UPDATE - The Gout is Under Control

Since the move and the career change, I've really been slacking on updating this blog.  Thankfully, however, there really hasn't been much to report.  I haven't had a gout attack now for over six months!  It's been a long road to recovery, but it's been worth it.  I have even dropped my dose of daily Allopurinol from 600mg to 300mg.  I still am having periodic bloodwork done in order to check my uric acid levels (and other important indicators).  My last results came back amazingly good - uric acid, kidney functions, liver function, cholesterol - all of it - right in the normal range where they should be.

When I get some free time, I want to succintly write up what I've gone through to get my gout under control.  I received a lot of good advice from other gout sufferers along with taking a few things, such as my diet and strict no alcohol rule, to the extreme - and it has worked!  I think some people suffering with gout make things way, way too complicated.  It is my feeling that you can control your gout with a few simple rules, but simple rules that you absolutely must adhere to.  Just recently I was on a ski trip with a guy who asked me why I wasn't drinking any beer.  I told him I had gout and that I stayed away from all booze now.  He proceeded to tell me how he had really bad gout and how crippling and painful it was - while he chugged down a beer.  I asked him what his diet was like, if he was taking any drugs for his gout, etc....  He was actively doing nothing to help himself or his gout and he really didn't seem interested in hearing my story.  Fair enough.  I was like that at one time.  It took my gout getting so bad that it was ruining my life for me to take extreme action (and by God was it worth it!).

Just recently, I've started experimenting with a new diet, one I have read a lot about, and one that I know has worked great for some people I know.  Now, this may sound counter-intuitive and some may ask why I would want to screw with my diet as my gout is coming under control.  Again, I have read, and read, and read some more about this diet, and have talked with people who swear by it.  It's the Paleo Diet, a diet where lean cuts of meat along with  fresh veggies, fruit, and some nuts, rule.  This diet is more about what you don't eat than what you do eat.  The Paleo Diet requires that you stop eating all gluten, grains, bread pasta, bad starches, and most importantly, sugar.  Any sugar you get should only come from natural sources (i.e. fruit).  The cause of most autoimmune diseases (along with other afflictions) has been linked to out-of-whack insulin levels and inflammation in the body.  The Paleo Diet looks to normalize these levels and greatly reduce inflammation.

My wife and I have been following the Paleo way of eating for about six weeks now - and we both feel GREAT.  I've lost over 15 pounds (without really trying), have more energy than I've had in years, feel stronger, healthier, more vibrant, all gut issues have disappeared, and I've had not a twinge from gout. 

Here is a great site that explains exactly what the Paleo Diet is:  http://robbwolf.com/faq/

"Yes, but I've been taught my whole life that red meat will kill me and that it's the cause of gout"
Read This:  http://www.rawpaleoforum.com/carnivorous-zero-carb-approach/gout-from-an-evolutionary-perspective/

Just do a Google search for 'Gout and Paleo Diet' and you'll find enough reading to keep you busy for weeks!  What it all boils down to is that if a strict Paleo Diet is followed and insulin spikes are kept to a minimum, the Paleo Diet will help greatly with alleviating gout.  So far it's worked for me and my bloodwork numbers confirm this.  I will be the first to report if I start getting attacks again because of this diet.  If you look at this as with a Cost/Benefit bent, the benefits so far have been amazing and there has been no cost to my health.  If that cost eventually becomes more gout attacks, I will definitely have to modify my diet.  However, from what I've read, I should be just fine - and that makes me happy!