Since doctors believe gout is caused by an imbalance of uric acid in the body, maintaining a balanced level of uric acid is the best treatment and preventative measure for it.
Some strategies for maintaining a normal uric acid level include avoiding alcohol dependence, liver disease, and obesity, as well as ensuring good nutrition (especially getting enough protein) and the proper use of medications - your doctor can advise you about this.
However, some people find that allergic reactions to certain foods cause arthritic pain, including gout. In that case, investigating which food(s) is the culprit and eliminating that food for a while should relieve the symptoms. Keeping a food journal is a good way to keep track of what foods might be causing problems for you.
Once you have narrowed down a food that you might be allergic to, a simple way to test it is to eat that food first thing in the morning and then wait about 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything else. During this time, write down all physical reactions you might have, such as phlegm, runny nose, cough, dizziness, gas, etc. If you have a number of reactions, that food might not agree with you. Try eliminating it for a while, then adding it back into your diet once every four days. This is called a rotation. It gives your body a chance to recover from a food that may cause you some problems before you eat it again.
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