Alkaline Water for Gout

Increasing the alkalinity of the body is a good way to reduce your risk of gout. When you add sugary carbonated sodas, candy, beers, sugars, meats, and other acidic foods and beverages the your diet the body as a whole becomes more acidic. This is not good for the body as viruses and bacteria can survive. It is even worse for gout sufferers, it makes it harder for the kidneys to remove the excess uric acid which contribute to more gout.

The human body is naturally alkaline with a pH of around 7.4.

pH < 7 is Acid
pH = 7 is Neutral
pH > 7 is Alkaline



Pool Chemical Test Kit

 There are many different ways to get alkaline water depending on your taste buds and budget. Each method has it's pros and cons. To test the pH of the water, you can get a swimming pool chemical test kit or test strips. There are also test strips used for urinalysis to check the acidity of your urine to track your progress.

Lemon Water - The cheapest way to get alkaline water at home is squeezing lemon juice into regular tap water. Although the lemon water is acid, it is believed to have an alkaline effect on the body.

Baking Soda - Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate), which has a pH of around 8.0, will alkaline your water also and is very inexpensive. Due to the high sodium content, baking soda can increase your blood pressure. Ask your doctor before trying this remedy. Personally, I did not like the flavor or texture of the baking soda water.

Baking Soda Remedy
- A half teaspoon to 6 to 8 ozs of water.



Alkazone

 Alkaline drops - Alkaline drops can be added to any beverage to increase it's alkalinity. Although, not as inexpensive as lemons or  baking soda, a single bottle is not too expensive and can last for weeks or months. The bottles are small so they travel well and are convenient when out for dinner. There are several brands available through your local health food store or favorite online retailer. Each brand of Alkaline drops I tried each used different minerals to change the pH of the water. This created an after taste in some brand that I did not like. I prefer AlkaZone, but I recommend trying several brands to find the one you like.

Water Alkalizer Machines - Water Alkalizer use electric charges, or electrolysis, to adjust the pH of the water in its tank. Alkalizers can be purchases in small portable bottles, counter-top versions, or systems for an entire house. Some of these systems are very expensive so that are not for everyone.

Caramel and Gout

One of my favorite candies is those soft caramel chews but as a gout sufferer I now eat them in moderation. My favorites are the Cow Tales and Caramel Creams by Goetze. They have the cream centers that are so delicious. I could eat handfuls at a time. That was my mistake. I bought several bags of the Caramel creams and ate them all within a few days. After years of gout attacks, I am generally very good about watching what I eat. Unfortunately, I hadn't considered candy caramels.

The Cow Tales and Caramel Creams from Goetze are made with soy and wheat. Both soy and wheat are considered as moderate in purines. Lots of foods that we eat contain soy or wheat. Foods derived from soybean include tofu, soy sauce, edamame  and soy milk. Wheat, of course, can be found in lots cereals, breads, pastries, and so many other items.

So the question is; did the caramel increase my risk for cause or was it the trigger? 

What do you think?

Gout with Wide Shoes



My Gout Shoes - EEE

 Anyone who has experienced a gout attack in their toes knows that it can be very difficult to walk. This is particular true for those who travel for business or pleasure. Back when I was having frequent gout attack, I would have to travel for work. Although, I didn't travel much, Gout seemed to find me before or during the trip. As with most business travel, you get bigger meals, fast food, and lots of walking.

On one particular gout experience, I had been preparing a presentation that I was to give at this conference for months.  As luck would have it, gout found it's way to my right toe about 4 weeks before I was supposed to attend the conference. I immediately cut my on my trigger foods, limited all red meats, seafood, alcohol, etc. I drank lots of water, cherry juice, and chicken in hopes that I could shake this attack myself. With one week before I left and the gout attack didn't seem to be subsiding. I broke down and went to see my doctor. I was desperate to get this gout attack eliminated before my travel. It was just not to happen. I was in lots of pain with no end in sight and business travel on my mind. I knew there would be lots of walking and my food was not going to be up to it.

