Gout, a type of arthritis where crystals form inside and around joints, can cause sufferers recurrent attacks of red, tender, hot, and swollen joints. Pain normally comes on rapidly, and can render people unable to walk, and it’s estimated by the National Health Service (NHS) that between one and two people in every 100 suffer from Gout in Britain.
But help is at hand, with researchers from the University of Minas Gerais in Brazil suggesting a change in diet can help alleviate symptoms.
The team used a fibre rich diet teamed with fatty acid treatments on mice to prevent inflammation associated with the injection of crystals in the knees, and it was found to reduce inflammation. Another exciting finding was the treatment also boosted the production of anti-inflammation compounds in the knee joint, preventing further knee damage and dysfunction.
They concluded that getting lots of fibre into your meals can trigger microorganisms in the gut to produce fatty acids, which cut inflammation linked to gout and arthritis.
Beans, wholemeal bread, rice and potatoes are all good sources of fibre.
“By understanding the way foods interact with living organisms, we may be able to create diets that help people with the disease, as well as their health overall,” study co-author Dr Mauro Teixeira said.
Findings have been published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
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