What You Don’t Know About GOUT?!

When we talk about GOUT, there are 2 relating key words that you may usually heard of – Uric Acid & Purine.

So what is GOUT?

It’s a throbbing, crushing or excruciating painful condition that typically affects only one or a few joints – mostly the big toe, knee, or ankle joints. It's an extremely painful swelling of the joints which the joint appears warm and red. Fever may be there too.

Gout is an extremely painful swelling of the joints!

Gout commonly affects men over 40 years old and menopausal women. It is a disorder of purine metabolism. Purine is an organic compound that occurs naturally in the human body. It is the main component of DNA and RNA and is essential for providing energy, regulating metabolism, and forming coenzymes. When the body breaks down purines, it produces uric acid. Uric acid dissolves in the blood, passes through the kidneys, and is excreted in urine.

Gout is caused by the buildup of uric acid. Either the body produces too much uric acid, and/or the kidneys do not filter enough uric acid through the urine, to keep this substance from building up in the body.  If the body cannot remove excess uric acid in time or the uric acid excretion mechanism degenerates, there will be high levels of uric acid in the blood. This can cause painful uric acid crystals (needles like) to form in joints especially the big toe, tissues, and kidneys, causing the immune system to mount an attack against these crystals because they do not belong there. This immune reaction causes inflammation and induces gout. Do not take gout lightly as it can cause serious joint damage!

The uric acid crystals (needles like) are formed in joints especially the big toe!

Who are at the high risk group of Gout? People who are / who have:

·         Obese

·         Diabetic

·         Metabolic syndrome

·         Heart concern

·         Kidney concern

·         Using HBP, diuretics medicines

Though Gout could be hereditary, however, the main reason is due to Diet. 

Hereditary is something beyond our control, so what we can do? It’s none our Diet! 

Gout is once named as ‘rich people disease’, due to the luxurious food that is high in Purine.

Aging body cells or excessive consumption of purine-rich foods such as organ meats and 

seafood can lead to excessive amounts of purine in the body. 

Uric acid can build up in the blood when one consumes excessive amounts of purine-rich 

foods like organ meats and seafood, when the kidneys do not get rid of enough uric acid, 

or when the body increases the amount of uric acid it makes. 

Gout occurs when high levels of uric acid in the blood cause uric acid crystals to form and 

be deposited in joints, cartilage, kidneys, and elsewhere in the body.

High-protein diets emphasize meat as the main food intake while avoiding foods containing 

carbohydrates. High-protein diets can also cause the body to produce high levels of uric acid, 

which is a risk factor for gout and kidney stones.

High-purine foods:

·         Anchovies

·         Roe (fish eggs)

·         Fish such as herring and mackerel. * Lobster & abalone are relatively lower.

·         Sardines

·         Tuna

·         Scallops and mussels

·         Meats, like goose, duck, and partridge, turkey

·         Organ meats: brains, heart, kidney, liver, sweetbreads

Medium-purine foods:

·         Fish and shellfish not on the high purine list above

·         Poultry foods not on the high purine list above

·   Beef, lamb, pork, other red meats not on the high purine list above. * Chicken is relatively lower.

·         Dried beans, peas, lentils

·         Asparagus

·         Mushrooms

·         Spinach

·         Cauliflower

·         Green peas

·         Oats and oatmeal

·         Wheat germ and bran

·         Whole grain breads and cereals

Alcohol causes increase in uric acid production. Hence, beer must be refrained from your diet, and wine is comparatively better than beer. 
* I don’t mean you can indulge yourself in wine…

Myth about Purine and Gout:

