Gout is a chronic, sluggish disease of the joint system, the result of the deposition of urea crystals in the joint cavity. This condition develops when there is a violation of the metabolism of purine-type bases in the human body. Gout is characterized by the appearance of so-called tofu, which look like bumps above the surface of the interphalangeal or elbow joints. This disease is accompanied not only by a severe pain syndrome, but also leads to partial or complete restriction of mobility. People with advanced gout often lose their self-care potential, 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 this disease.
Despite the effectiveness of these drugs, complex gout therapy cannot be applied entirely without a specialized diet. The main rule of such a diet is to strictly limit or completely eliminate from the diet ingredients containing large amounts of purine bases. Dietary recommendations allow not only to normalize metabolic processes and reduce the load on the renal apparatus, but also allow to normalize the metabolism of water and electrolytes, as well as improve the overall well-being of the patient.
Characteristics of the disease
Pathological changes in the joints in this disease are directly related to the accumulation of urea fragments in the interstitial 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 disruption of their functional activity. First of all, this disease affects the excretory system, as the kidneys can no longer cope with the volume of uric acid that appears in the body.
The most likely complication of kidney gout is urolithiasis, which eventually leads to kidney failure and death. As a rule, this pathological phenomenon affects the interphalangeal joints of the feet, hands, knee, elbow and ankle joints. This disease is characterized by cyclicity, when periods of relative remission are replaced by periods of exacerbation.
During the exacerbation of the disease a person encounters the following pathological symptoms:
- swelling and redness of the formed tophi over the area of the damaged joint;
- intense pain syndrome, which tends to worsen even when air is flowing;
- increase in body temperature above 38 degrees.
During a gout attack, the characteristic symptoms usually affect only the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first toe. In 80% of cases, the symptoms of gout are felt at night. The 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 having gout for several years. Despite the fact that this disease is hereditary, in order to provoke the appearance of gout, it is necessary to create favorable conditions in the form of improper diet, improper lifestyle, abuse of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.
Very often gout is secondary and develops against the background of pathologies such as diabetes, leukemia or hypertension. Uncontrolled and prolonged use of acetylsalicylic acid also leads to disruption of uric acid metabolism in the human body. Regardless of the severity of the disease, a person diagnosed with gout needs timely comprehensive treatment, which includes a radical revision of the diet.
Dietary characteristics
In case of impaired urea metabolism, such patients are prescribed a diet that limits the intake of purine bases from the outside, which will help to inhibit the synthesis of uric acid and shift the pH of urine to the alkaline side. According to the classification of diet tables for people diagnosed with gout, Table № 6 is recommended. The energy value of such a table is on average from 2700 to 2800 calories.
In addition, the chemical composition of such a diet is as follows:
- The daily amount of carbohydrates is between 350 and 400 g.
- The volume of the protein component is 80-90g per day, while at least half of the stated 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 separate principles of nutrition, after which a person diagnosed with gout improves the general condition of the body and reduces the risk of a new recurrence of the disease. These principles include:
- Properly fill the liquid.The daily volume of drinking water should be at least 1, 5 and not more than 2 liters. This amount of water is enough to normalize the level of urea in the body and to remove its excess from the kidneys early.
- Compliance with food intake.To reduce the body's metabolic load and eliminate the accumulation of harmful compounds, it is recommended to eat small portions, in moderation, up to 5 times a day. It is very important to avoid overeating in this disease.
- Complete cessation of alcohol consumption.Drinking beer, wine, champagne and other alcoholic beverages can provoke another attack of the disease, as they not only slow down the release of excess uric acid, but also contribute to its excessive production. For example, red grape wine contains an abundance of purine bases, the accumulation of which in the body leads to the development of gout.
- Limited salt intake.To prevent a new attack of excruciating pain, the amount of table salt consumed should be limited to 6 g per day.
- Reduce the amount of protein consumed.Complete rejection of protein components is dangerous not only for health but also for human life, which is why patients diagnosed with gout are advised to give preference to plant proteins, as well as meat ingredients containing a minimum amount of purine bases.
- Normalize body weight. Excess weight creates excess weight for the whole body, which leads to a decrease in metabolic rate. Obesity to one degree or another negatively affects the condition of the kidneys and joints, which leads to exacerbation of the disease. To prevent obesity and the recurrence of gout, it is recommended to limit sugar intake.
Prohibited nutrients
A key condition for effective nutrition in this disease is the strict restriction or complete exclusion of components containing large amounts of purine bases.
