Gout is a chronic and slow disease of the joint system that results from the deposit of urea crystals in the joint cavity. This condition develops when there is a violation of purine-type base exchange in the human body. Gout is characterized by the appearance of so-called tofuses, which look like bumps on the surface of the interphalangeal or elbow joints. This disease is accompanied not only by a severe pain syndrome, but also leads to a partial or complete limitation of mobility. People with advanced gout often lose their potential for self-care, as a result of which they are forced to apply for a disability. In modern medical practice, there are many new generation drugs that affect the root cause of the development of this disease.
Despite the efficacy of these medications, complex gout therapy cannot be fully implemented without a specialized diet. The main rule of such a diet is to strictly limit or completely eliminate ingredients that contain a large amount of purine bases from the diet. Dietary recommendations allow not only to normalize metabolic processes and reduce the load on the renal system, but also allow to normalize the metabolism of water and electrolytes, as well as improve the general well-being of the patient.
Characteristics of the disease
The pathological changes in the joints in this disease are directly related to the accumulation of urea fragments in the inter-articular space. As the disease progresses, the deposition of uric acid crystals occurs not only in the joints, but also in the internal organs, which leads to the disruption of their functional activity. First of all, this disease affects the urinary system, since the kidneys can no longer cope with the volume of uric acid that appears in the body.
The most likely complication of renal gout is urolithiasis, which eventually leads to kidney failure and death. As a general rule, this pathological phenomenon affects the interphalangeal joints of the feet, hands, knees, elbows and ankles. This disease is characterized by cyclicality, when periods of relative remission are replaced by periods of exacerbation.
During an exacerbation of the disease, a person faces the following pathological symptoms:
- swelling and redness of the tophi formed over the area of the damaged joint;
- severe pain syndrome, which tends to intensify even when air is flowing;
- increase in body temperature greater than 38 degrees.
During the onset of a gout attack, characteristic symptoms usually affect only the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first toe. In 80% of cases, the symptoms of gout are felt at night. An exacerbation attack can last from several hours to several days, depending on the severity of the pathological changes. The frequency of seizures directly depends on the individual characteristics of the human body. In some patients, this happens every six months and some forget about gout for several years. Despite the fact that this disease is hereditary in nature, to provoke the appearance of gout, it is necessary to create favorable conditions in the form of improper nutrition, improper lifestyle, abuse of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
Very often, gout is secondary in nature and develops in the context of pathologies such as diabetes mellitus, leukemia or hypertension. Uncontrolled and prolonged use of acetylsalicylic acid also leads to disruption of uric acid exchange in the human body. Regardless of the severity of the course of the disease, a person diagnosed with gout needs timely complex treatment, which includes a radical revision of the diet.
Characteristics of the diet
In case of alteration of urea metabolism, these patients are prescribed a diet that restricts the intake of purine bases from abroad, which will help to inhibit the synthesis of uric acid and will change the pH of the urine alongsidealkaline. According to the classification of the dietary tables, table number 6 is recommended for people with diagnosed gout. The energy value of said table is on average between 2, 700 and 2, 800 calories.
In addition, the chemical composition of said diet is as follows:
- The daily amount of carbohydrates is between 350 and 400 g.
- The volume of the protein component is 80 to 90 g per day, while at least half of the specified volume should be animal protein.
- The daily amount of fat consumed should be between 80 and 90 g, while the amount of vegetable fat should be at least 30%.
There are also separate nutrition principles, after which a person diagnosed with gout improves the general condition of the body and reduces the risk of another recurrence of the disease. These principles include:
- Liquid replacement correct.The daily volume of drinking water should be at least 1, 5 and no more than 2 liters. This amount of water is sufficient to normalize the level of urea in the body and for the early elimination of its excess by the kidneys.
- Compliance with food intake.To reduce the metabolic load in the body and eliminate the accumulation of harmful compounds, it is recommended to eat in small portions, in moderation, up to 5 times a day. It is very important for this disease to avoid overeating.