• Meats and fish of all kinds are higher in purine than vegetables and fruit, although some vegetables are very high in purine like mushrooms, asparagus, and spinach. But do not worry, purines in vegetables are not high enough to make a dent towards your uric acid levels. In general the more purines you consume the more the likelihood of worsening your gout but purines from vegetables are not considered the same as purines from meat. Many clinical researches were repeated many times, once again proves that plant purine won’t cause gout, but animal purine causes gout!
• A pinch of Reishi mushroom also known as Ganoderma lucidum “the Mushroom of Immortality” (Ling Zhi 灵芝) that you consume will not directly cause any flares or gout attacks.
• The purine content found in mushrooms won’t do anything to move the needle on raising uric acid levels, it’s still relatively low, remember every food has purines but it’s the animal proteins or meat that are the real culprits.
• Mushrooms carry beta-glucans which is a type of carbohydrate found in mushrooms and is a strong anti-inflammatory that helps protect you from gout. They are a great source of vitamins B, selenium, copper, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, manganese, riboflavin, niacin, ergothioneine which is a powerful antioxidant and many other vitamins and minerals.
• There is one study that was done with people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis with Reishi mushrooms. In the 2007 study published by the University of Hong Kong, the polysaccharide peptides in Reishi were found to “significantly inhibit the proliferation of Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts (RASF).” Reishi mushrooms helps regulate cells that influence the immune system, helping calm down overactive cells that affect autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Remember gout is also an autoimmune disorder, a type of arthritis.
• Another mushroom that shows much promise is Cordyceps that has long been used in Chinese medicine and helps protect your liver and kidneys, helps increase blood flow normalizes cholesterol levels which all good stuff for the gout sufferers and rheumatoid arthritis sufferers having extremely potent anti-inflammatory characteristics.
• One thing scientists are beginning to recognize is that mushrooms carry what they consider a “master antioxidant” which is called ergothioneine and is exclusive to mushrooms protecting our DNA from oxidative damage.
• Eventhough many allopathic professionals will point out that mushrooms are moderately high in purines, it is not the same as animal purines and more similar to nuts, seeds and cauliflower.
• As Soybeans are rich in purines, many believe that gout patients should avoid eating soybeans and soy products. This is not true at all. Indeed soy is one of the best protein source, which is 2x higher than meat, 4x higher than chicken egg and 12x higher than milk! There is a clinical research done in Japan on 45,000 people, who are eating soy daily, it never cause gout.
• Soybeans contain a moderate amount of purine, less than high purine-content foods (e.g., organ meats) and more than low purine content foods (fruits and vegetables). Most purines are removed along with excess water during the manufacturing process of many soy products. In the processing stages of soy foods - tofu, for example, a lot of purine is removed along with excess water during the water removal process.
• Another notable example is soy milk. As 500 g of soybean can be made into 2,500 ml of soy milk, hence the amount of purines in 500 ml of soy milk is insignificant. A study by Japanese researchers concluded that tofu is a safe source of protein for gout patients due to its small and transient effect on plasma urate levels. Proper consumption of plant foods high in purine does not increase the risk of developing gout.
• A 12-year study involving more than 45,000 men found that higher levels of meat and seafood consumption are associated with an increased risk of gout, whereas moderate intake of purine-rich vegetables is not associated with an increased risk of gout. In addition, estrogens help inhibit the formation of uric acid. Soy isoflavones can restore balance to men experiencing irregularities in uric acid elimination due to interference from male hormones and replenish estrogens in menopausal women, thereby reducing gout incidence. Compared to fish, meat, seafood, and freshwater delicacies, soy and soy products are relatively safer and more ideal sources of protein.

After learning much about GOUT attacks could be prevented from your DIET, so other than what to avoid, so what is the SUPERFOOD from the mother nature that should be included in a gout patient's DIET?

1.    SOY – Add on EVERSTAY D (Soy, Psyllium Husk, Wheat Bran) or 

1-SHAPE/ 1-SHAPE LITE (Soy, Psyllium Husk, American Ginseng) or 

SOYGREEN (Soy, Psyllium Husk, 10 types of vegetables).

Add on EVERSTAY D/ 1-SHAPE or 1-SHAPE LITE/ SOYGREEN or SOYGREEN ORANGE into your diet today!

2.    MUSHROOMS eg. Reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma aka Ling Zhi) and CORDYCEPS.

Add on NUTRIACT (made of 4 types of mushroom – ABM, Shitake, Maitake and 

Reishi) and CELEBRATION (made of Cordyceps, Cactus and American Ginseng).

Add on CELEBRATION / NUTRIACT into your diet today!

3.    CHERRY – can reduce gout attack by 35%! Gout patients who are taking gout 

Medicines like Allopurinol will reduce gout attack by 53%. 

If you are taking Cherry + gout medicines will reduce the gout attack by 75%! 

Acerola Cherry is especially good as it is in deep red colours, which is rich in 

anthocyanins to prevent inflammation. It’s also rich in Vitamin C, a potent 

antioxidant that promote the body to discharge uric acid and hence prevent 

gout attack! 

Acerola Cherry 🍒🍒🍒

• Originating in tropical America

• Naturally rich in Vitamin C - aid Vitamin B12 and iron absorption.

• 33x or over 3000% the amount of vitamin C in orange juice 

• A perfect complement to Vitamin B12 and iron.

• Protect joints against rheumatoid arthritis

• Excellent source of bioflavonoids, rutin, beta-carotene, calcium, phosphorus, 

  iron, sodium and potassium for immune system nourishment and bone formation.

As a convenience, add on VEGAPLEX which is made of Acerola Cherry, ABM Mushroom, 

Maitake Mushroom and Blueberries into your diet today!

4.    PARSLEY - Antioxidants protect against cell damage that leads to cartilage loss. 

Parsley is rich in antioxidants, which can boost immune function and help to maintain 

normal bone density. The buildup of too much uric acid in the body can lead to gout. 

An experimental study shows that parsley helps lower uric acid levels when uric acid 

levels are too high.

Add on G-ART which is made of 

Parsley, Acerola Cherry, Brown Algae, Ginger, Alfafa, Spinach and Cactus into your diet today!

Ignorantia salus non excusat!

(Ignorance of health excuses no one!)

Thanks & Best Regards,

Raine Tan

+65 9800 6016

Health & Beauty Freedom Consultant