Being healthy is not for special occasions. It is a day to day challenge to fortify yourself from within. Good nutrition is as important as cultivating certain healthy habits to reduce your risk of falling prey to some of the chronic lifestyle diseases that are becoming increasingly common.
With our hectic schedules and convenient choices, having high levels of uric acid is one such problem that many of you could face. Uric acid is a chemical found in your blood which is created when a substance called purine is broken down in your body. Purine is found in foods like peas, spinach, anchovies, mushrooms, dried beans and even beer. Most of the uric acid formed in the body dissolves in the blood and is excreted through the kidneys. If your body if producing too much uric acid or is not able to remove enough of it, it may lead to hyperuricemia. High levels of uric acid in the body can be detected through a blood test.
Bangalore-based Nutritionist Dr. Anju Sood explains this simply, “The three important components of food are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. After the proteins get metabolised the end product formed is uric acid which is removed from the body through urine. People who are obese or over weight may also produce more uric which often gets accumulated in the lower body.”
High levels of uric acid in your body can cause several problems. It leads to the formation of solid crystals within the joints which causes a painful condition called gout. It may also cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure in severe cases. The amount of uric acid in your body can be detected through a simple blood test and therefore, it’s important to have regular check-ups.
The normal range of uric acid in your body is 3.4 to 7 mg/dL for men and 2.4 to 6 mg/dL for women.
Dr. Sood suggests, “You should drink lots of water to flush out the excess uric acid from the body. Also, eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.” In addition to this, here are some home remedies may help you control high levels of uric acid.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar: Mix one teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink this every day. Apple cider vinegar acts like a natural cleanser and detoxifier. It contains malic acid which helps in breaking down and removing uric acid from the body. Apples also contain malic acid and you should eat at least one a day.
2.Lime juice: Ayuveda Expert Dr. B.N Sinha suggests that you should drink lime water at least twice a day to flush out the excess uric acid. Lime contains citric acid which helps in dissolving the uric acid. You should also eat foods rich in Vitamin C like amla, guava and oranges.
3. Eat antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables: A study conducted by University of Maryland suggests that you should load up on more antioxidant rich berries like cherries, blueberries and strawberries. Dark coloured berries contain flavonoids called anthocyanins that help in reducing inflammation and stiffness. Alkaline foods like tomatoes and bell peppers also help in balancing the acid levels in your body.
4. Celery seeds: Celery seeds are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids and other diuretic oils. As a powerful diurectic, it helps in cleaning the system of excess liquids by stimulating the kidneys to flush out the uric acid. It alkalizes your blood and also lowers inflammation in the body. You can take half teaspoon of dried celery seeds once a day but remember to have plenty of water with it.
5. High fibre-foods: The same study conducted by University of Maryland also recommends that you should add more high-fibre foods to your diet in order to control the level of uric acid in blood. Dietary fibre absorbs the excess uric acid in your blood and helps it to get eliminated from your body. Oats, bananas and grains like jowar and bajra are good sources of soluble fibre.
