Getting started with Gout Control

[Johnson]

Thanks Keith for your encouragement and guidance. I believe that it is inherently difficult for most people to make life changes, and that our odds of success increase exponentially by having others help us. So, thank you again!

I posted where I’m at currently in my gout diary request for those
who would like to read it.

I’m wondering: will the juice fast decrease my UA levels?

Also…should I be holding off on allopurinol during the fast? (I think so).
I know there will be massive detoxification and body changes so it makes sense
to get a baseline UA reading after I am done.

Feels good to finally be taking control, and at the same time a little scary because there is some doubt I will stick with it…but I really have to this time. I think there is a belief or desire to belief that gout is not a serious disease, which holds people (me) back from taking it seriously enough…when it seems in fact, it may be very serious if untreated.

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Uric acid lumps in the gut: Gouty Tophi in Colon.

[Keith Taylor]

Hi Johnson, I moved your first post into your forum. I hope that helps you keep all your important gout facts in one place.

On your juice fast question, there’s no real relevance to uric acid. Uric acid control is a longterm program. 30 days is neither here nor there. And, it’s also not relevant if it goes up or down. Only the exact numbers are relevant. I doubt it will make significant change. And, I don’t want to confuse matters by listing a bunch of “what ifs”.

If you’ve got some accurate uric acid test result data, I can explain things better. If you haven’t, then it’s time to start!

Never stop taking allopurinol without good reason. Getting a baseline might be good reason. That’s what a good rheumatologist will do. But, you need 2 weeks off allopurinol before the blood test for uric acid is accurate. And, I would get a lab test, rather than rely on a home test kit (unless you’ve already done this to assess the consistency of your home testing procedure).

That might well raise more questions than answers. If so, ask the questions. If you can get into the habit of asking gout questions, you will overcome your doubts about sticking with it. If you can’t think of your own questions, join in with other topics.

I want 2017 to be the last year you ever need worry about gout. I can’t force you to keep posting here. But, I can promise you that, if you do, you will control your gout. And if, in the process, I can gently nudge you from fad diets to healthy eating, I’ll be a very happy man. 🙂

[Johnson]

thanks… just to clarify — I haven’t really taken allopurinol consistently in a long time… it sounds like we’re on the same page as far as getting the baseline reading.

I know 30 days is not a long time but I have read great things about how powerful a 30 day juice fast can be. Also, isn’t it true that being overweight greatly contributes to UA?

Also, is it true that generally alkizing the body will decrease UA?

[Keith Taylor]

I’ll reserve judgment on the 30 day fast, until I know more about it. Generally speaking, you are right on both those counts.

But, every 30 day diet I’ve seen suffers from one huge problem. When fasting, the body first breaks down lean tissue. That’s because it is easier to get energy from lean tissue than from fatty tissue. You will lose some fatty tissue, but that is much better as a consistent, slow weight loss over many months. And, if you revert to over-eating after the fast, you will add back mainly fatty tissue. The net effect is that you end up with a higher proportion of body fat.

Please don’t take this as a lecture. I’m terrible at weight control. But, the most effective way to lose weight is through gradual weight loss over many months. It’s more about longterm eating habits than shortterm weight change.

So it is with alkaline diets. They need to be a permanent fixture to add real value. An occasional month won’t make much difference. Also, you have to confirm alkaline diets with urine pH tests. I started that last year, and realized it’s harder than I thought.

I’m not trying to put you off, Johnson. Maybe we can help and encourage each other to adopt healthier diets over several months.

[Johnson]

You are right — 30 days of healthy habits doesn’t make up for years of bad habits. That being said, there’s a few benefits I can think of for doing a cleanse.

1. It gives the body and digestive system a much needed rest from a toxic diet.
2. It instills discipline.
3. It tends to reset the appetite. At least for me… (The more I eat, the more I tend to get hungry and when I cut back, the body gets used to it.)
4. after nothing but juice, even simple solid foods like, say, a potato, will seem amazing 🙂

Anyway i’m about to go to bed, this was day 8 and i’ve lost about 8 pounds.
My elbow still is swollen though 🙁 Gotta keep using that compress, maybe ice it… what do you know about swollen elbows? I feel no pain but there’s fluid in the elbow sac.

[Keith Taylor]

That’s a fantastic way to look at your diet. In itself, it might not be an effective gout diet. But, if it prepares you to make better food choices for the rest of the year, it is very valuable. And, it’s unlikely to do any harm.

Most importantly, there may be aspects of your 30-day diet that you can incorporate into the rest of the year. I’d need to know more about it. Best to focus on parts of the diet that you enjoy most. Think about your favorite fruity flavors. Then, we can look for gout-friendly recipes that incorporate those flavors. I believe gout diets only work when you enjoy them.

If your elbow isn’t bothering you, it’s best to leave it alone. It happens when uric acid crystals inflame the bursa in your elbow (medically called olecranon bursitis). In most cases,it resolves naturally. You can encourage the natural healing process with rest. There is a chance that it is unrelated to gout. It’s commonly called “Student’s Elbow” caused by pressure on the elbows from extended studying. I’ve only had it once, and I’m fairy certain it was caused by uric acid crystals. But, that’s not a scientific diagnosis. The only way to be certain, is to get fluid analyzed by a competent rheumatologist. You should consider that, if it gets painful, or lasts beyond 2 weeks.

Compression probably helps. Ice might reduce pain. But, as you have no pain, what’s the point? I have my own theories about avoiding low temperatures near gouty joints. But, there’s no medical consensus, so you have to make up your own mind.

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