Gout Foodie

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  • in reply to: How can I balance a vegan diet for gout? #5898
    Gout Foodie
    Participant


    I eat vegan meals all but once or twice a week. Or 1 or 2 out of 21 meals. Even then I have not been having lots of meat. If I go for sushi for instance ill orter a few with fish and maybe veggie tempura or nattomaki.

    I’ll be starting video series and blog called neovegetarian. Launching in Feb.

    Vegan can be inspiring and tasty. But if i told myself I’d never eat certain things . . Ever. . . Id just shoot myself now.

    in reply to: How can I balance a vegan diet for gout? #5891
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    Is vegan new to you? Do you mean macronutrient balance?
    Are you considering strictly vegan or mostly vegan? Do you intend to use some mock meats or are you going whole food plant-based?

    So much good advice at https://nutritionfacts.org

    I personally eliminated most fish and meat from my diet when I was diagnosed with gout. After an initial painful period, which I think is the body flushing the uric acid, I have been pain-free. (I DO take allopurinol too).

    Because I was using medical marijuana for the pain the first few months, I also ate a fair amount vegan junk food. Pizzas, cookies etc. Still, I felt lots better and no gout.

    Later, moving to mostly whole foods, most of the time. I feel fantastic and losing weight without really trying and all the bloodwork is headed in the right direction.

    in reply to: Gout Foodie Questions #1746
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    Hi Irma. I guess it is a hearty welcome to one of the few lady gout sufferers. Mostly it is older blokes like me. Fructose: I recently read some medical research where the main point was that fructose is very highly correlated with gout, but that the medical pathway is not well understood. That said, being a vegan, I eat 3-4 pieces of fruit every day as well as eating a whole lot of veggies, nuts and lentils. I also take 500mg of Allopurinol. I personally have found very little correlation between what I eat and the amount of gout I get. I can’t see any pattern. What I am pretty sure about is that my gout is part of what is some what euphemistically called metabolic syndrome aka being too fat. What is certain is that being vegan has brought my blood sugar levels back to normal ranges. I have lost some weight, but need to lose another 10kg. Good luck! Gout sucks. It is very debilitating.

    in reply to: Mini gout flare whilst on Allopurinol #1725
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    Gout is the result of urate levels being too high for your body to process, therefore some crystallises in joints. And genetics is largely responsible, along with metabolic syndrome (usually from being over-weight). That about sums up the problem. If you need to take anti-inflammatories you are not taking enough Allopurinol. Men can take up to 600mg per day. The doctor gave me that short but oh-so-sweet explanation in less than a minute. He has one patient who is taking 900mg per day. I now take 500mg per day and my gout is remaining controlled. Purines, the pre-cursor to urate are in all foods. It is the basic building bloc of food, but is present in higher quantities in some foods more than others. Being a non beer drinking (usually) vegan means I don’t eat purine heavy foods anyway. I am also trying to lose weight, but honestly, I win a few battles, but I am losing the war. I am seriously thinking about bariatric surgery. So if you are on Allopurinol, but still getting attacks, you are not taking enough.

    in reply to: What is the best Vegan Diet for Gout? #1584
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    Thank you for the replys! I do think that the fructose has been a factor of my gout attacts. We travel a lot and bring our own food with us on the road. The only thing we snack on while driving is fruit. I am trying to follow the diets of Dr. John Mcdougall and Dr. Esselstyn of the Forks over Knives documentary. I try to keep my body alkaline by drinking hot lemon water every morning with a little baking soda in it. We always have apple cider vinegar with us and try to have a swig every day. I have read that weight loss can trigger attacts too. I don’t really want to a doctor and get my numbers because I am not going to take any prescription medicine. I believe let food be thy medicine.

    in reply to: What is the best Vegan Diet for Gout? #1555
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    I am a touring musician and don’t really have a doctor to check my numbers. I gave up spinach because it was the highest in purines. I usually get an attack about every other month that lasts about 4 or 5 days.

    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    First off I am not a doctor…..

    Indomethacin is a pain and inflammation relief drug. It does addresses the symptoms of gout, not the cause. If it hurts take them!

    The immediate cause of gout is elevated urate levels, the Allopurinol will address that, though the correct dosage is important. If your doctor put you on 300mg per day then follow his orders! It does seem high. I was put own 100. Self decided to go up to 200, (confirmed by doctor) the rheumatologist put me up to 300. That is only just keeping it in check.

    You can Indo and Allo separately, together, whatever. Don’t take to much and follow doctors orders!

    The question then arises: why are your urate levels high? You can try and reduce them by altering your diet. This may help, but in my experience not much.It may be you are ageing and your body isn’t working as well as when you were young. It could be genetic – you are prone genetically to this problem.

    Meat and shellfish are known to be high in purines. I am vegan so I don’t eat that and I still get gout. I am currently experimenting with Soy. I think Soy may be bad for gout (for me anyway), but I am not yet convinced.

    One important thing is weight. Are your overweight? I need to lose 10kg. The rheumatologist also said gout in and of itself is a symptom – an indicator that all is not well. He told me I must lose the weight.

    Hope that helps a little.

    Rod

    in reply to: Hemochromatosis and Secondary Gout #1215
    Gout Foodie
    Participant

    Hi Keith

    My blood test came back that I am heterozygous – I am a carrier only and do not suffer from the condition. Both my daughters are homozygous, but only the older one has elevated iron levels. My son is heterozygous as well. My iron levels were tested concurrently and they were normal. So hemachromatosis is not my problem (Unfortunately?). Nevertheless all my comments above still apply. People should be tested and respond accordingly if they do test positive.

    Best,
    Rod

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