The First Step to Improving Gout! 3 Habits to Start Today
"What if that excruciating pain comes back again..."
If you have ever experienced gout, you likely understand this anxiety all too well.
I first experienced a gout attack when I was 29 years old.
One day, suddenly, the base of my left big toe swelled up bright red, and even walking became painful.
Since then, over a long period, I have experienced symptoms in my ankles, knees, elbows, fingers, and wrists as well.
Now that I am 63, looking back, I have been living with gout for over 30 years.
However, precisely because I have faced gout for so long, I have realized one thing.
That is,
gout management does not start with beginning some "special health regimen," but rather by changing small daily habits
is what it means.
In this article, I will introduce "3 habits you can start today" that I felt were particularly important while reviewing my own diet.
These are not difficult methods.
Today's hydration, today's meals, and knowing your own uric acid levels.
First, you just need to start with these three things.
*This article provides information based on my own experience and does not guarantee a cure. If you are currently undergoing treatment for gout or hyperuricemia, please prioritize your doctor's examinations, tests, and medication instructions.
The basics of "uric acid" you should know before thinking about improving gout
In the first place, gout is not simply "a disease caused by eating too many purines."
Gout attacks occur when high levels of uric acid in the blood persist, causing uric acid crystals to accumulate in joints and elsewhere, leading to inflammation. In Japan, a serum uric acid level exceeding 7.0 mg/dL is defined as hyperuricemia.
In other words, what is important is,
"not eating any purines at all"
not that, but
gradually reviewing a lifestyle where uric acid increases too much or becomes difficult to excrete
is what it is.
In fact, the Gout and Uric Acid Foundation also introduces the idea of "avoiding overeating and overdrinking, and eating in moderation" rather than just extremely restricting foods high in purines.
Once you understand this, gout countermeasures become quite simple.
[Habit 1] Drink water frequently
The first thing I want you to be conscious of is hydration.
When it comes to gout countermeasures,
"No liver"
"No beer"
"No fish roe"
and other "things you must not eat" are all that get talked about.
However, before that, what I want you to review is water intake.
Dehydration is considered one of the triggers for gout attacks, and the NHS also recommends drinking enough water and avoiding dehydration to prevent gout recurrence.
I personally make sure to drink water or tea frequently throughout the day.
As a guideline, there are days when I am conscious of drinking about 1.5 to 2 liters, but this is just my own habit.
The necessary amount changes depending on physique, temperature, amount of exercise, and diet, and people who are restricted from drinking water due to heart disease or kidney disease should not drink large amounts on their own judgment.
The point is not to "gulp it down all at once."
For example,
・One glass after waking up
・One glass with meals
・A little bit at a time in the morning
・A little bit at a time in the afternoon
・An appropriate amount before and after bathing
As such, it is recommended to incorporate it into your daily life.
Instead of "drinking a large amount only after your throat is parched," you should make hydration itself a habit.
You can start this today.
[Habit 2] Stop "overeating" by eating until you are 80% full
In my long experience living with gout, I feel that revising the amount you eat itself is particularly important.
When you have gout,
"Purine content ○mg"
"This food is okay to eat"
"This is absolutely forbidden"
you end up worrying only about the fine details and numbers.
Of course, consideration for purines is necessary, and the Gout and Uric Acid Foundation introduces the idea of aiming for about 400mg of purine intake per day as a lifestyle guideline in the "Treatment Guidelines for Hyperuricemia and Gout."
However, on the same page, it also recommends avoiding overeating and overdrinking by reducing the total amount of food, rather than restricting it so much that your nutritional status worsens.
I believe this is extremely important.
When I look back on my own eating habits,
"What I ate"
not only that, but
"how much I ate"
I feel was a major factor.
Therefore, along with a diet that does not consume too many carbohydrates, I have become conscious of eating small portions and stopping at 80% full.
Eating large amounts of rice and noodles.
Eating multiple sweet breads.
Drinking sugary beverages.
Snacking mindlessly on sweets.
Eating until full late at night.
I reviewed these lifestyle habits one by one.
Current medical information also suggests that excessive intake of sugary drinks, sugary foods, and alcohol is linked to gout risk, and recommends aiming for a healthy diet and a healthy weight.