- Total cessation of alcohol consumption.Drinking beer, wine, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages can lead to another attack of the disease, as they not only slow down the excretion of excess uric acid, but also contribute to its overproduction. For example, red grape wine contains a large amount of purine bases, the accumulation of which in the body leads to the development of gout.
- Limited salt intake.To prevent another attack of excruciating pain, the amount of table salt consumed should be limited to 6 g per day.
- Reducing the amount of protein consumed.A total rejection of protein components is dangerous not only for health, but also for human life, so patients with diagnosed gout are advised to give preference to vegetable proteins, as well as ingredientsmeat products containing a minimum amount of purine bases.
- Normalization of body weight.Extra pounds create an exorbitant load on the entire body, leading to a decrease in metabolic rate. Obesity to one degree or another adversely affects the state of the kidneys and joints, leading to an exacerbation of the disease. To prevent obesity and the recurrence of gout, it is recommended to limit your sugar intake.
Prohibited food ingredients
A key condition for effective nutrition in this disease is the strict limitation or complete exclusion of components containing large amounts of purine bases.
Food items such as broths and first courses of red meat and mushrooms, coffee, strong black and green tea, as well as cocoa and chocolate should be completely eliminated from the daily diet. The diet for gout does not foresee fasting and fasting days, since insufficient food intake leads to accelerated uric acid production.
The complete elimination of these food components from the daily diet helps to improve the general condition and reduce the metabolic load in the body:
- hard cheeses containing spices and herbs;
- any kind of offal;
- concentrated broths;
- high fat meat and fish ingredients;
- smoked and canned sausages, hot dogs, meat and fish ingredients;
- all varieties of mushrooms;
- nuts;
- canned, pickled and salted vegetable ingredients;
- confectionery products;
- sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, horseradish root and chili sandwiches;
- puff pastry products;
- raspberries, lingonberries, figs, blueberries;
- drinks that contain carbon dioxide, alcohol, colors and flavors;
- refractory types of animal fats;
- vegetable components such as peas, beans, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, sorrel, rhubarb.
Allowed food ingredients
The list of acceptable products includes those elements that contribute to the normalization of urea metabolism in the human body.
The gout diet has much in common with a vegetarian diet, as it involves a strong restriction of animal products and the predominance of plant foods in the diet.
Such a diet not only has a beneficial effect on the state of metabolism, but also normalizes the evacuation function of the large intestine, solving the problem of constipation. Edible foods also create minimal stress on the kidneys, allowing them to focus on removing excess uric acid.
You can form a daily menu with the inclusion of the following food ingredients:
- soy products;
- bakery products made from wheat or rye flour;
- chicken eggs in the amount of 1 piece per day (or quail - 3 pieces);
- first courses with the addition of whole milk, noodles, fruits, cereals and vegetables allowed;
- low-fat meat ingredients (chicken, turkey, rabbit, lean fish);
- rice, buckwheat and wheat groats;
- whole milk and low-fat fermented milk ingredients;
- freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, medicinal mineral table waters of alkaline composition;
- vegetable components (carrots, white cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, lettuce);
- crab meat, shrimp, squid;
- butter without added salt, ghee and vegetable oil;
- some types of confectionery (marshmallow, jam, marshmallow, natural honey, fruit and berry jam);
- can add bay leaves, cinnamon, citric acid, dill and parsley, vanillin as seasonings;
- citrus fruits, pineapples, berries, melons.
Rational nutrition for gout has a beneficial effect not only on the work of blood vessels and the heart, but also allows you to reduce the amount of drugs used. A restrictive diet reduces the risk of relapse of the disease, normalizes body weight and strengthens the body's defenses.
Consequences of not following the diet
If a person with diagnosed gout neglects a balanced diet, then they may face a full list of serious complications.
These complications include:
- atherosclerotic changes;
- irreversible kidney damage (gouty nephritis);
- accumulation of uric acid crystals in internal organs, which is fraught with the formation of so-called gouty ganglia;
- occurrence of renal failure;
- diffuse damage to the joint apparatus with the development of an erosive form of arthritis;
- irreversible damage to the blood vessels and the heart, as well as the formation of persistent high blood pressure.
