Nutrition for Gout Print

by Andrea Holwegner | Sep 18, 2013

Listen to my monthly radio program with Angela Kokott, host of Calgary Today for our segment, “You are what you eat” to get the goods on healthy eating.

Listen to Episode 49 Part 1 Here: Nutrition for Gout
Listen to Episode 49 Part 2 Here: Nutrition for Gout

One in thirty Canadians has gout, which typically appears between the ages of 30-50 years for men and post menopause for women. Men are four times more likely than women to develop gout.

What is gout?

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is caused by a build up of uric acid crystals in the joints. Acute gout attacks can be described as very sharp pain often in the big toe or heel, ankle or instep. This can be as a result of alcohol intake, a high purine rich diet, medications, surgery, heart attack, menopause or trauma. It is important to seek medical care and watch your diet so that gout attacks do not become recurring since this can cause permanent joint damage and increase the risk of heart disease.

What is the treatment for gout?

Treatment usually involves medication prescribed by your doctor as well as rest and ice.

Long term prevention of future gout attacks involves the following lifestyle changes:

1. Weight loss if you are overweight

Higher weights increases the risk of high uric acid levels and gout and weight loss has been shown to decrease uric acid levels.

2. Reduce purine-containing foods

Reduce purine containing foods to small portions since they are broken down into uric acid in the body. Purine rich foods include meat (beef, pork, lamb, game), seafood (anchovies, tuna, sardines, lobster, scallops, shrimp, herring, mackerel) and organ meats.

3. Reduce alcohol intake and pop

Ethanol interferes with excretion of uric acid leading to more build up in the body. Beer in particular (unlike wine and spirits) increases uric acid levels and gout risk the most since it also contains purines. High levels of fructose from pop and excessive fruit juice consumption can increase the risk of gout.

4. Drink more water and enjoy some coffee

Drink 2-3 litres of water per day to help excrete uric acid in the urine. A few cups of coffee per day can reduce uric acid levels and reduce gout.

5. Add more dairy foods

Include 2-3 cups of milk or other dairy foods since research has shown this reduces uric acid and lowers the risk of gout.

6. Boost your vitamin C intake

Vitamin C is thought to protect against gout by reducing uric acid levels. Choose vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits, melon, strawberries, kiwis, tomatoes, canned tomatoes, broccoli and peppers. Consider a vitamin C supplement as an extra boost.

Andrea Holwegner

About Andrea Holwegner

CEO, Registered Dietitian, Counseling Practice Director & Professional Speaker

Andrea the «Chocoholic Nutritionist» is founder and CEO of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. since 2000. She is an online nutrition course creator, professional speaker and regular guest in the media. Andrea is the recipient of an award by the Dietitians of Canada: The Speaking of Food & Healthy Living Award for Excellence in Consumer Education....Read more

1 Comment

Gerald Vonberger on June 3, 2015 at 11:55 am

My mom just found out that she has gout and cardiovascular disease. It’s been quite a shock for her since she’s never really had to deal with any type of diseases before. It’s really helpful to know about treatments that are available. It will really help to know what diet adjustments she needs to make to prevent future gout attacks. Thanks for sharing!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."

Adele Fox, Psychologist

“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!”

Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client

“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. Andrea and her team really are the best in the business.”

Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”

Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”

Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client

“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”

Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”

Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

“I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”

Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”

Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant

“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”

Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

“I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”

Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client

“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”

Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Andrea is an excellent teacher and motivator. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”

Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

Nutrition for Gout Print

What is gout?

What is the treatment for gout?

Andrea Holwegner

About Andrea Holwegner

1 Comment

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Some of our clients

Success stories

Satisfy your curiosity.

Pin It on Pinterest