Avoid Meat to Ease Gout
Posted October 6, 2008 10:37 PM
Gout is a painful form of arthritis that has long been associated with a rich diet, and a change in that department is just one thing that can make a difference.
Gout afflicts as many as 3 million Americans, mostly men, postmenopausal women and people with kidney disease, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Gout attacks are caused by a buildup of a waste product called uric acid in the bloodstream, which leads to joint inflammation and swelling, particularly in the feet or big toe.
It tends to run in families and is linked to obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes, so weight management is key to treatment.
A 12-year Harvard Medical School study of 47,000 male medical professionals over 40 found that gout was significantly more likely to develop in men who ate more meat and seafood and fewer dairy products. Researchers also found that even moderate consumption of beer raised the risk of gout, as did other alcoholic beverages with the exception of up to two glasses of wine a day.
Here are some tips on gout and diet from the American College of Rheumatology:
* Limit consumption of meat, seafood and alcohol.
* Avoid processed food high in sugar and empty carbohydrates.
* Be aware that low-carb diets, which are high in animal protein and fat, can trigger gout attacks.
* Even moderate beer consumption, either "light" or regular, contribute to the development of gout in middle-aged men.
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Source: YellowBrix, Rocky Mountain News
Comments
Have something to say? Share your thoughts.
Posted October 8, 2008 4:33 PM
My husband also eliminated his gout problem by going low-carb over 8 years ago. I posted this same comment about the nutrition in the above recipe at the Rocky Mountain News:
Quote: Holy smokes! Who calculated your recipe nutrition??? I come up with more than 40 grams of sugar in a single serving of this smoothie, and that's counting "tart cherry juice" as ZERO just because it isn't in the USDA database.
Don't believe me? Let's add it up...
1 cup thawed red cherries = 71.3 calories; 0.7g total fat; 17.1g carbohydrates; 2.5g fiber; 14.0g sugar; 1.4g protein. Serving size: 1 cup, unthawed.
Strawberries, raw: 48.6 calories; 0.5g total fat; 11.7g carbohydrates; 3.0g fiber; 7.1g sugar;1.0g protein. Serving size: 1 cup, halves.
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate: Nutrition (per serving): 36.6 calories; 0.0g total fat; 8.8g carbohydrates; 0.2g fiber; 8.6g sugar; 0.5g protein. Serving size: 1 tablespoon {so that's 25.8g total for the recipe}
2 tablespoons honey: Nutrition (per serving): 63.8 calories; 0.0g total fat; 17.3g carbohydrates; 0.0g fiber; 17.2g sugar; 0.1g protein. Serving size: 1 tablespoon {so that's 34.4g pure sugar in the whole recipe.}
Not even adding the juice or yogurt then, we get:
14g +7.1g+25.8g+34.4g =81.3 grams pure sugars
Divide it by 2 and ... ohmigosh, it's WAY above zero.
Readers rely on sources like newspapers to report important things like sugar totals accurately. This is anything but. Hope you'll correct it!
Posted October 7, 2008 5:13 PM
I used to get gout many years ago, when I ate a lot of carbohydrates. Eat a lot of fresh cherries or get 100% pure Cherry Juice (not mixed with anything else, like apple juice), and drink about 8 oz. a couple of times per day for a few days. That should clear it up. I disagree somewhat with some of the assertions of the above article. My gout went away COMPLETELY after I switched TO a LOW CARB diet. That will fix your gout. I eat meat, chicken, fish, cheese, and dairy, almonds, and also a lot of vegetables. That is basically it. I lost weight, too, and greatly lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides. Also, the recipe that they included, above, to me, is completely contradictory to their advise. The smoothie recipe is FULL of sugars and empty carbohydrates. I am sure it is super high in calories, as well. Leave out the frozen juice and honey and it is better. However, just the plain, 100% cherry juice is BEST for gout elimination.
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