Examples of menus for every day
A person with gout can compose a daily menu based on her gastronomic preferences, guided by the list of allowed food products. As an example, the standard diet menu will be indicated in violation of uric acid metabolism in the body.
This menu looks like this:
Day One
- Breakfast. Hercules flakes, boiled with milk or in water, 2-3 fresh cucumbers, uzvar rosehip.
- Second breakfast. 150-200 g of low-fat cottage cheese with the addition of 15% fat sour cream, 1 glass of fruit-berry jelly or 250 ml in homemade yogurt.
- Lunch. Chicken soup with potatoes, carrots and other allowed vegetables, zucchini stuffed with grains of rice and vegetables, seasoned with sour cream sauce, 1 glass of whole milk or berry juice.
- Afternoon snack. Vegetable salad dressed with vegetable oil, 150g of boiled turkey fillet and 1 glass of rosehip uzvar.
- Dinner. White cabbage vegetable cutlets, cheesecakes with sour cream 15% fat, 250 ml of tomato juice. Before going to bed, it is allowed to eat 1-2 fresh apples or drink 1 glass of homemade yogurt.
Day Two
- Breakfast. Grated carrots, seasoned with 15% fat sour cream, rice cereal, boiled in water or milk, 1 boiled chicken egg, weak black tea with lemon.
- Second breakfast. Roasted potatoes, vegetable salad flavored with vegetable oil, 250 ml of fruit and berry jelly or apple juice.
- Lunch. Vegetable soup with sour cream, milk jelly, curd casserole with raisins.
- Dinner. 2-3 cinnamon roasted apples, steamed omelette, any fruit juice. Before going to bed, it is recommended to consume 250 ml of homemade yogurt or kefir with a low percentage of fat.
Day Three
- Breakfast. White cabbage and carrot salad, seasoned with 15% fat sour cream, infused with chamomile, thyme and linden flowers.
- Second breakfast. Steamed fish fillet, cucumber salad with herbs, tomato juice.
- Lunch. Vegetarian borsch, a small slice of chicken fillet boiled with sour cream sauce, berry juice.
- Afternoon snack. Carrot and apple juice, cakes or sponge cakes.
- Dinner. Buckwheat porridge cooked with milk, vegetarian cabbage rolls with rice and vegetables. In the evening, it is allowed to consume 1 glass of tomato or apple juice.
Day Four
- Breakfast. Shredded beet salad with sour cream 15% fat and garlic, 1-2 slices of bread with bran, weak black tea with milk.
- Second breakfast. Any vegetable or fruit juices allowed.
- Lunch. Vegetable soup with pearl barley, breaded cabbage schnitzel with egg, carrot juice and pumpkin.
- Afternoon snack. Orange or grapefruit juice, cakes.
- Dinner. Carrot pancakes with 15% sour cream, homemade milk or fruit jelly.
Day Five
- Breakfast. Cooked oatmeal porridge with the addition of milk, rosehip decoction, carrot salad with apple.
- Second breakfast. A serving of low-fat cottage cheese with honey, raspberry, or strawberry jelly.
- Lunch. Zucchini stewed with carrot and tomato, vegetable soup with potatoes, banana smoothie.
- Dinner. Cabbage cutlets, boiled rabbit meat, tomato juice.
Day six
- Breakfast. Cereal porridge from rice pudding, salad from carrots and apples with the addition of walnuts, weak green tea.
- Second breakfast. 1 boiled chicken egg, herbal tea.
- Lunch. Vegetable okroshka, cottage cheese casserole, milk jelly.
- Dinner. 1-2 apples roasted with honey, carrot and apple juice.
Day Seven
- Breakfast. Buckwheat oatmeal porridge, herbed cole slaw, weak green tea.
- Lunch. Vegetarian mix, 1-2 slices of bran bread, milk jelly.
