[SoCal Pubbie]

What sucks is I’ve developed gout and I should avoid protein!

[normbal]

it’s not that simple.

Gout isn’t caused by PROTEIN, but PURINES.

There are MANY sources of these in foods you wouldn’t even normally think of, but se associate with “high-protein” like shellfish and legumes.

Beans, lentils, peas, peanuts can all cause gout flares, but at the root of it is a genetic problem.

Talk to your doctor about this, better yet, spend a little time online looking into it.

Good luck.

(a doctor)

[Secret Agent Man]

Well yes and no.

Some protein is worse than others. Organ meat, shellfish and fish, yes. I’d minimize the beef, lamb nad pork. I haven’t heard them say the same negative warnings about chicken and turkey.

You can eat walnuts and cashews and other nuts high in protein.

Other things that could reduce your gout symptoms that may still allow you to eat meat without problems:

- increase water intake, lots of people are not hydrated enough
- increase vitamin c intake, as it helps deal with uric acid in the blood
- eat more berries - cherries, blueberries, raspberries - put them in a smoothie or icee type drink
- eat basil, it reduces gout pain 73% in 24 hours
- take milk thistle, it’s a blood purify herb
- limit alcohol
- if you eat sugar and lots of starches, you need to cut this down a lot, sugar and carbs are bad for gout
- limit fried food

But the big basic things that can help right away - drink more, cut the sugar hard, and take vitamin c and eat a sauce with basil in it. You will get relief in about 24 hours, you will feel improvement.

[The Duke]

The "juice fast" described in "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" won't cause you any protein problems. My brother just started on his 3rd 60-day juice diet and he's transformed from a 54-year-old couch potato to the point that he's going on daily 4+ mile runs through the woods.

I had a few painful bouts with gout a few years ago, but put it behind me with slight diet modifications and swimming laps in the pool.