170 million people are affected! This disease caused by diet can deform joints and damage blood vessels. It's too dangerous!

When it comes to "the three highs," everyone is familiar with them. "Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia" are like three obstacles that are difficult to overcome, standing in the way of people's path to health and longevity. In recent years, another dangerous factor threatening health, "hyperuricemia," has been quietly growing and "kidnapping" more and more people, becoming another metabolic syndrome that is as well-known as the "three highs." According to statistics, the number of people with hyperuricemia in China is as high as 170 million, and this number continues to grow.

Why is hyperuricemia dangerous?

When talking about the harm caused by hyperuricemia, many people may only think of gout. But in reality, high levels of uric acid can cause damage to the whole body.

Joint damage: Gout

When uric acid in the blood is consistently elevated, uric acid crystals can deposit in the joint cavity, triggering gouty arthritis and even leading to joint deformities, affecting normal activities.

Kidney damage: Nephritis

Uric acid crystals can damage the tubulointerstitium of the kidneys, leading to chronic nephritis, kidney stones, and in severe cases, even uremia and kidney failure.

Liver damage: Aggravating liver diseases

Studies abroad have pointed out that among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, those with concomitant hyperuricemia are more likely to develop severe liver damage.

Cardiovascular damage: Inducing myocardial infarction

If the uric acid content in the blood exceeds its solubility, it will form crystals. The deposition of crystals in blood vessels not only damages the vessel walls but also increases the risk of platelet aggregation, leading to an increased risk of blood clots and plaques.

Metabolic damage: Increased susceptibility to diabetes

Hyperuricemia is often associated with diabetes. For example, 10% to 30% of obese patients have hyperuricemia, and 20% to 50% of patients with hyperuricemia also have diabetes.

Uric acid is mostly acquired through diet

Uric acid is a metabolic "waste" of the body. An increase in uric acid levels in the body is inseparable from the assistance of purines.

Uric acid is a byproduct of purine metabolism, and purines can be divided into endogenous purines and exogenous purines. Endogenous purines account for 80% of the total purines in the body. If cell growth and proliferation occur rapidly (such as in tumors) or if cells are extensively damaged (such as burns or injuries), the release of purines will increase, leading to an elevation in blood uric acid levels. Exogenous purines mainly come from food and account for 20% of the total purines in the body. Although the proportion is not high, according to research, excessive intake of exogenous purines is the main cause of hyperuricemia in China. In other words, the majority of hyperuricemia is acquired through diet! If you want to prevent hyperuricemia, you must reduce the consumption of high-purine foods.

How to excrete excess uric acid

If uric acid can be produced in the body, it can be excreted as well. Under normal circumstances, one-third of uric acid is excreted by the large intestine (via feces), and two-thirds are excreted by the kidneys (via urine). Therefore, the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia involve reducing purine intake and increasing uric acid excretion. You can frequently consume these seven "uric acid-excreting" foods, which are beneficial for disease prevention:

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are rich in nutrients, not only delicious and juicy but also good at lowering uric acid levels. The main component of tomatoes is lycopene, which also contains vitamins, potassium, and other substances. Regular consumption of tomatoes can reduce blood viscosity and facilitate the excretion of uric acid from the body.

Celery: Celery is rich in vitamins and mineral elements such as carotene, potassium, and dietary fiber. It can dissolve more uric acid in the body and help excrete it. Moreover, celery is a cooling food and has a diuretic effect, so eating more celery can help promote urine discharge and lower uric acid levels.

Shiitake mushrooms: Although shiitake mushrooms are considered to be moderate-purine food, studies have shown that purines in fungal foods do not easily cause an increase in uric acid. Additionally, shiitake mushrooms are rich in nutrients such as fungal polysaccharides and proteins, which can assist in controlling blood sugar and reducing blood lipids.

Winter melon: The effect of winter melon lies in its high potassium content and abundant water, which can promote urine production and effectively eliminate uric acid from the body. In addition, winter melon also has effects on lowering blood pressure and reducing edema symptoms.

Eggplant: Eggplant is a good food for lowering uric acid. It is an alkaline food with low or almost no purine content. Eating eggplant every day can alkalize urine and dissolve more uric acid. In addition, eggplant contains abundant vitamins, saponins, and other components, which can lower cholesterol levels.

Milk: Milk contains only a small amount of purines and is very suitable for consumption by people with hyperuricemia. It is an important source of protein supplementation for hyperuricemia patients. Moreover, the casein and whey protein in milk can promote uric acid excretion. People with high uric acid levels can drink milk daily.

Water: Uric acid is mainly excreted through urine. Drinking water regularly increases the volume of urine, making it difficult for uric acid to form crystals in the body. It will be excreted along with the urine, effectively preventing gout or stone formation. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water. In terms of water intake, gout patients should drink more than the average person, at least 2 liters or more per day. It is best to reach 3 liters (equivalent to two large