Reduce Uric Acid Naturally

High-protein diets are oftentimes used for weight loss. Still, they can lead to an excess of uric acid. Instead, you should exercise and follow a healthy and balanced diet.

When uric acid levels in the body get too high, they can cause a variety of ailments such as gout, kidney stones, and poor renal function. Learn more about this problem and some natural remedies to reduce uric acid naturally in this article!

Uric acid: what you need to know

Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of a compound known as purine, which is in foods like liver, herring, anchovies, and sardines. Milk and some vegetables also contain purines. However, studies have shown that they don’t impact your health or increase the risk of gout.

Uric acid is “recycled” when cells die and helps to protect blood vessels. The kidneys are responsible for filtering it from the blood and excreting it in the urine. Your body also releases small amounts in feces. When it produces too much, the acid accumulates in your joints, tendons, and internal organs like the kidneys.

Elevated uric acid levels play a key role in the development of a condition known as gout. Nevertheless, not everyone develops gout this way (it can also be due to hypertension, or heart or kidney disease).

There are many causes of elevated uric acid, from heredity to obesity, heavy alcohol consumption or a diet high in “bad” purines. Diuretic medications, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hyperthyroidism, psoriasis, and immuno-suppressant drugs can also raise uric acid levels.

It’s worth mentioning that high levels of uric acid don’t produce symptoms at first.

Foods that reduce uric acid naturally

• Eat an unpeeled apple (red or green) after lunch and dinner (wash it well beforehand). Make it a habit to keep your body healthy. Apple peels are rich in vitamin C. Furthermore, apples contain “healthy” acids, like malic acid, that detoxify the body and reduce uric acid.

• Drink two tablespoons of cherry juice a day. Cherry juice contains flavonoids, which give cherries their red color and help flush uric acid from the body.
• Watch out for foods high in purines, like red meats (pork and lamb, too), beans, and alcoholic beverages. Eat them only once a week and replace with foods low in fat and purines. This includes cooked rice, bread, cottage cheese, or natural yogurt.
• Drink at least eight glasses of water a day for a wealth of essential minerals. In addition, you’ll flush out toxins and bacteria for your body’s overall health. Your kidneys need plenty of water to be efficient. Salt and caffeine produce the opposite effect, and should therefore be avoided.

• Eat more artichokes! These vegetables have excellent diuretic properties that reduce uric acid naturally. There are many recipes to choose from but the best involves boiling and eating them. Also, make sure to drink the water they’re cooked in.
• Onions are often mentioned because of their ability to reduce uric acid naturally. They cleanse the body and prevent many health problems. Boil two peeled onions and chop them into large chunks. Add the juice of one lemon and drink a few cups a day.
• Strawberries are ideal for gout and lowering uric acid. You can make tea from their leaves and roots or just eat more strawberries for dessert every day.

Additional tips for reducing uric acid

• Do a total body detox about once every two months to help rid the body of urate crystals. Mix half a tablespoon of baking soda in a ¼ liter of water and drink eight times throughout the day. Avoid drinking this solution if you have hypertension or any renal disorder.
• Be sure to include foods rich in potassium in your diet. Potassium prevents the urate crystals and improves kidney function. Add bananas, green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard), raisins and prunes, potatoes, watermelon, strawberries, and apricots to your diet. You should also eat more complex carbohydrates like those found in fruits, greens, and whole grains.
• Limit or eliminate foods that contain fructose or corn syrup since they can raise uric acid levels. There’s often fructose in soft drinks and other beverages (and even in some juices). Choose water or natural juices without additives.
• Use apple cider vinegar as a salad dressing. Studies have shown that it reduces uric acid thanks to its acetic acid and potassium content. You can also mix two tablespoons into a glass of cold water and drink it twice a day.
• Avoid high-protein diets, especially those used for weight loss; they can cause a rise in uric acid levels. Following a healthy diet and exercising are much better for weight loss.