Gout, as we know is more than just a type of arthritis that may bring about lingering pain. It is also a sign of much deeper problems such as heart failure, hypertension, kidney conditions, diabetes, as well as cancer. Yes, you have read it right, gout may increase the risk of developing cancer. If you happen to have gout, make certain that you get examined. Especially for illnesses that you may most likely be at risk for. Through this way, you will be able to make much better health decisions, which will not be beneficial for the symptoms of gout, but for the overall health too. In this article, you will be able to know what are the different ways to reduce the risk of cancer.
How Serious Is Gout?
The following are facts that may be beneficial in understanding more of how very serious gout is.
- Gout has a connection with the increased risk of cancer, specifical cancer in men. Some other conditions that are strongly connected with gout may include lung cancer, colon cancer, and liver cancer.
- Gout is one of the five most common chronic illnesses that are in association with 1/5 of the new cases of cancer and more than 1/3 of all the cancer death cases. These particular markers actually have shortened the lifespan by about 13.3 years in men and about 15.9 years in women.
- Men and women who experience gout were about 4.4 and 8.9 times more probable to be abusers of alcohol in comparison with those who don’t have gout at all.
- Gout is linked with 13% and 32% increase in the malignancy risk in men and women, respectively.
- In comparison with those who don’t have gout:
- Men and women with gout, respectively, had about approximately 1.9 and 4 times increase in the possibility of insulin resistance and diabetes
- 4 and 0 times increase in the possibility of chronic kidney conditions
- 8 and 7 times increase in the possibility of chronic heart failure
- 2 and 4 times increase in the possibility of hypertension
8 Ways To Reduce The Risk Of Cancer
Here are some ways to reduce the risk of cancer, even you have gout:
- Take vitamin C. The natural sources of vitamin C like papaya, kiwi, red pepper, blackcurrant, guava, strawberries, green peppers, and oranges are beneficial in reducing the cancer risk. Furthermore, you may also take vitamin C in supplement form. Make sure to take at least 500 milligrams of it every day. This is since the vitamin C is beneficial in lowering the uric acid levels and kill the cancer cells.
- Watch your medication. Some of the medications for gout may cause some health complications, which may then lead to cancer. There is a study that found women taking gout medications that considerably had a higher risk of cancer. You must inform your specialist of whatever preexisting conditions that you have. So that they may prescribe you with the proper uric acid dropping drug.
- Eat foods that are good for gout in moderation. You can eat foods that are low in purine like fruits, lentils, beans, broccoli. As well as lettuce, eggs, low-fat milk, pasta, 100% whole wheat bread, and more. As long as it is in moderation, you are good to go.
- Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks. We know that food manufacturer are good at hiding bad substance on the products they produce. It is very important to check the list of the ingredients. If you are in the journey of getting rid of your gout, then might as well avoid eating processed foods and drinking sugary drinks.
- Limit your intake of foods rich in purine. You must avoid foods that are rich in purine as much as possible. We know that purine is what breaks down into uric acid. So by limiting your intake or by avoiding them, you can prevent any gout attacks from occurring.
- Drink enough water. It is with no doubt that water is beneficial in diluting the uric acid and supports the kidneys in flushing it all out. Make certain that you drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day.
- Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking. In general, smoking is bad for the health, and alcohol is very terrible for gout. If you really want to get rid of gout, you must get rid of these bad vices. This will not just get rid of the condition, it’ll also make your life longer.
- Exercise. A simple yet effective way to prevent the risk of gout as well as other cancerous and chronic conditions is exercise. Actually, studies show that exercise may reduce the risk of cancer that’s related to chronic illnesses like gout for about 40%.
If you don’t want to suffer from gout anymore, make these big changes today and you’ll see, your body will thank you later. Don’t push yourself too hard, do it little by little. After all, your small efforts can make a huge impact. And since gout may be an indication of cancer, you may follow the aforementioned ways to reduce the risk of cancer. It will be like hitting two birds with one stone.
