Gout is a disease caused by the accumulation of uric acid due to impaired purine metabolism and is a type of arthritis, also known as metabolic arthritis. It is a painful inflammation caused by high concentrations of uric acid in the body’s blood, which forms needle-like crystals in soft tissues such as joint membranes or tendons, causing the body’s immune system to overreact. The usual sites of attack are the big toe joint, ankle joint, knee joint, etc. Long-term gout attacks have been seen in the finger joints and even in the soft tissues of the ear. Acute gout attacks are characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and severe pain, usually in the middle of the night, which can wake people from sleep. In the early stages of gout, attacks are mostly seen in the joints of the lower limbs. If uric acid salt is deposited in the kidneys, it can cause kidney stones and urinary tract stones, triggering severe back pain. Causes of gout Hyperuricemia is the main cause of gout. Studies have shown that in men, the higher the blood uric acid concentration, the higher the chance of developing gout symptoms, and 4.9% of those with a blood uric acid concentration of more than 9 mg per metric will develop gout. Recent large epidemiological studies have found that gout is associated with the consumption of alcohol (especially beer), excessive consumption of meat and seafood (especially offal and shellfish), and recent studies have pointed out that high sugar (such as carbonated drinks and fructose) can cause gout. On the other hand, vitamin C, coffee and dairy products may be helpful in preventing the development of gout. Alcohol causes gout because when alcohol is metabolized in liver tissues, it absorbs a lot of water, intensifying blood levels and causing uric acid, which is already close to saturation, to enter soft tissues and form crystals at an accelerated rate, causing the body’s immune system to overreact (sensitize) and cause inflammation. After metabolism of some foods, some of the derivatives can trigger the redissolution of uric acid crystals originally accumulated in the soft tissues, which can then trigger and aggravate arthritis. In addition, strenuous exercise, obesity and stress can also lead to an increase in uric acid concentration, which can trigger gout. Gout mostly strikes in the middle of the night because the body secretes the least amount of the anti-inflammatory substance adrenocorticotropic hormone in the middle of the night while sleeping, plus the acid-base value is acidic due to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the body, and the temperature of the toes is lower, plus the fluid near the toes will be absorbed by the body to increase the concentration of uric acid, so gout is most likely to appear in the bunion area in the middle of the night. Gout Prevention People over 40 years old should have regular health checkups and undergo blood uric acid value tests to prevent gout. If you have hyperuricemia, you should take uric acid-lowering medication under the direction of your physician to keep your uric acid level within the normal range, and you should also eliminate all gout triggers from your life and diet. Reduce the consumption of animal-based high purine foods (e.g. seafood, offal, non-vegetarian soup), and avoid excessive alcoholic beverages, especially beer, which is a no-no for gout patients. A more effective diet in the long run is one that prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes and kidney disease (low saturated fat, low sodium, low glycemic index, low refined sugar, not too much or too little protein, and not too much potassium and phosphorus for patients who have lost a certain degree of kidney function), which also makes it easier to maintain an ideal weight and reduce obesity. Do not overeat (including drinking as often as possible, not drinking until you are thirsty, and using small amounts of water to achieve adequate water intake), starve excessively, and under-exercise and vigorous exercise can also increase the risk of gout. If gout has already struck, it is important to immediately test uric acid levels, kidney function, blood pressure and blood glucose and receive treatment, and to start preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes (the first gout is a sign to start preventing these diseases) to avoid complications such as myocardial infarction, cerebral embolism and gouty nephropathy. Foods that increase the probability of gout In the past, the idea was that foods with high purine content would increase the probability of gout, but the latest epidemiological studies show that in addition to beer and fermented foods, almost all high purine plant foods can reduce the probability of gout; traditionally, fructose, which does not contain purines, can cause high uric acid; and the prevention and treatment of gout is the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome. Diet that needs to be controlled 1, refined sugar (including fructose and fruit juice, but fruit is relatively safe, while maltodextrin is a common food and milk powder additives, maltodextrin has the harm of refined sugar but not the sweetness of refined sugar), saturated fat (fatty meat, cream, ghee, palm oil), high glycemic index food (to prevent diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease standards can be controlled, so that uric acid naturally down). 2, not enough water, most drinks can not be counted in the water consumption; also note that diuretics can hinder uric acid excretion and cause gout in serious cases, so diuretic diet (such as tea, coffee, drinking too much water at a time) and medications, all represent the need for more total water consumption; gout patients need to significantly increase total water consumption and drink small amounts of water several times, is the first step to prevent recurrence (but in the period before bedtime to reduce Drinking water to avoid increasing the problem of nocturia, because lack of sleep can trigger gout), it is recommended that at least 2000cc per day (if more serious kidney disease according to the instructions of the doctor), if sweating or hot days to drink more. 3, high sodium diet, mainly to avoid high blood pressure on the kidney damage, poor kidney function will make uric acid can not be discharged. 4, the total calorie is too high or too low (normal weight people to not get fat the safest, obese and central obese people to lose 1 ~ 2 kg per month the safest). 5, alcohol, especially not beer and spirits diluted after drinking. 6, shelled seafood, fish skin, animal skin and offal, gravy, animal broth, animal hot pot soup. 7, red meat. 8, lactic acid drinks (mainly to avoid those with high sugar), yeast. 9, lean meat and other high-protein foods (to avoid excessive kidney burden standard control can be).