Gout treatment - drinking lots of water a day isn't so hard

Gout is a painful condition that can be alleviated with large amounts of water, among other things. Gout patients are always advised by their doctors to drink a lot of water and fluids, but the recommended amounts sometimes sound scary for them. Truth be told, plenty of fluids will help a gout patient with bouts of this condition, but the fluids do not necessarily need to comprise of water alone.

Water and gout

Large amounts of water are recommended to gout sufferers for two reasons. The first is the fact that water dilutes uric acid. Excess uric acid is usually, but not always, the single most important cause of gout. When it is diluted with water, uric acid is much easier to expel from the body. The levels of this substance drop, and when they reach the target level of six milligrams per deciliter, the crystals accumulated in the joints may start dissolving too, which brings relief for gout symptoms.

Another beneficial quality of water is its pH level, which is usually around 7.0. This has an alkalinizing effect on the body, which is important because an alkaline body expels uric acid more easily. Alkalinity of the body, which is encouraged for gout sufferers, can easily be tested and measured using pH test strips or sticks.

Gout sufferers are advised to drink between eight and 12 tall glasses of water per day. This may seem troublesome for some, but the good news is they can get their fluids from other beverages too, and even from some foods.

Fluids other than water

There are other beverages that can be taken in order to achieve the beneficial effect on gout attacks. Fruit juices and milk are the best choice. Coffee is generally not recommended because of the caffeine, which has a diuretic effect and actually promotes fluid elimination from the body. Decaf coffee and decaf tea are a much better choice for gout patients.

Juices are highly recommended, especially those made of fruits with high flavonoid content. Cherry juice is the best juice for gout patients, but juices made of berries, especially blackberries, strawberries and blueberries, also work great.

Milk is also recommended, as it usually contains about 88% water. In addition, milk contains certain proteins that reduce the uric acid.

Certain foods have a high water content and should be included in the diet for gout. The best ones are watermelon and tomatoes, which can contain up to 90% water. However, gout patients should be careful with tomatoes, because they may be acidic and hence not suitable for relieving the symptoms of gout.

Soups and stews are also a good option, as long as they are not too spicy or salty.