You still throw a decent pitch, but the radar gun for baseball isn’t clocking a speed good enough for you to remain in the major league. The onset of gout early in your career prevented what would otherwise have been a hall of fame career. You’ve moved on and done well as an entrepreneur. You have speaking tours, a popular YouTube channel, and consults for one of the teams in the MLB.
You’ve written a couple of books about your post-baseball career. What you’re most excited about is sharing ideas about how people with gout can remain healthy and continue to live highly functional lives.
Gout in America
An estimated 3.9% of American adults have had some form of gout in their lifetime. While some suffer from rare flare-ups, others deal with chronic attacks marked by extreme joint pains.
Obesity is found to be directly linked to gout. For this reason, changing eating habits and dietary requirements are critical in addressing the disease.
Medicines help manage pains, but they also impact negatively internal organs like the kidney and the liver. Adjusting one’s diet may prove to be effective in at least preventing recurring pains and other symptoms.
Simple Tips
You should regularly go to your doctor for consultation before trying supposed remedies or dietary supplements, including the ones in the following discussion. If your gout is already severe, your doctor will likely require you to do a laboratory test at least once every two or three months. Do not miss your scheduled visits following the labs.
Here are other steps you can take in addition to the work you and your doctor are doing:
- Lose weight. Remember the discussion on the link between obesity and gout? You don’t even have to be obese. Putting on extra pounds raises the chances of having gout attacks. These attacks are caused by high levels of uric acid (UA) in your system. The more excess weight you have, the more difficult it is to break down the uric acid. Pain follows. Exercise is key. Start a low-intensity exercise program and then gradually build your resistance. Work with a fitness professional where possible.
- Drink lots of fluids. The only way to get rid of UA crystals in your system is by urinating. If you’re working away by your desk at the office or home, set the alarm to schedule your water or fluid intake. If you have access to fresh, clear coconut juice, at least a litter a day will do wonders for your body.
- Avoid eating food with high purine. Your doctor must have given you the list of foods to avoid. Don’t ignore this. Avoid red meat, sardines, beans, and other food with high purine content. It’s better to shift to a new diet.
- Invest in a good juicer and make your juice. Apart from water and fresh coconut juice, other fruits and vegetables are excellent natural remedies. Make your juice. Cherries, ginger, celery, and turmeric are some of the fruits and vegetables easily accessible at the grocery store.
There are books with recipes on the best combination to help manage your gout attacks.
Gout is a chronic ailment. Be ready for a long marathon that would last your lifetime. This is a life-changing disease, so managing attacks and pain will boil down to changing your lifestyle.
