What diet would help with the symtoms of gout?

Dear Ask The Doctor: What diet would help with the symtoms of gout?

Dear Mimi: Gout is a disease which affects the joints and is characterised by crystal formation in the joint fluid along with high levels of uric acid in the blood. Sometimes this is due to dietary excess of uric acid. Thus one should typically avoid foods with high purine content like meats mostly organ meats, any shellfish, sardines, alcohol.These foods usually precipitate an acute attack of gout because of their high purine content which is ultimately converted into uric acid.