With that in mind, I decided to find a larger pair of shoes. I needed shoes that I could walk in that looked professional and would cause the me least about of pain when I walked. So I went out and found me a pair of EEE width dress shoes. They were huge to walk in but as long as I tied them tight, I was able to walk around. It was not the perfect solutions but it helped me get through that week.

Uric Acid Monitor

My Uric Acid Meter

How often do you go the the doctor just to get your uric acid levels checks? There are Uric Acid Meters that will allow you to check you Uric Acid levels at home. I have been using my Uric Acid Meters for several years with lots of success. They work the same way as a common home glucose meter. You will use a lancet to prick your finger to drop blood from the tip. Apply the drop to the Uric Acid test strip. Then you wait for the results. 

Male : 3 ~ 7.2 mg/dL (179 ~ 428 umol/L)
Female : 2 ~ 6 mg/dL (119 ~ 357 umol/L)

This was one of my best investments for reduce the risk of a future gout attacks. When I bought mine they were hard to find. Now, you can purchase them from Amazon. 

Uric Acid Meters to help with Gout

www.homeuricacidtest.com
www.homegouttest.com
www.amazon.com
www.uricacidtest.com
uricacidmeters.com

Gout: What do I do?

If you are currently experiencing a gout attack you should visit your doctor if you have not already done so. You need to think about what you have eaten that could have caused this gout attack. You should avoid consuming red meat, shellfish, fish, nuts, beans, spinach, alcohol, hot dogs, carbonated drinks, cauliflower, kelp, mushrooms, most soups, and any foods you really enjoy that are high in purines. You should eat lots of cherries, other red berries, and maybe some watermelon. You should be drinking lots and lots of water. This will help to flush the uric acid from your system. Generally, your body’s pH is acidic. Drinking alkaline water, or adding alkaline drops to your water, will reduce the acidity of your body and promote the reduction of the uric acid. As for protein, I recommend SMALL portions of baked chicken, not fried chicken. Chicken has fewer purines than other proteins plus there is hundreds of way to bake chicken and make it taste good.
If you are NOT experiencing a gout attack but have a history of gout, you need to learn what your trigger foods are and avoid them. Any time you have a gout attack or gout flare, you should consider all of the food and drink you have consumed in the past 48 hours to determine what may have been your trigger. Generally, you will want to limit your intake of red meat, shellfish, fish, nuts, beans, spinach, alcohol, hot dogs, carbonated drinks, cauliflower, kelp, mushrooms, most soups, and any foods you really enjoy that are high in purines. Continue to drink lots of water. You can purchase a uric acid meter if you want to monitor you uric acid levels on your own. If the doctor has given you a preventive medicine like Allopurinol, you should continue to take it as prescribed but NOT while you are having a gout attack. Some suffers have found that Allopurinol can actually cause gout for some people instead of prevent it.
This is my experience. You may have a different experience. Leave me a comment and tell me your story.

Is Allopurinol Good?

I have been reading where lots of people are taking Allopurinol to control their Gout. It seems to work for some people but apparently not everyone. After my first gout attack, like most gout sufferers, my doctor prescribed Allopurinol. He said not to take it during a gout attack but to wait about a week after the attack was over then start taking Allopurinol regularly. So I waited for my attack to be completely done. The pain was gone, the swelling was gone, and I was walking normally. I waited a week and started taking Allopurinol like the doctor told me to do. Within a few days, I had another full blown Gout attack.

Was it something I ate or was it the meds? I stopped taking the Allopurinol, evaluated what I had eaten, and treated the attack. I still did not understand all about purines, uric acid, and trigger foods so I assumed it was something I ate. It did not take long for my next gout attack to I tried again with the same result as before. This time I continued with the daily Allopurinol routine knowing it might get worse before it got better. I continued for another week but no relief so I gave up. I continued to question if I had eaten the wrong foods or if it was the Allopurinol. I may never really know if the Allopurinol was the trigger of those Gout attacks or not. Today, I simply watch what I eat. I know what many of my trigger foods are so I try to avoid them. I am not suggesting that Allopurinol will not work for preventing a gout attack, I am only descriptions my experience with it.

Have you had a similar experience with Allopurinol and Gout? Comment about your experience.