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March 7, 2007

My Kingdom For A Toe

Whenever I heard that someone had gout, I immediately got mental images of King Henry with a trencher of meat in front of him, meade in one hand, a leg-o-something in his right hand. In this day and age, who gets gout and what causes it?

Gout is caused by the build up of uric acid as a result of eating foods high in purines. Such foods are liver, dried beans and peas, and anchovies. The vitamin niacin may also cause gout. The kidneys are responsible for getting rid of uric acid from the body and may be overwhelmed.

The best way to avoid gout is to eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lots and lots of water. Avoid foods high in purines such as organ meats and preserved meats. Luckily most gout attacks last only one to three days and clear up on their own. However, if your gout attack drives you to your doctor, you should follow their advice and take all of the medicines they prescribe.

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Posted by linda at March 7, 2007 7:35 AM