Gout-Friendly Eating: Nutrition Guidelines & Diet Restrictions

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Excess uric acid can lead to a buildup of fluid surrounding the joints, which can result in uric acid crystals. The formation of these crystals causes the joints to swell, become inflamed, and cause intense pain. The good news is that you can control gout. In addition to taking medications, dietary and lifestyle changes can help prevent painful attacks. A gout-friendly diet involves a specific plan, which is designed to avoid painful gout attacks. Learn more about which foods to include — and those to avoid — to help prevent symptoms.

What Causes Gout?

Gout develops when there is too much uric acid in the blood. This over-abundance of uric acid may be the result a diet high in purines. Or, your body may produce too much uric acid. In some cases, blood uric acid levels may remain normal, yet gout is still the correct diagnosis. This is due to the body excreting excess uric acid in the urine and inflammatory factors.

 

What Are Purines Anyway?

Purines are chemical compounds that, when metabolized, are broken down into uric acid. Purines are either made by your body, or taken into your body through foods you eat.

In a normal process, purines break down into uric acid. The uric acid is then dissolved in the blood, passed through the kidneys into the urine, and eliminated from the body.

However, this isn’t usually the case in gout. Complications occur when the kidneys don’t get rid of uric acid fast enough, or if there is an increased amount of uric acid production. These high levels build up in the blood, leading to what is known as hyperuricemia. Though not classified as a disease, hyperuricemia can be dangerous if it leads to the formation of uric acid crystals. Gout can develop when these crystals build up around the joints.

 

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Nonalcoholic fatty liver facts

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD) is the accumulation of abnormal amounts of fat within the liver.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can be divided into isolated fatty liver in which there is only accumulation of fat, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which there is fat, inflammation, and damage to liver cells.

NASH progresses to scarring and ultimately to cirrhosis, with all the complications of cirrhosis, for example, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver failure, and liver cancer.

The development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is intimately associated with and is probably caused by obesity and diabetes.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is considered a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome.

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Sugar Detox Diet: Health Benefits

Benefits of Sugar Detox

There are various sugar detox diet plans that have flooded the market over the past 10 years. We have collected a few of the findings of two health care professionals for this list of sugar detox benefits. Dr. Mark Hyman is the author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet and Traci D. Mitchell wrote the Belly Burn Plan book.

 

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Ways to Maintain Weight Loss

 

There are a few common reasons why people gain back the weight they lose. They are mostly related to unrealistic expectations and feelings of deprivation.

Restrictive diets: Extreme calorie restriction may slow your metabolism and shift your appetite-regulating hormones, which are both factors that contribute to weight regain. Continue reading →

Gluten Free and Low Glycemic Diet Benefits

Benefits of a Low Glycemic and a Gluten-Free Diet

Not just for Celiac Disease

Creating a gluten-free eating plan with foods that have a low glycemic index, or GI, can be a balancing act. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats that causes a severe autoimmune reaction in people with celiac disease. The starchy vegetables and grains that replace foods with gluten may have a high GI value, meaning that they can raise your blood sugar quickly after you eat them. Whether you have celiac disease or are eating gluten-free foods for other dietary reasons, you can keep your blood sugar stable by emphasizing low-GI gluten substitutes and increasing your intake of foods that are naturally gluten-free.

 

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Reasons Your Diet and Exercise Isn’t Working

5 Reasons Why Your New Diet and Exercise Routine Isn’t Working

By Best Health

It’s one of the most frustrating moments for any dieter: after a week of hard work, you step on the scale only to find the number hasn’t budged at all. Sometimes, the reason is obvious (think office birthday parties or missed workouts). But often, you can’t figure out why you haven’t lost weight. Here are five possible reasons.

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Stay In Shape During Winter Days

There is a cold wind blowing outside, and the temperatures have dropped below freezing. The sidewalks and roads are covered by slush or ice, and the sky is a gloomy shade of grey. It’s hard enough to motivate yourself to get outside and exercise when the weather is sunny and warm, so how are you supposed to maintain your goal of healthy living when Winter makes outdoor activities so unappealing?

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BASIC DIETING: Eating Right Isn’t Complicated

 

Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated — simply begin to shift to healthier food and beverage choices. These recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans can help get you started.

  • Emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products.
  • Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
  • Make sure your diet is low in saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

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Healthy eating solutions for everyday life

 

 

 

Everything you eat and drink matters. Find your healthy eating style and maintain it for a lifetime. Start with small changes to make healthier choices you can enjoy. The right mix can help you be healthier now and into the future.

To build your own healthy eating style, follow the MyPlate building blocks below. Each one has starter tips to inspire you to create your own solutions — “MyWins.” The key is choosing a variety of foods and beverages from each food group — and making sure that each choice is limited in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.
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Weight Management Tips for People With Depression

Are you up or down? It’s not just your mood, but also your weight that can be affected by depression. These tips can help you regain balance.

Which comes first, obesity or depression? Just like “the chicken or the egg” scenario, the underlying problem with depression and weight gain (or weight loss) can be hard to tell. Symptoms of depression and weight management issues are linked, and the relationship is a two-way street. In fact, a study done in the Netherlands found that obesity increases the risk for depression in initially non-depressed people by 55 percent, and depression increases the risk for obesity in initially normal-weight people by 58 percent.
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