- Afternoon snack. Apple and carrot casserole, rosehip drink.
- Dinner. Pumpkin pulp, baked with honey, apple juice.
Recipes
The following recipes for the preparation of some dishes will help to diversify the diet of a person with diagnosed gout, in addition to saturating their body with vital components, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The list of ingredients used can be changed according to culinary preferences.
Cabbage and beet salad
To prepare this dietary dish, you should: take 1 medium head of red cabbage, 2 medium beets, 35 g of walnuts, 1 teaspoon of honey, a few drops of lemon juice and salt to taste. Cooking should begin by boiling the beets and chopping on a medium grater. After that, you need to finely chop the cabbage, salt it and let it rest for 9-11 minutes. After that, all the ingredients are mixed gently, seasoned with honey and a mixture of lemon juice with olive or sunflower oil. To enhance the flavor, chopped walnuts are added to the salad.
Baked potatoes
First, you need to stock up on ingredients such as peeled potatoes in an amount of 350-400 g, a pinch of caraway seeds and vegetable oil. Peeled potatoes are cut into wedges and boiled until half cooked in salted water. Half-finished potatoes are spread on a baking sheet greased with sunflower or butter, greased with vegetable oil on top and sprinkled with caraway seeds. It is recommended to bake this dish in the oven for 35-40 minutes at a temperature of 120 degrees.
Rice and meat puree
To prepare a diet meal, you will need the following ingredients:
- 300-350 g of chicken, turkey or rabbit meat;
- 30 g of raw rice cereal;
- dill or parsley;
- salt to taste.
Cooking recipe:
- The meat should first be boiled, cut into medium pieces and then minced in a blender or meat grinder.
- The rice grains are boiled and washed thoroughly, mixed with minced meat and this mixture is passed through a blender or meat grinder.
- The finished dough is salted to taste, mixed and simmered for 5-7 minutes.
- When the dish boils, mix well, add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and mix again.
Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
Milk gelatin
Before making this dessert, you need to stock up on the following ingredients:
- 150 g of granulated sugar;
- 30 g of gelatin;
- 15 g of chopped almonds
- 800 ml of whole milk;
- a pinch of vanillin.
Add 4-5 tablespoons of boiled water to the chopped almonds and mix the ingredients until they form a mush. Almond porridge, vanillin with sugar are added to the heated milk, after which the mixture is brought to a boil. After that, the milk is removed from the heat, gelatin is added to it and mixed gently until the granules are completely dissolved. The finished mixture is poured into previously prepared forms and allowed to solidify.
Stewed pumpkin
The following components are required to prepare the dish:
- 100 ml of whole milk;
- 300 g of peeled pumpkin pulp;
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 medium orange;
- 2 medium apples;
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- Vanillin and cinnamon to taste.
Cook like this:
- The peeled pumpkin pulp should be grated on a medium grater and boiled in milk for 15-20 minutes, after which sugar, peeled crushed apples, and butter are added to the hot mixture.
- The resulting mixture is simmered for 10 minutes.
Before serving, sprinkle with vanilla and cinnamon and garnish with peeled orange slices.
Vegetable Borsch
Vegetable borsch is one of the easiest options for a lunch dish. Such a dish does not require a lot of time and money, while its taste will be equally pleasant for both adults and children.
To prepare borscht, you need the following ingredients:
- 2 liters of clean water;
- one medium bell pepper;
- 3-4 medium tomatoes;
- white cabbage;
- 2-3 medium potatoes;
- dill and parsley.
How to cook:
- The listed vegetables should be peeled, washed and diced.
- White cabbage should be finely chopped and tomatoes should be washed, blanched with boiling water, and peeled.
- Add diced potatoes and premade juice from peeled tomatoes to boiling water.
- When the potatoes are half cooked, add the cabbage and bell peppers. When the dish boils (after adding cabbage and pepper), it should be cooked for 7 minutes, then remove from heat and add chopped dill and parsley.
It is recommended to serve the dish with 1 teaspoon of sour cream.