"pete thomas" <petethomas@jerseymail.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4fe68aa7.0307260730.ecf17d6@posting.google.co m...
From the Arthritis Foundation:
In gout, certain chemical processes in the body are out of control.
One of these affects uric acid, a normal waster product that comes
from the breakdown of substances called purines, which are found in
many foods as well as in all the cells of the body.
Uric acid usually circulates in the blood until it is passed into
urine through the kidneys. People with gout have too much uric acid
in their blood, a condition called hyperuricemia. The uric acid
changes into crystals (urate crystals) that deposit in joints and
other tissues.
Some of these crystals may then then fall from the joint lining into
the fluid-filled space within the joint or else form in the joint
fluid itself.
These free urate crystams trigger a severe inflammatory reaction,
the accute attack of gout arthritis. An attack can be triggered by
drinking or eating too much, by surgery, by "crash" diets, and
occasionally by trauma to a joint.
Uric acid crystals can collect in the urine, forming gravel or stones.
This development happens most often in people who pass too little
fluid from thier bodies. People with gout may ahve high blood
pressure or kidney infections, both of which can cause kidney damage.
Thus, the physician must watch for the teltale signs of such damage
and begin proper treatment if necessary.
MEDICATION
Three kinds of medication are used in treating gout. One catagory
(Colchicine, and certain NAISDs) controls the inflammation, A second
catagory, uricosuric agents, increased the body's ability to eliminate
uric acid by way of the urine, thus lowering the amount of uric acid
in the blood. The third kind of medication (allopurinol) decreases
uric acid levels in the blood by reducing the rate at which the body
produces it.
DIET
Myths abound concering the relationship between diet and gout.
HERE ARE THE FACTS:
1. A person who is overweight should develop a weight-loss
program under a doctor's supervision. The person should not
fast or try to diet too severily.
2. Because a few foods tend to raise the uric acid level in the
blood, a doctor may caution a person with gout to avoid
eating them. These foods include organ meats such as kidneys,
liver, and sweetbreads, as well as sardines, anchovies and meat
extracts.
3. A person with gout does NOT need to avoid coffee and tea.
Alcohol consumed in moderation (i.e., about two ounces of hard
liquor, a can of beer, or a glass of wine per day) is permitted.
4. A high daily intake of non-alcoholic fluids is recommended (a
minimum of two quarts).
RELATIVE PURINE CONTENT OF COMMON FOODS
GROUP A: (Foods with a high purine concentration)
Liver Gravies Sweetbreads Broths
Mussels Fish roe Anchovies Kidney
Sardines Brains Herring Heart
GROUP B: (Foods with a moderate purine concentration)
Meats Peas Lentils Mushrooms
Yeast Beans Spinish Cauliflower
Fowl Fish Asperagus Whole grain cereals
GROUP C: (Foods with negligible amounts of purine)
Fruits Milk Cheese Eggs
Spices and condiments (including salt and vinegar)
Refined cereals and cereal products
Butter and fats (in moderation) Nuts
Sugar and sweets Clear vegetable soups
Vegetables (except as noted above)
