Gout

I was recently asked about gout and what medications work best. Of course there are some that work extremely well, but instead of going right for the prescription or even over the counter medications try this first. If you are in an acute flare up of gout you will need medication to get it under control.

If you have had gout in the past, try drinking more water. Studies have shown that individuals with a history of gout were 40% less likely to develop another attack if they drank 5-8 glasses of water a day. It's simple, dehydration allows uric acid to concentrate in the blood stream which makes uric acid crystal formation more likely. These ccrystals get deposited around joints which results in the red, hot painful joint.

Red Meat - the Cons

Because of the saturated fats found in many cuts of red meat, the medical community as cautioned us against eating it. Saying that it will increase the LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and in turn increasing your chance of heart disease. While I follow their logic here, I do not agree that cholesterol is the issue. I believe the issue is inflammation not the cholesterol.

The medical community also states that red meat consumption is associated with higher rates of colon cancer, gallstones, and gout. The interesting thing here is that gout is an inflammation caused by uric acid crystals in a joint.

I would not and do not feel guilty about eating red meat. If some of the things above are concerning to you, then buy lean cuts of meat like sirloin. You could also eat venison, ostrich or buffalo. Game meats tend to have much lower fat content and also less calories.