to lower their food intake of foods that are high in purines.
2.
Alcohol consumption should be at a minimum for people with gout, because it affects the removal of uric acid from the body.
3.
Gout sufferers who are overweight need to have a serious think about their weight.
As we know, excess weight can put a lot of strain on the joints.
The benefit of losing weight for someone with gout is that it can reduce the blood urate levels.
4.
Stock up on your low purine foods.
These include but are not limited to nuts, strawberries and dark berries.
5.
Drink up.
As you know water is known to rid toxins from your body.
It will not rid your body of the all the excess uric acid in your body, but every little bit that gets flushed out is a step towards a healthier you.