Gout Advice?

[Janicka]

So my husband was diagnosed with gout.  He's actually having an attack right now.  He got medications for it, but he can't get an appointment with a dietician for some time yet.  Does anyone have any advice about diet and recipes?  Especially recipes - I'm running out of things to do with pasta. 

Any advice is appreciated. 

[Calandale]

Can't help much. I had a friend who
had gout. Shocked the hell out of me
that it still existed. Not sure even what
the pasta's about. But, wouldn't rice
work too? Or vegetables?

[Janicka]

Yeah, they gave him a list of low, medium, and high purine foods (purine is the amino acid that aggravates gout).  Supposedly chicken and most fish is "medium" purine so you can eat it in moderation.  I'm just not sure if you should be eating it during an attack or not, and since my husband is having an attack I'm trying to cook more vegetarian stuff.  Also, dairy is supposed to be good, and may possibly help.  So, I bought some ravioli and tortellini. 

The problem is that my husband is really picky, so he wouldn't eat s tuff like risotto that I might cook for myself. 

[Callaway]

So my husband was diagnosed with gout.  He's actually having an attack right now.  He got medications for it, but he can't get an appointment with a dietician for some time yet.  Does anyone have any advice about diet and recipes?  Especially recipes - I'm running out of things to do with pasta. 

Any advice is appreciated. 

You probably already know all this, but avoiding alcohol, high-purine foods, such as meat, fish, dry beans (also lentils and peas), mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, and cauliflower can lower plasma urate levels. In addition, consuming purine-neutralizing foods, such as fresh fruits (especially cherries and strawberries) and most fresh vegetables, diluted celery juice, distilled water, and B-complex and C vitamins can also help lower plasma urate levels.

For more diet information:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout#Diet

http://www.dietitian.com/gout.html

If your husband is overweight, he should go on a moderate diet, but a crash diet could actually make his gout worse, because his body will break down muscle in addition to fat if it thinks it is starving.

[Calandale]

Whoa, must be almost impossible to get protein with
that diet.

[Callaway]

Whoa, must be almost impossible to get protein with
that diet.

You can have dairy and some proteins you can eat in moderation.

[renaeden]

My mum had gout and she said it was an "exquisite pain" (how is that for a description?)and that there is nothing quite like it.
I know she avoided tomatoes.

[Janicka]

Thanks.

Callaway - that Wiki article was very helpful.  It put to rest my question of whether or not he should be eating the poultry and approved seafood during a flare up (the answer is no). 

So, back to trying to find things to do with pasta.   

[Catrona]

wow that sounds frustrating.

just cause im in college and am cheap... i like to do meals with bread/vinegear/oil.... some veggie finger foods and cheese... but you can sub lots of lil finger foods.

i also like to make salsa fresca (tomatoe/garlic/oinion/shalots/cillantro/peppers in a blender... 3 min tops) and do quesadillas or something cheap and easy for a mexi flavor

not sure how helpful that is

[El]

Thanks.

Callaway - that Wiki article was very helpful.  It put to rest my question of whether or not he should be eating the poultry and approved seafood during a flare up (the answer is no). 

So, back to trying to find things to do with pasta.   

Not that this much help, but if pasta is OK, have you consdiered couscous? It's the exact same substance (semolina) but the preparation is different (faster and easier) and it would at least be a change in texture.  You just might have to be careful with the flavoring that you put in it though.

[Calandale]

Sounds like yogurt based dishes are a good
move too. Maybe something like taboulli,
would work too.

[Rabbit From Hell]

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/salloum103.html

[Janicka]

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/salloum103.html

kewl!!!   

[Rabbit From Hell]

If it can be found, I can find it.

[richard]

janicka thats terrible. sorry, if i had gout the most thing id miss and probably end my life over is not being able to drink beer