Even Women Get Gout...Dietary Remedies

Looking around today's sedentary society, many men are faced by the problem of gout brought about by an itching toe, joint or even the knees. Gout has since become common among people in this society, both men and women who have already reached their menopause.

Gout is a form of arthritis that can be found as a symptom on the feet-big toe specifically caused by excessive deposits of uric acid. Once called the “disease of kings,” gout has long been associated with portly men – especially those who could afford to overindulge in rich foods and alcohol. But gout in women is not uncommon, especially after menopause.

During menopause, which occurs at age 51 on average, (
and maybe 45 nowadays) a woman’s body drastically cuts its production of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen may help the kidneys excrete uric acid, so after menopause, a woman’s uric acid level begins to increase. It usually takes several years for the uric acid level to reach the point where crystals can form. By about age 60, the number of cases of gout in women and men are about equal; after age 80, more women than men have gout.




 
So what do you do to avoid or manage this painful joint ache?
In addition to medication, you can control how much uric acid your body produces by avoiding foods high in purines, which increase the uric acid level when digested and metabolized. Such off-limit foods include alcohol, bacon, liver, beef,pork and turkey . Go light on sweetened drinks such as sodas, juices etc.(especially the soft drinks). Loose weight and ensure you eat meals according to your calorie requirement. Low calorie intake in a bid to starve or loose weight increases uric acid production in the body. Alcohol acts as an accelerator and inhibitor to uric acid removal and that is why most men who take beer will definitely get gout at one point or another.

In the end, a high fibre diet allows for your body to keep eliminating excessive uric acid and avoid gout!

There you have it, Be careful as a woman, you just might be having Gout after menopause without your Knowledge

HIGH FAT FOODS, NO CHOLESTROL! THE MAASAI COMMUNITY SECRET

Every day in today’s hospitals is a day to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, high weight issues, and clogged arteries all due to high cholesterol diets that people have resulted to.

However, this is not the case for the masaai people that eat highly unhealthy foods that consist of milk, meat and blood almost on a daily basis! They exhibit no signs of cholesterol or lifestyle diseases that translate to heart issues and diseases.

So do you want to know their secret?

Being pastoralists, like most of the people their worst problem is diseases and poor nutrition and high child mortality not to mention sanitation issues. They are however free from lifestyle diseases which every person can actually emulate!

1 1.Physical exercise that is the wonder drug

Life is good to enjoy but without physical action there is definitely loss of health. The masaai though enjoy milk and meat but they still have to walk into the forest to look for firewood and other feeding material for their animals! They go around fetching water and utilizing the meat and milk they take to prevent heart diseases! So while we wonder why they have such nice postures as to keep one leg lifted from the ground for such long hours we should remember the technology we like to have to ensure convenience in our lives.

2. Cosmetic resolution

Today we have had to hear about the best lose weight options that range from the gym to other parlors that claim to help a person lose weight in matters of hours! The bottom line is you need to practice the following:

• Unglue the bum out of your comfortable seat and do some exercise.
• Take stairs to 10^th floor instead of using a lift.
• Instead of going shopping by a car, just walk or cycle.
• Limit the time spent on the coach watching TV, instead, either engage in trimming the fence, cutting grass or playing with kids.
• Banish the customary mentality of mature men and women are not supposed to be seen running. Take a few runs around the estate every day, either in the morning or evening.
• Visit your relative on foot if they live nearby. Walk to church etc.
• Finally, as a last option, join the gym not as a show of how loaded you are, by as a means to physical fitness for the sake of health.

3. The miraculous herb

I know you must have been wondering what makes them so healthy after all! Well, the masaai have a certain herb they always enjoy from barks and leaves in addition to the milk and meat they eat. The plant has chemicals that are an important part in preventing their heart diseases. This herb is called the olkinyei or the jacket plum. This plant significantly lowers cholesterol since it has polyphenols, phytosteroids and other water soluble fibers, antioxidants, flavanoids, all of which beat cholesterol taken in significantly!

