Preventing Gout

More and more people are suffering from gout, but the reasons why might surprise you.

It might simply be too much coffee.

Gout is a very painful type of joint arthritis caused by a build up of uric acid in the body. When this gets deposited in the joints it can cause redness, swelling and a good deal of pain. It mostly affects men, but is also seen more in women after they've gone through menopause. Although there are different ways to treat it, from changes in diet to medications, doing what you can to avoid it is important.

And since gout has increased around 4% over the last few years, researchers have pinpointed a couple of favorite beverages that might increase you chances of getting this painful condition; coffee and sodas. In particular they found that caffeine “binges” can more than triple your chances of having an attack. Sodas, and other sugar sweetened drinks, especially if you drink them every day, can also raise your risk.

So you best bet, as usual, is the old tried and true moderation.