combining a dietary plan designed to reduce uric acid levels with the medications prescribed by your healthcare provider can effectively manage gout, which is considered one of the more manageable forms of arthritis.

It's essential to maintain open communication with your doctor about your dietary choices. In the meantime, you can use this shopping checklist as a valuable resource to help you make healthier food selections, optimize your overall well-being, decrease uric acid levels, and minimize the likelihood of experiencing painful gout flare-ups

Please consider adding the following items to your shopping cart:

• Skim milk.

• Low-fat dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese.

• Whole-grain products, such as those with the Whole Grain stamp or ingredients like "whole wheat flour."

• Plant oils like olive, canola, and sunflower oil.

• A variety of vegetables.

• Cherries.

• Vitamin C supplements. It's worth noting that a study demonstrated a reduction in gout incidence in men with a daily intake of 500 mg or more.

• Coffee (if it's a part of your routine).

• Water bottles for convenient hydration, although tap water is a perfectly fine alternative.

Opt for Alternatives

Consider choosing healthier options over the following:

• Instead of red meat and organ meats like liver, tongue, and sweetbreads, explore leaner protein sources.

• Swap out shellfish such as shrimp and lobster for other seafood options.

• Replace refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, pasta, and sugar with whole grains and complex carbohydrates.

• Opt for nutritious whole foods over processed snacks like chips, frozen dinners, and other convenience items.

• Reduce your consumption of sugary beverages in favor of hydrating with water or other healthier alternatives.

• If you choose to consume alcohol, it's advisable to limit your intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men within a 24-hour period.