So is this herb available in the market?

 Find out in the next post on this page!

Email me on ndutaniceness@gmail.com

Is the Meat you indulge in safe?

The other day I was purchasing meats from my local butchery and I was quick to notice the difference in chunks of meat hang on the wall. I decided to take my time and watch this particular butcher whether this is a normality he has or it was just for the day.

Interestingly, one day early in the morning I met him sprinkling meat with a solution which I later found that the meat had changed colour and looked very fresh and appealing to customers. So now, was this solution sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite? YES!

The question is why should you care the type of red meat you purchase? As a nutritionist I condemn the use of red meat profusely but then again there is that occasional indulgence that you wish to have especially with your friends or just wish to taste something different. That is definately allowed.

Now to know the difference of the meats that have been treated with sodium nitrate component, just look at the meats offered on display in the supermarkets. stores like Nakumatt have heavy loads of meat that are normally looking very appetizing for the customers. While if compared to meats from some butcheries it looks too different! The butchers nowadays have resulted in sprinkling their meat with this sodium nitrate/ sodium nitrite solution so as to improve appearance and keep being in business.

Without knowing you may fall in love with your butcher simply because he or she always has fresh looking meat. But here are the dangers:

Sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are food additives commonly used in cured meat. Its main function is to inhibit clostridium botulinum bacteria from producing the toxin that causes botulism. Botulism is a life-threatening illness that results in paralysis and eventually death. Nitrate combined with salt is extremely effective at inhibiting the growth of clostridium botulinum. Sodium nitrate also contributes to the flavor and pink color of cured meats.

The main concern is that it can form carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines when added to meat products. Nitrosamines have been linked to bladder, colon, esophageal, and gastric cancers.

In kenya you might be at a risk of:

Inhibited Oxygen Transportation

Your body relies on sufficient production of hemoglobin to ensure that all internal systems get the oxygen they need to function properly. Normally this is because, a diet high in sodium nitrites may lead to a health condition called methemoglobinemia, which is the inability of your red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout your body. This condition causes respiratory problems and can be fatal. Reducing your intake of foods with sodium nitrites can help prevent this condition.

May Cause Cancer

The reaction that your body has to the ingestion of sodium nitrite can vary depending on how much of it you consume from foods. The salts in sodium nitrites can cause a reaction that produces a chemical called nitrosamines, which increase your risk of developing cancer. Cancer research analysts say that sodium nitrites can lead to gastrointestinal and brain cancer. Restricting your intake can help prevent these reactions from occurring.

Increase in Childhood Type 1 Diabetes Risk

Type 1 diabetes can occur in infants and young children when their pancreas does not have the ability to produce insulin. This can be a life-threatening condition if insulin levels are not monitored closely. High intake of sodium nitrites while pregnant may increase your baby's risk of developing type 1 diabetes. This risk is higher for male babies and occurs because of your body's reaction to sodium nitrite. The risk of juvenile type 1 diabetes can also occur if your water supply is high in sodium nitrites and you drink it while pregnant or offer it to your young children.

Other Effects

Eating a diet high in foods that contain sodium nitrites can cause irritation to your digestive system, including your mouth, esophagus and stomach. If irritation occurs, you may experience pain, particularly abdominal pain. High consumption of sodium nitrites is also associated with damage to your blood and your blood vessels. At toxic levels, sodium nitrites can also lead to rapid heart rate and difficulty breathing.

Look at this picture attached above and spot the difference in the meat

While the meat on the left is healthy, that on the right is cured with sodium nitrate! 

chicken and fish are also not left out and are usually cured to look as fresh while they may be as old as one month since they were slaughtered! Always buy chicken from the people who slaughter them upfront. As well, the chicken nowadays is cured with hormones to accelerate growth. Well that is a subject for another day.

Meanwhile, as you probably indulge in that nyama choma or buy meat from your butcher, be careful to spot the difference in butchers and then make a choice.. you have the information now..

Any comments and concerns you can post here.

Nduta

Nutrition counsellor.