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What’s It All About

The rheumatic disease commonly known as gout is caused by uric acid crystals being deposited in the fluids and tissues within the body. It’s well documented that this can be caused by some medications, foods and alcohol.  Acute gout is extremely painful indeed (take it from one who knows!) with a red, hot joint (typically the big toe) which is so swollen and painful that it’s impossible even to bear the lightest touch from a bed sheet. Gout does often respond well to treatment, a few anti-inflammatory tablets, plenty of water to drink and sitting with your foot up covered in a bag of frozen peas for a few hours (well, if you don’t have an ice-pack it’s the next best thing). Medication and all important changes in diet can prevent further attacks of gout, but if you are unlucky enough to suffer from recurring gout attacks then it can become a degenerative type of chronic arthritis . . . gouty arthritis no less!

Gout is commonly regarded as being a fat old mans disease (hence the jokes and banter from so-called friends and family when anyone who isn’t a fat old man gets a bout of gout). Men are more susceptible to suffering from gout, but that doesn’t mean that women can’t suffer from it too.  The main risk factors which are associated with gout are:

• carrying a little excess baggage . . . obesity or just being overweight, lose a few pounds and you’ll significantly lower your risk of suffering from gout
• hypertension (which itself can be worsened by being overweight)
• excessive alcohol intake . . . mostly beer and spirits
• a rich diet with lots of meat and seafood
• if you do suffer from gout there’s also a chance that you’ll have an increased risk of suffering from kidney stones . . . it just gets worse don’t you think?

Incidentally, you might find it surprising to hear that there is a higher incidence of gout amongst black men than there is white men, and men are around 3 times more likely to suffer from gout than women. There’s also evidence to suggest that gout sufferers are on the increase . . . could it be dietary, is it because we’re quickly becoming a nation of fatties or just a load of old alcoholics? Worrying though isn’t it.

Foods Which May Help To Combat Gout

Gout can, in many cases, be controlled by diet, that’s well documented, so here’s a list of some foodstuffs which are known to actively help fight gout. Let battle commence . . .

• Bananas have properties which can help to eliminate the symptoms of gout . . . they’re also tasty, yum!
• Cherries . . . or cherry juice, eat ‘em, drink it every day. Delicious and great for gout.
• Tomatoes . . . . they’re great for gout too, helping to neutralize the uric acid.

Foods To Avoid If You Suffer (Or Are Likely to Suffer) from Gout

• Fish and seafood, particularly oily fish like salmong, herring and sardines . . . pity because they’re so good for other things.
• Meats . . . . including liver, bacon, turkey, veal, goose, pheasant, partridge . . . no wonder they used to call it the disease of the rich!
• Beer . . . sorry guys, but you’ll have to lay off the beer if you want to decrease the likelihood of gout attacks