Definition

Gout is also called rich-man disease and uric acid. It is the type of arthritis that causes sudden joint inflammation. It is usually in a single joint. Uric acid is the main breakdown product of purines that are main part of many foods. In gout, there are frequently high levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia). Many joints can be affected by severe gout at once.

Ranges

Normal

Females: 2.4-6.0 mg/dl

Males: 3.4-7.0 mg/dl

High

Females: over 6.0 mg/dl

Males: over 7.0 mg/dl 

Biochemical test

Typically, the doctor may advise you not to eat 2-4 hours before the test. The test is a simple blood draw and it just takes a few minutes.

Causes

Most of the time high uric level occurs when your kidneys don’t eliminate uric acid efficiently. Rich food, being overweight, having diabetes, taking diuretics and drinking too much alcohol slows down the process of removal of uric acid.

Elements that cause high uric acid:

1. Diuretics

2. Genetics

3. Hypothyroidism’

4. Obesity

5. Purine rich diet

6. Renal insufficiency 

Symptoms

1. Intense joint pain that is severed in the first 12-24 hours

2. Joint pain that lasts to few days to few weeks and spreads to other joints with time

3. Redness, tenderness and swelling of the joints.

Treatment/MNT

Patients will gout will no longer be better until they start taking uric acid lowering diets. A patient should know that his uric acid level should be 6 mg/dl. While gout cannot be cured, it can be better managed, or even controlled completely, with right medications and lifestyle choices.

MNT

If you have gout, certain foods can raise uric acid levels. Trigger foods are rich in purines, a substance when digested produces uric acid as a waste product. People with gout have difficulty in removing uric acid. Restricting high-purine food can prevent gout attacks. Foods that commonly trigger gout are organ meats, red meat, seafood, alcohol, beer. They contain high moderate to the high amount of purines.

According to research, low-fat dairy products, soy products and vitamin C supplements help to prevent gout attacks by reducing blood uric acid levels.

Full fat and high-fat dairy fat products do not seem to affect uric acid levels. 

Dos and donts of gout

Foods that should be taken

Foods are considered low-purine when they contain less than 100 mg of purines per 100 gm.

Some foods taken are as follows:

1. Fruits: All fruits can be eaten. Cherries reduce uric acid levels and reduce inflammation.

2. Vegetables: All vegetables may be taken including potatoes, peas, mushrooms, eggplant, dark leafy green vegetables.

3. Legumes: All legumes including lentils, beans, soybeans and tofu.

4. Nuts: all nuts and seeds.

5. Whole grains: These include oats, brown rice and barley.

6. Dairy products: Low-fat dairy is essential.

Foods to be avoided

1. All organ meats

2. Fish and other kinds of seafood

3. Sugary beverages

4. Added sugars

5. Yeasts

6. White bread

7. Cakes 

DIET PLAN

Pre-Breakfast

1. One cup of orange juice

Breakfast

1. White toast with margarine

2. Low-fat cereal with milk

3. Coffee

Mid-morning

1. Banana (1)

2. Apple (1)

Lunch

1. Half cup baked potatoes

2. Vegetable salad

3. A bowl of fruit salad

Tea Time

1. Cherries

Dinner

1. Half cup skinless chicken

2. Half cup of rice

3. Half cup low-fat yoghurt 

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