Foods 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 provide days of fasting and fasting, as insufficient food intake leads to accelerated production of uric acid.
The complete elimination of such nutrients from the daily diet helps to improve the general condition and reduce the metabolic load of the body:
- hard cheeses containing spices and herbs;
- any kind of offal;
- concentrated broths;
- fish and meat ingredients high in fat;
- smoked and preserved sausages, sausages, meat and fish ingredients;
- all varieties of mushrooms;
- dried fruits;
- preserved, marinated and salted vegetable ingredients;
- confectionery;
- sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, horseradish root and spicy snacks;
- puff pastry products;
- raspberries, blueberries, figs, blueberries;
- beverages containing carbon dioxide, alcohol, colors and flavors;
- refractory animal fats;
- plant components such as peas, beans, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, sorrel, rhubarb.
Authorized nutrients
The list of acceptable products includes those elements that contribute to the normalization of urea metabolism in the human body.
Gout has a lot to do with the vegetarian diet, as it involves a sharp 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 colon, solving the problem of constipation. Eating foods also creates minimal stress on the kidneys, allowing them to focus on eliminating excess uric acid.
You can create a daily menu with the following nutrients:
- 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, permitted cereals and vegetables;
- low-fat meat ingredients (chicken, turkey, rabbit, lean fish);
- rice, buckwheat and wheat groats;
- whole milk and fermented milk ingredients with a low percentage of fat;
- freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, healing table mineral waters with alkaline composition;
- vegetable components (carrots, white cabbage, zucchini, squash, lettuce);
- meat of crabs, shrimps, squid;
- oil without added salt, melted butter and vegetable oil;
- certain types of confectionery (marshmallow, marmalade, marshmallow, natural honey, fruit jam and berries);
- you can add bay leaves, cinnamon, citric acid, dill and parsley, vanillin as spices;
- citrus fruits, pineapples, fruits, melons.
Rational nutrition in 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. Restrictive diet reduces the risk of recurrence of the disease, normalizes body weight and strengthens the body's defenses.
Consequences of not following the diet
If a person diagnosed with gout ignores a balanced diet, then he may face a whole list of serious complications.
These complications include:
- atherosclerotic changes;
- irreversible kidney damage (gouty nephritis);
- accumulation of uric acid crystals in the internal organs, which is accompanied by the formation of so-called gouty nodules;
- occurrence of renal failure;
- diffuse damage to the joint apparatus with the development of an erosive form of arthritis;
- irreversible damage to blood vessels and the heart, as well as the formation of persistent arterial hypertension.
Sample menus for each day
A person with gout can compile a daily menu based on their gastronomic preferences, guided by the list of permitted foods. As an example, the standard diet menu will be indicated in violation of the metabolism of uric acid in the body.
This menu looks like this:
First day
- Breakfast. Herculean flakes, boiled with milk or in water, 2-3 fresh cucumbers, rosehip compote.
- Second breakfast. 150-200 g of low-fat cottage cheese with the addition of 15% butter sour cream, 1 cup of fruit and forest jelly or 250 ml in homemade yogurt.
- Lunch. Chicken soup with potatoes, carrots and other permitted vegetables, zucchini stuffed with rice cereals and vegetables seasoned with sour cream sauce, 1 cup whole milk or forest juice.
- Afternoon breakfast. Vegetable salad dressed with vegetable oil, 150 g of boiled turkey fillet and 1 cup of rosehip compote.
- Dinner. Vegetable cutlets of white cabbage, pastries 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 cup of homemade yogurt.
Day two
- Breakfast. Grated carrots, seasoned with sour cream 15% fat, rice cereals cooked in water or milk, 1 soft-boiled chicken egg, weak black tea with lemon.
- Second breakfast. Potato jacket, vegetable salad, dressed with vegetable oil, 250 ml of fruit and forest jelly or apple juice.
- Lunch. Vegetable soup with sour cream, milk jelly, cottage cheese with raisins.
- Dinner. 2-3 baked apples with cinnamon, steamed egg 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. Salad of white cabbage and carrots, seasoned with sour cream 15% fat, herbal tea from chamomile flowers, thyme and linden herb.
- Second breakfast. Steamed fish fillet, cucumber salad with herbs, tomato juice.
- Lunch. Vegetarian borsch, a small slice of boiled chicken fillet with sour cream sauce, berry juice.
- Afternoon breakfast. Carrot and apple juice, biscuits or biscuits.
- Dinner. Buckwheat porridge made 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. Salad of grated beets with sour cream 15% fat and garlic, 1-2 slices of bread with bran, weak black tea with milk.
