In gout crystals form in the joints, and there is redness, swelling and pain. The first joint attacked is almost always the first joint of the great toe. It seems to have been far commoner over a hundred years ago than it is now. I have no idea why.
because gout, (now considered a form of arthritis) is easily controled with diet-- proscribed foods include:
liver, kidney and other organ meats
turkey (especially the skin) and game fowl
venison
hard cheeses (especially cheddar)
port wine (fortified and dark red wines in general, right down to tawny sherry)
dark distilled alcohols (scots, rye, etc, --vodka, and clear rum in limitted quanities)
(there are other foods, but i didn't like them to start, so i had no reason to remember them!)
i've had gout for years, (as did my father--his is 'worse'--since he actually has 2 pairs of old shoes with the 'toes cut out' the he wears when he has been bad...)
after my first 'attack'-- i haven't had another serious attack-- the holidays are hard-- i like port wine and cheddar cheese, i love turkey,(especially the skin!)and i love sherry as an aparatif...
but if you stay away from game, and steak and kidney pie, and pork sausages, (especially liver sausage, and another favorite, chopped chicken liver, mmm, mmm) and 'dark alcohol'--wines or distilled-- you can live your life 'free' of 'attacks of gout'!
i find i can have a some of one of the foods, --but if i have a 'little of all of them'--i am doomed... the pain is horrid.. its rather easy to say 'no thanks'--to even the most wonderful foods, how ever well prepared.
diathesis
