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The Experts Say - Other
Health & Conditions |
Gout was once called the
"rich man's
disease" because
it was
associated with the
excessive indulgence of
food and drink.
Today, gout is no longer
confined to nobility.
It affects people from
all strata of society
now as more of us have
access to good food.
It is a type of
arthritis caused by uric
acid crystals forming in
one, or more joints.
Uric acid is a substance
that forms when your
body breaks down a
substance called purines.
If there is excessive
uric acid in the blood,
this leads to the
deposition of crystals
in the joints, causing
gout which leads to pain
and swelling in the
affected joints.
Who is at risk of gout?
Statistics show that the
incidence of gout has
increased 15-30 fold
compare to 15 years ago,
and more young people
are getting the
condition nowadays.
The development of gout
is related to age, but
not caused by it. Men
develop gout more often
than women and the ratio
is 20 to 1. It
usually affects men
older than 30 as well as
post-menopausal women.
People are more likely
to develop gout if they
are overweight,
diabetic, drink
excessive amounts of
alcohol or have high
cholesterol, and high
blood pressure. Gout is
also hereditary (which
means it runs in the
family).
What can I do to
avoid gout attacks?
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1.
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The earliest and
simplest method
to diagnose gout
is to undergo
regular blood
tests to measure
uric acid
levels.
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2. |
Watch your diet.
Avoid high-purine
food such as:
- Animal organs,
meat, poultry,
fish and seafood
- Fatty foods
- Certain
vegetables like
peas,
beans including
soya and its products
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3. |
Restrict your
intake of
alcohol,
especially beer.
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4. |
Drink plenty of
water to dilute
uric acid.
(This does not
include soup as
soup base
contains high
purine and it
may worsen the
condition.)
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5. |
Avoid
overworking and
always keep the
body warm.
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6. |
Avoid excessive
exercise to
protect the
joints from
further trauma.
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7. |
Seek TCM
treatment: Acupuncture is
widely used to
stimulate and sedate various
meridians,
helping to
improve blood
circulation in
parts of the body and
eliminate uric
acids. The
treatment plan
can be short yet
safe and
effective. |
Article contributed by:
Mdm Liu Yang, TCM
Physician
ECON Chinese Medicine
Dated: March 2011
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ECON Chinese
Medicine
is a wholly
owned
subsidiary
of ECON
Healthcare ,
an
established
brand backed
by 21 years
of
experience
in the
nursing home
industry.
Established
in 1991,
ECON
Healthcare
was the
first in
Singapore to
advocate the
best of
Eastern and
Western
medicine in
its recovery
approach. |
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