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GOUT: The Painful Truth

Gout is an interesting disease that was first identified by the Egyptians in 2640 BC. It was later recognised by Hippocrates in the 5th century BC as the “unwalkable disease”.

Throughout history gout has been associated rich foods and excessive alcohol consumption and has been referred to as the disease of kings, or as Hippocrates termed it, “arthritis of the rich” as opposed to Rheumatism- arthritis of the poor.

Gout is a painful condition that can lead to joint pain and kidney stones. It is caused when gout crystals (made up of uric acid) build up in the joints. Breaking down gout crystals and reducing the amount of uric acid in your diet can eliminate (in some cases) joint pain and kidney issues associated with high uric acid levels.

There are a few ways to do this. As a nutritionist, I tend to lean towards the idea of food as my medicine rather than run to the pharmacy. It is with this in mind that I help you explore the foods to avoid and prefer as well and the principals you could look into to help you enjoy less pain and more comfort.

Before we go further, we need to understand a few things:

Uric Acid Compound
This is a Uric Acid Compound

How does Uric acid form?

It is not really formed more than it is already in the blood, but your body makes gout crystals from it when we consume foods high in something called ‘purine”- this is used to make DNA and RNA and is mainly found in meat and protein type foods. When they are broken down they make uric acid.

DNA Strand

  1. Generally, the body will get rid of extra uric acid through the kidneys and the digestive system, but it can also build up in the middle of your joints causing painful inflammation.
  2. Lumps called tophi can sometimes build up under your skin and eventually, over time, become very painful places of inflammation in the joints.
  3. If you are feeling very run down and exhausted and experiencing chronic pain as some people might experience, you could be dealing with a kidney stone. Many times, preceding this, your joints could become red and swollen.
  4. Knee Pain & Joint PainWe often will see pain in our BIG toes- because they are far from our hearts and generally the coldest place on the body – generally here is where they start – but they are also found in the:Knees
    • Ankles
    • Wrist
    • Elbow joint
    • Finger Joints
    • Foot joints

 

So You’ve found this happening to you, Now What?

If your doctor thinks it’s gout, he will schedule an arthrocentesis procedure, where they insert a rod into the inflamed joint drawing some of the fluid out and send it away for testing. Blood tests will be done on the sample to check for high uric acid levels. After a confirmed diagnosis, he may prescribe Corticosteroids, Colchicine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

While I agree with this for short term relief the pain and to get your quality of life back by reducing the inflammation as soon as possible, there is another thing I seriously would consider long term – Diet.

Medicine is good for the short term but long term it yields other repercussions and side effects we are not ready for. Did you know that you could be at risk if your family member has had it – if you are overweight leaning towards obese? Or even if you take low doses of aspirin on a regular bases, the bottom line is when we have high uric acid we are predisposed to gout – and coupled with a metabolic disorder such as diabetes, the kidneys become overloaded and health becomes a challenge.

The easiest way to treat and avoid Gout? Change the foods on your menu!

What Foods should I avoid if struggle with Gout?

  • Red meat
  • Shellfish and sea food
  • Alcohol

Here are some diet and nutrition principals to plan around:Foods to eat for gout

  • Weight loss: Being overweight increases the risk of developing gout, and losing weight lowers the risk of gout. Research suggests that reducing the number of calories and losing weight — even without a purine-restricted diet — lower uric acid levels and reduce the number of gout attacks. Losing weight also lessens the overall stress on joints.
  • Complex carbs:  Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which provide complex carbohydrates. Avoid foods and beverages with high-fructose corn syrup, and limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
  • Stay well-hydrated by drinking water.
  • Cut back on saturated fats from red meat, fatty poultry and high-fat dairy products.
  •  Focus on lean meat and poultry, low-fat dairy and lentils as sources of protein.(1)
  • Organ and glandular meats: Avoid meats such as liver, kidney and sweetbreads, which have high purine levels and contribute to high blood levels of uric acid.
  • Red meat: Limit serving sizes of beef, lamb and pork.
  •  Some types of seafood — such as anchovies, shellfish, sardines and tuna — are higher in purines than are other types. But the overall health benefits of eating fish may outweigh the risks for people with gout. Moderate portions of fish can be part of a gout diet.
  • High-purine vegetables: Studies have shown that vegetables high in purines, such as asparagus and spinach, don’t increase the risk of gout or recurring gout attacks.
  • Beer and distilled liquors are associated with an increased risk of gout and recurring attacks. Moderate consumption of wine doesn’t appear to increase the risk of gout attacks. Avoid alcohol during gout attacks, and limit alcohol, especially beer, between attacks.
  • Sugary foods and beverages: Limit or avoid sugar-sweetened foods such as sweetened cereals, bakery goods and candies. Limit consumption of naturally sweet fruit juices.
  • Vitamin C: Vitamin C may help lower uric acid levels. Talk to your doctor about whether a 500-milligram vitamin C supplement fits into your diet and medication plan.
  •  Some research suggests that drinking coffee in moderation, especially regular caffeinated coffee, may be associated with a reduced risk of gout. Drinking coffee may not be appropriate if you have other medical conditions. Talk to your doctor about how much coffee is right for you.
  •  There is also some evidence that eating cherries is associated with a reduced risk of gout attacks.

I sincerely hope that you have gained an understanding about gout and its health risks but also some hands on ways to try to manage symptoms while on medicine so as to reduce your reliance on corticosteroids, and the like commonly used to treat it. Remember this is short term solution for pain relief – but eating well not only will sustain your healing but also have a healthy knock-on effect on your whole immune system and over all wellbeing.

Our Team at Made to Thrive are more than happy to assist you with any questions you might have about your nutrition, health and wellbeing if you have a need. Drop us a line at connect@madetothrive.co.za and you will find a community of fans around you to see you through to your Goals.

 

Sources:

  1. Mayo Clinic: Healthy Eating for Gout
  2. Willian Morrison Md, and his team from Healthline

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