Gout is a disease that affects 3 million Americans annually. Also termed gouty arthritis, it causes acute inflammatory arthritis in certain joints, most commonly at the metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe. Gout is usually caused by higher than normal concentrations of uric acid in the bloodstream. The uric acid will crystallize at certain joints, which also results in auto-immune inflammatory action. This is what causes the horrible inflammation and pain. This is sometimes caused by diet, genetics, medication, and other underlying medical conditions.
There are many ways to prevent gout, but no universal treatment. Basically, everyone's gout is different. Usually, NSAIDs are prescribed to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. At times, steroids are also used to control pain. If you've had gout once, there's a larger chance that you'll have it again. If you have gout, you are at an increased risk of hypertention, diabetus, metabolic syndrome, and renal and cardiovascular disease. The instances of gout have increased significantly in the last 20 years.
Traditionally, gout has been termed the "disease of the rich", as eating lots of rich foods was often believed to cause gout. There's some truth to that, as eating lots of purine-rich foods seem to cause gout. So what should you not eat because of purine levels? Here's a list of stuff you should avoid if you want to avoid gout:
- Alcohol, especially beer (some wine is ok; spirits are iffy, beer is definitely a no-go).
- Organ meats, like liver, gizzard, tripe, kidney, heart, tongue, etc.
- Poultry, especially goose and duck.
- Sweetbreads.
- Bacon.
- Red meats, including pork, beef, and lamb.
- Game meats, including venison.
- Shellfish.
- Chicken and chicken stocks.
- Some fish, including tuna, trout, sardines, herring, anchovies, cod, bluefish, carp, halibut, perch, etc.
Just avoid these things, exercise a lot, and you'll be good to go. Don't be like Bobby.
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