Gout is a very painful condition and it blights many people’s lives…A type of arthritis which attacks the joints…Gouty arthritis is caused by the deposition of crystals of uric acid in a joint …       Years ago it was classed as a rich mans disease… and put down to over consumption of  rich foods… it is recorded as far back as Egyptian times and also refered to as the ” disease of kings” incorrectly linked to overindulgence in food and wine…

My mother suffered from gout on occasions and took a lot of ribbing and leg pulling from my father and my sons on her consumption of alcohol and as she was tee total she used to get a little irked with them at times.

It is now proved to be connected with diet and sufferers are recommended by the medical profession to avoid certain foods which are known to aggravate gout.

A diet high in fat can interfere with your kidneys’ ability to rid your blood and body of uric acid therefore avoid full-fat dairy products like whole milk or regular ice cream, baked goods such as muffins or cakes that may incorporate a high amount of fat or oil and salad dressings. Do not eat fried foods or foods served with rich gravy or cream or cheese-based sauces. Aim to limit your total fat intake to no more than 30 percent of your daily calories.

High Purine Foods include:-

• Beer
• Some fish, seafood and shellfish, including anchovies, sardines, herring, mussels, codfish, scallops, trout and haddock.
• Some meats, such as bacon, turkey, veal, venison and organ meats like liver.

To avoid a build up of purines which cause painful crystals to form between the joints then it is best to follow  a low purine diet by cutting down on excess fat as fat can inhibit the body’s ability to process and eliminate uric acid.

Drink plenty of fluids 8-12 servings of liquid as it serves to dilute uric acid but do avoid soda pops and another with high fructose levels.

Tofu is also a good addition to a menu but as with all things…What do I say?? Moderation and limit  servings of tofu to 2-4 servings per  week.

It really is as with all good eating plans…Moderation…

Most vegetables are low in purines, BUT several contain a moderately high concentration ranging from 50 to 150 milligrams of purines in every 100 grams of the food AND these should be limited and eaten in moderation. These vegetables include all dried beans and legumes, mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower and asparagus which is why it is best to limit your consumption of these to no more than two servings per week. A guideline is 1 cup of the vegetables raw or 1/2 cup cooked is equivalent to a serving.

Food which can be freely eaten as they are low in purine are Potatoes, bread, rice, wine( moderation), fruit and juices.

If losing weight is your goal then take it slow weight loss helps increase the levels of uric acid in the body.

If you’re concerned about your uric acid level, eat only a moderate amount of animal-based protein daily — a maximum of 6 ounces per day with a limit of 3 ounces per meal. Meat, poultry and seafood with a high purine content of over 150 milligrams in every 100 grams should be strictly avoided. Organ meats like liver or kidneys, game meats, goose, partridge and shellfish such as mussels, scallops, anchovies, shrimp and herring fall into this category.

If you are now feeling well..What can I eat then to help this painful gout…There is still much you can eat and control your gout at the same time.

If you look at the foods you can eat then lovely home-made soups can be on your men just make sure that you make your own homemade stocks and don’t use concentrated stock cubes  with a little thought and careful menu planning there really are many, many choices and dishes that you can make and enjoy while reducing your purine intake.

I have include a couple of links with examples to get you started on your new eating plan please don’t look on it as a bore and a chore embrace it and that painful gout will soon be under control.

The squash I always make into a vegetable soup and freeze in portions. When I reheat, I then add chilli (of course) and a little coconut milk and gently warm through.

 

Soup ingredients:

•  1 small squash, peeled and deseeded. Cut into pieces.
•  1 brown onion, peeled and cut up
•  1 carrot washed and cut
•  4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
•  Piece fresh ginger finely chopped
•  3 Broccoli stalks, peeled and cubed (I always save the broccoli stalks) for when I make soup. Waste not, want not and I think ideal for soups for flavour.
•  1-1½ litres fresh home-made vegetable stock

Let’s Cook!
Heat a glug of olive oil and gently cook garlic ginger and onion to just soften and not colour.
Add other vegetables gradually and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes, then add stock and seasoning.
Simmer gently for about an hour or until vegetables are lovely and soft and remove from heat. I let it cool down before I blend.
This makes a lovely vegetable soup but I also use it as a base and freeze in portions.
When I reheat I add little-dried chilli flakes and 1 or 2 tbsp of coconut milk.
It just gives it a creamy flavour.
Sometimes I add crushed lemongrass stalk and a little fish sauce, it depends on how I feel, it is a versatile soup base so play with it, have fun.
Add some curry powder, a squeeze or 2 of lime juice or coriander, whatever you fancy. Enjoy!

Secondly, I have a lovely quick, tasty pasta dish for you to rustle up.

Spaghetti and zucchini pasta.

• 8 oz of uncooked spaghetti
• 2 cups of shredded zucchini
• 2/3 cloves of garlic
• 1 chilli finely sliced…I don’t remove the seeds but if you don’t like it too hot then remove the seeds.
• 1 tbsp of fresh tomatoes…I always do my own tomatoes and freeze in portions ready for sauces etc
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to  taste
• 1 tbsp fresh parmesan grated
• a few torn basil leaves are optional.

Let’s Cook!

Cook your pasta in boiling water..No salt or oil. While the pasta is cooking heat your tsp oil in a pan and add the garlic cook for a minute and add the chilli and the tomato pulp. Cook stirring until heated through and add the zucchini and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, strain and toss with the zucchini mix. then sprinkle with salt and black pepper and grate some parmesan over the top scatter with torn basil leaves if using and there you have a nice tasty pasta dish.

Thank you for reading this post…I hope you find it helpful with your gout x