How do you help prevent gout?

If gout runs in the family, men in particular should limit their intake of alcohol, fats, and foods that are more likely to increase uric acid level in the body – meat, sardines, bacon, mussels, and yeast. Alcohol, especially beer, can also bring on an attack of gout. Such men should watch their weight with extra care. Drinking plenty of liquids may help minimize the risk of kidney stones. Blood and urine tests can be used to determine your potential risk of a gout attack.

Medications can also help prevent gout attacks in people with multiple attacks of gout. These drugs either decrease the production of uric acid in the body or increase the excretion of uric acid in urine.