- Second breakfast. Any juice from permitted vegetables or fruits.
- Lunch. Vegetable soup with pearl barley, breaded egg schnitzel, carrot juice and pumpkin.
- Afternoon breakfast. Orange or grapefruit juice, biscuits biscuits.
- Dinner. Carrot pancakes with sour cream 15% fat, homemade milk or fruit jelly.
Fifth day
- Breakfast. Oatmeal made with milk, rosehip decoction, carrot salad with apple.
- Second breakfast. Portion of low-fat cottage cheese with honey, raspberry or strawberry jelly.
- Lunch. Stewed zucchini with carrots and tomatoes, vegetable soup with potatoes, milkshake with banana.
- Dinner. Cabbage cutlets, boiled rabbit meat, tomato juice.
sixth day
- Breakfast. Rice porridge in milk, carrot and apple salad with the addition of walnuts, weak green tea.
- Second breakfast. 1 soft boiled chicken egg, herbal tea.
- Lunch. Vegetable okroshka, cottage cheese, milk jelly.
- Dinner. 1-2 baked apples with honey, carrot-apple juice.
Seventh day
- Breakfast. Buckwheat milk porridge, cabbage salad with herbs, weak green tea.
- Lunch. Vegetarian mix, 1-2 slices of bread with bran, milk jelly.
- Afternoon breakfast. Apple-carrot casserole, rosehip drink.
- Dinner. Pumpkin porridge, baked with honey, apple juice.
Recipes
The following recipes for preparing some dishes will help to diversify the diet of a person diagnosed with gout, as well as to saturate his body with vital components, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The list of ingredients used may vary depending on culinary preferences.
Cabbage and beet salad
To prepare this diet, you need to: take 1 head of medium 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 with boiling the beets and cutting them on a medium grater. Then you need to cut the cabbage into small pieces, salt it and let it stand for 9-11 minutes. Then mix all the ingredients carefully, season with honey and a mixture of lemon juice with olive oil or sunflower oil. To improve the taste, 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 small pinch of cumin and vegetable oil. Peeled potatoes are cut into wedges and boiled until semi-finished in salted water. The semi-finished potatoes are spread on a baking tray greased with sunflower or butter, spread on top with vegetable oil and sprinkled with cumin. 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 dish, you need the following ingredients:
- 300-350 g chicken, turkey or rabbit meat;
- 30 g raw rice cereals;
- dill or parsley;
- salt to taste.
Cooking recipe:
- The meat must first be boiled, cut into medium-sized pieces and then cut in a blender or meat grinder.
- The rice groats are boiled and washed thoroughly, mixed with chopped meat and again this mixture is passed through a blender or meat grinder.
- The finished mass is salted to taste, stirred and incubated on low heat for 5-7 minutes.
- When the dish boils, mix it thoroughly, add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and stir again.
Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
Milk jelly
Before making this dessert, you should stock up on the following ingredients:
- 150 g granulated sugar;
- 30 g gelatin;
- 15 g ground almonds
- 800 ml whole milk;
- a small pinch of vanilla.
Add 4-5 tablespoons of boiled water to the crushed almonds and stir the ingredients until a mush forms. Almond porridge, vanillin with sugar are added to the heated milk, after which the mixture is boiled. The milk is then removed from the heat, gelatin is added to it and it is gently stirred until the granules are completely dissolved. The finished mixture is poured into pre-prepared forms and allowed to harden.
Stewed pumpkin
The following components are required for the preparation of the dish:
- 100 ml whole milk;
- 300 g peeled pumpkin pulp;
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 medium orange;
- 2 medium apples;
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar;
- Vanilla and cinnamon to taste.
Cooking this way:
- Peeled pumpkin pulp should be grated on a medium grater and boiled in milk for 15-20 minutes, then sugar, peeled crushed apples and butter are added to the hot mixture.
- Cook the resulting mixture on low heat for 10 minutes.
Before serving, sprinkle with vanilla and cinnamon and garnish with peeled orange slices.
Vegetable borsch
Vegetable borsch is one of the simplest options for preparing a lunch dish. Such a dish does not require much time and money, while its taste will be equally pleasant for both adults and children.
To make borscht, you need the following ingredients:
- 2 liters of clean water;
- one medium-sized 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 washed, scalded with boiling water and peeled.
- Add diced potatoes and pre-made peeled tomato juice in boiling water.
- When the potatoes are half cooked, add the cabbage and peppers. When the dish boils (after adding cabbage and pepper), cook 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.