Thursday, September 1, 2011

Reduce Uric Acid Levels In The Blood

Uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines, which circulate in your blood as a chemical waste product. The purines themselves come from the food and drink we consume, especially in meat or alcohol. Too much purines in the body increases uric acid levels and can produce gout, or crystal formations at the joints. There are several methods that can help to reduce uric acid levels.


Instructions








1. Consume 1 cup of fresh or dried cherries daily. Cherries contain a potent compound called anthocyanin, which gives cherries their dark red color. Anthocyanin is known to lower uric acid levels. Stay away from canned or bottled cherries since these are bathed in sugar syrup and can cause your uric acid levels to spike.


2. Eat foods rich in fiber. Fiber can help flush out uric acid in your blood by binding it with the cholesterol from the food you consume and eliminating it through feces. Foods rich in fiber include avocados, prunes, apples, bananas, raisins and oats. Consume at least three servings on a daily basis.


3. Drink 2 to 3 glasses of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice daily. Lemons contain high amounts of vitamin C, which can dissolve uric acid in your blood and flush it out of your body via urine. Squeeze 4 to 5 lemons into a glass of water. Avoid adding sugar since it can aggravate your pancreas and raise uric acid production.


4. Stay away from foods that are rich in purines. These include all red meats like beef, pork and lamb. When purines are dissolved in your body completely, they turn into uric acid. Instead, try to eat foods that are low in purines such as broccoli, fruits, pasta, rice and soy products (soy milk and tofu).


5. Stop drinking alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer. Alcohol is clinically known to increase blood uric acid levels. Also, avoid drinking non-alcoholic beers and wines since these drinks also contain small amounts of alcohol. If you feel like having a beer, drink 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar mixed with one cup of water. This can help repress your cravings for alcohol.

Tags: uric acid, acid levels, uric acid levels, your blood, acid your