Recently, I noticed something strange. In the mornings, my fingers felt swollen and clumsy, like little sausages, and they hurt. My wedding ring suddenly felt like it belonged to someone else. Then, after a glass of wine with friends, I felt a sharp pain in my big toe.
I blamed it on fatigue, age, and thought: “Who doesn’t have these aches after fifty…”
But my test results told a different story: my uric acid levels were high.
What Is Uric Acid and Why Is It Dangerous?
A few years ago, I wouldn’t have paid attention to uric acid. It sounded like something from a biology textbook. But my doctor explained it simply:
“Imagine water pipes. If they collect scale, they clog. Excess uric acid is like that scale—but in your joints and blood vessels.”
This acid forms when we eat too much meat, fatty foods, legumes, and drink alcohol frequently. Normally, the kidneys filter it out. But with age—especially in women after 45–50 during hormonal changes—this “filter” becomes less efficient.
Accumulation happens silently:
- Fingers or knees start to hurt slightly.
- Shoes feel tight even though the size hasn’t changed.
- Chronic heaviness and fatigue set in, even after rest.
These are warning signs. Uric acid crystals begin depositing in the joints, causing inflammation (gout), and they can also harm the kidneys.
7 Steps That Helped Me Lower My Uric Acid
Recently, I noticed something strange. In the mornings, my fingers felt swollen and clumsy, like little sausages, and they hurt. My wedding ring suddenly felt like it belonged to someone else. Then, after a glass of wine with friends, I felt a sharp pain in my big toe.
I blamed it on fatigue, age, and thought: “Who doesn’t have these aches after fifty…”
But my test results told a different story: my uric acid levels were high.
What Is Uric Acid and Why Is It Dangerous?
A few years ago, I wouldn’t have paid attention to uric acid. It sounded like something from a biology textbook. But my doctor explained it simply:
“Imagine water pipes. If they collect scale, they clog. Excess uric acid is like that scale—but in your joints and blood vessels.”
This acid forms when we eat too much meat, fatty foods, legumes, and drink alcohol frequently. Normally, the kidneys filter it out. But with age—especially in women after 45–50 during hormonal changes—this “filter” becomes less efficient.
Accumulation happens silently:
- Fingers or knees start to hurt slightly.
- Shoes feel tight even though the size hasn’t changed.
- Chronic heaviness and fatigue set in, even after rest.
These are warning signs. Uric acid crystals begin depositing in the joints, causing inflammation (gout), and they can also harm the kidneys.
7 Steps That Helped Me Lower My Uric Acid
