With its geographical location, Japan has become a major consumer of seafood. Japan is surrounded by the sea on all sides and lacks sufficient land for cultivating ingredients, making seafood a primary choice for many in Japan.
As early as 2016, the number of gout sufferers in Japan exceeded 3 million, with 20% of the population having high uric acid levels, meaning that one in every two adult males is a high uric acid patient.
The “culprits” of purine have been identified; besides seafood, if you love to eat, gout may come uninvited
1. Animal organs
Processed animal organs can indeed be very delicious, but foods like pig liver, chicken liver, etc., are the best weapons for triggering gout attacks.
This is because animal organs are high-purine foods that, after being metabolized in the body, produce a large amount of uric acid, easily leading to the formation of uric acid in the body. Gout is closely related to hyperuricemia and easily triggers gout.
2. Certain vegetables
Vegetables are very beneficial to the body, but incorrect consumption can also cause harm.
In daily life, it is advisable to consume less foods such as pea shoots, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, as they are high-purine foods with purine content exceeding 100mg per 100g.
3. Meat broth
Many people believe that consuming meat broth has great nourishing effects, but often, it can have the opposite effect.
The purine content in meat is also very high, and after being cooked, a large amount of purine content dissolves into the broth. As a result, the purine content in the broth becomes exceptionally high, excessive intake of which can cause harm.
Be vigilant for abnormal signs of the three stages of gout:
Acute attack phase
If swelling, redness, and pain occur in joints such as ankles, toes, and arms at the beginning of the night frequently, this may be an acute attack of gout.
Interictal period
If the interval between two gout attacks is several months or even years, gradually becoming more frequent with increasing severity of pain and uric acid levels, it is likely intermittent gout.
Chronic phase
If the body already has complications such as gouty tophi, chronic arthritis, and gouty nephropathy, over time, it will enter the chronic phase of gout.
During this period, gout attacks will involve gouty tophi, which with time, will become increasingly prominent.
How to effectively relieve a gout attack
Apply ice packs appropriately
When experiencing joint pain, many people opt for heat packs, which can actually worsen the pain. Applying ice packs can help alleviate the sensation of pain, but prolonged application can cause vasoconstriction and hinder inflammation recovery.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking water abundantly can facilitate the rapid elimination of uric acid from the body.
During an attack, drinking water can dissolve uric acid swiftly, promoting its excretion and thus relieving pain, shortening the duration of pain, and alleviating the discomfort.
Pain is a particularly agonizing experience, so it’s essential to proactively seek preventive measures against gout outbreaks.