That said, there is no need to suddenly start extreme fasting or extreme dietary restrictions.
Rather, at first,
“eating a little less than yesterday”
is enough.
For example, starting with tonight's dinner, change your rice portion from large to regular.
Switch sugary juice to water or tea.
Reduce the frequency of eating sweets from every day.
Change “eating until full” to “eating until 80% full.”
Even just this is a great first step.
Gout management is not a competition to get a perfect score.
Maintaining a 70% healthy diet for a long time is more realistic than having a 100% perfect diet for only three days.
[Habit 3] Visualize your uric acid levels and your lifestyle
The third one is a habit that is surprisingly easy to overlook.
That is,
Record your uric acid levels and lifestyle habits.
is the first step.
"It doesn't hurt lately, so I'm fine."
This is a way of thinking that you should be a little careful about when it comes to gout.
Even during periods without attacks, hyperuricemia may still be ongoing.
The Gout and Uric Acid Foundation defines a state where serum uric acid levels exceed 7.0 mg/dL as hyperuricemia. If recurring gout is left untreated, it can lead to effects on the joints, kidneys, and other areas.
Therefore, I recommend keeping a simple record.
A notepad app on your smartphone is sufficient.
"Uric acid level"
"Body weight"
"Days you drank alcohol"
"Days you ate a lot of sweets"
"Days you didn't drink enough water"
"Days you felt discomfort in your feet"
and so on.
Then, after a few weeks or months,
"I was overeating during this period"
"It got hot and my water intake decreased"
"The time when I gained weight overlaps with the time I wasn't feeling well"
You will start to see your own patterns.
This will become a very valuable asset.
What is important in health management is not just 'what is said to be good in society'.
Knowing what your own body reacts to.
And if you show those records to your doctor during health checkups or hospital visits, it will be easier to consult with them.
Continue gout countermeasures through 'substitution' rather than 'prohibition'
Having lived with gout for over 30 years, I have come to think this.
One of the biggest reasons why healthy habits don't last is,
'No to this, no to that'
isn't it?
That is why I recommend 'substitution' over 'prohibition'.
Sweet juice → Water/Tea
Large serving of rice → Regular serving
Late-night snack → Early dinner
Full stomach → 80% full
Daily drinking → Create alcohol-free days
Doing nothing → Check uric acid levels during health checkups
Thinking this way lowers the hurdle to improving gout all at once.
The Gout and Uric Acid Foundation also introduces a well-balanced diet including dairy products like milk and yogurt, vegetables, and seaweed as a diet for people with high uric acid levels.
Rather than continuing to search for the 'perfect gout diet',
make your life just 1% better than it was yesterday.
I believe that those small, consistent efforts are more important.
Only 3 things to start today
Finally, I will summarize the contents of this article.
There are 3 things to do starting today.
1. Drink water or tea frequently and avoid dehydration
2. Stop overeating and be mindful of eating until you are 80% full
3. Keep a record of your uric acid levels, weight, and diet
That is all.
You don't need to change your life all at once.
I myself, after experiencing my first gout attack at age 29, spent a long time reviewing my eating habits.
Thinking about how I consume carbohydrates, being mindful of eating less, drinking water, and observing my own body.
Through such small, consistent efforts, my approach to dealing with gout has changed significantly.
The first step toward improving gout does not start tomorrow.
You can start today with "one glass of water," "eating until 80% full," and "one line of recording."
If you are currently thinking,
"I'm afraid of another gout attack coming,"
"I don't know what to change first,"
then it is okay if you don't try to do all three perfectly right away.
Do one thing today.
Do another thing tomorrow.
That is enough.
The body changes through the accumulation of daily choices.
From now on, based on my own experiences, I would like to share methods for carbohydrate restriction, eating smaller portions, hydration, and gout countermeasures that can be continued without strain.
Reference Information
I am referring to sources such as the Japan Gout and Uric Acid Foundation's "Purines in Foods and Beverages" and "Recommended Diet for Those with High Uric Acid Levels," the Japanese Orthopaedic Association's "Gout," and the UK NHS's "Gout."
#Gout
#GoutImprovement
#Hyperuricemia
#CarbohydrateRestriction
#HealthyHabits