Your Care Instructions

There are many factors that can put you at a higher risk of gout: genetics, sex, age, medical conditions, certain medicines, and lifestyle factors.
Purines are substances found in some foods. Your body turns purines into uric acid. High levels of uric acid can cause gout, which is a form of arthritis that causes pain and inflammation in joints.

You may be able to help control the amount of uric acid in your body by limiting high-purine foods in your diet. Not all foods high in purines increase uric acid. More research is needed to know how different foods can affect gout.
A diet low in purines used to be recommended to treat gout. Now, following a healthy diet and staying at a healthy weight are the best ways to manage gout.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• Eat a variety of foods from the Canada's food guide each day.
• Limit fruit juice, sugar-sweetened beverages, sugar-sweetened foods and table sugar. These can raise your uric acid levels.
• Limit foods high in purines:
  • Organ meats, such as liver, kidneys, sweetbreads, and brains.
  • Any other meats in large amounts.
  • Some types of seafood such as anchovies, sardines, herring, mackerel, and scallops.
• Drink enough fluids every day
  • Drink 9 to 12 cups (2.25 to 3 litres) of fluids every day
  • Any liquid counts as fluid, but the best choice is water.
  • Canada’s food guide suggests limiting sugar-sweetened drinks, such as soft drinks, slushies, and fruit-flavoured drinks. Low-fat dairy products may lower the risk of repeated gout attacks.
• Limit or don’t drink alcohol
  • Alcohol, especially beer and hard liquor, can cause uric acid to build up
  • If you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start.