What are purines?

Purines form the framework for DNA and RNA (Genes). They also provide the biochemical structure for enzyme and factors involved in energy metabolism and growth. This makes them a critical component to all life forms including plants and animals.

Where do purines come from?

One of the sources of purine is diet. Specific enzymes secreted by the pancreas and intestinal mucosa digest foods rich in nucleic acids. Most purine, however, derives from nucleotides newly synthesized by the cells. When a cell completes its life cycle, the purine molecule is broken down and partially recycled but mostly eliminated. This process eventually yields uric acid. Uric acid is the final waste product of purine metabolism and the kidneys eliminate it in the urine. If any step is disturbed, uric acid levels increase causing gout.

Gout Defined

There is too much uric acid in the body. When this happens, it forms crystals and deposits in the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and ultimately deformation. The big toes are usually the first to show signs of inflammation and pain. Then the rest of the toes and fingers can be affected, and eventually the knees and hips.

Causes of Gout

Increased consumption of purine-rich foods: Excess consumption of red meat, liver, fish eggs (sushi), shellfish, beans, lentil, brewers yeast supplements and alcohol challenge the metabolism of purines. Normally, this will not cause a problem unless there is a genetic disposition for gout or kidney weakness. Removing purine-rich foods often is enough to correct any gout symptoms.

An error in purine metabolism : The reduction of purines to uric acid is a complicated process requiring several steps. Genetic errors in this process can be a primary cause for gout. Other reasons can be the effects of prescription drugs, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, malignancies, extensive injuries, psoriasis, and kidney disease. Nobody really knows why the disturbance occurs, but when it does, uric acid begins to accumulate.

Compensating stress hormones: Whenever the body is unable to perform a function, it will compensate by increasing the activity of a similar function. For example, if the pancreas has trouble raising the blood glucose levels between meals, the body can compensate with increased adrenaline production. Adrenaline serves to raise the blood sugar levels by stimulating alternate sources. The problem with increased adrenaline is that it will often suppress specific activities like purine metabolism and the ability of the kidney to eliminate toxins. This means that gout can actually develop from hypoglycemia. It is therefore important to evaluate the health history prior to the onset of gout to ascertain if a compensation network is causing the condition.

Kidney stress : The kidneys normally filters uric acid from the blood stream then secretes it into the urine. Any error in the kidney's ability to accomplish this leads to increased blood levels of uric acid. Kidney infections, chronic kidney inflammations, hypertension, and dehydration reduce the kidney's ability to filter and remove uric acid.

When our feet are out of commission, we take notice! We need them for so many things!

Listen to your feet. They are saying I can't stand it! What is it in your life that might make you need to get off your feet? See if you can fix that too! The body speaks to us in funny ways sometimes. If you fix the gout with these amazing therapies, and your body still needs to put your feet up, you need to look at why! One way or another we learn our lessons in life.

In the meantime, let's pamper these puppies, and send them our love with nice massages and anything else you can think of. They are a part of you and deserve all the love you can give!

Gout Diet Therapy

Diet restrictions- what not to have: beef, liver, pork, lamb, and mackerel, anchovies, shrimp, sardines, roe (fish eggs), herring, mussels, codfish, scallops, trout, and haddock, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and legumes. In more severe cases, avoid citrus fruit, tomatoes, chard, spinach, and mushrooms. It also means reducing wine and beer.

Since levels of uric acid excretion do fluctuate with dietary intake, it is best to remove purine rich foods from the diet. It also means reducing wine and beer but save that for last, since there is always the chance that these are not contributing to the condition.

Diet recommendations- what to have: cherries, cherry juice, cherry juice concentrate, grapes, and blueberries.

When I first began working with gout patients over thirty years ago, all I prescribed were diet changes, concentrated cherry juice, and pancreatic enzymes taken with 1/4 tsp baking soda before meals. Every one responded very well, except for the ones with stress compensations. I did not know enough then to remedy this aspect of gout effectively.

Treating Gout Naturally

Supplement protein-digesting enzymes in the pancreas and intestine.

Thorough digestion of proteins enables the synthesis of quality purine along with reducing levels of undigested proteins (proteotoxins) and systemic acidity.

PanPro for digesting #3 size proteotoxins
WoboPlex for digesting #4 size proteotoxins

Use a complete proteolytic enzyme taken prior to each meal. Two PanPro and 1 WoboPlex before each meal is recommended for 1 week. After 1 week, reduce to twice a day. As the condition improves, reduce to once a day.

Consult your own health practitioner before taking any new supplements.

Increase beneficial intestinal bacteria.

MicroBac 3 to re-establish the friendly bacteria in the intestine

MicroBac 3 provides the necessary enzymes and bacteria to establish healthy levels of bacteria and intestinal enzymes. In the first week, take one before meals. Reduce to one a day when improvement is noted.

Consult your own health practitioner before taking any new supplements.

Improve kidney function.

L-G-K-S for kidney support

L-G-K-S improves the kidney's ability to eliminate uric acid. Taking two every AM and PM is enough to increase kidney activity. After a few days, reduce to one every AM and PM.

Consult your own health practitioner before taking any new supplements.

Re-establishing systemic alkalinity.

BioCarb for pH balance

BioCarb is essential to normalize acidity and is most instrumental in alleviating the inflammatory symptoms. Start with two every AM and PM until the pain has subsided and then one twice a day.

Consult your own health practitioner before taking any new supplements.

Ode to Gout

(inspired by a Tears For Fears song called Shout)

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on

In painful times, I shouldn't have to stretch my soles

In both my feet, the inflammation's in my toes

I can't even fit, my favorite Jimmy Choos

Kiss them good-bye, unless I switch to cherry juice

Unless I chow blueberries too

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on

They gave me pills, and in return, my kidney's great

I took those pills, and now my foot is damn near straight

I can even roller skate

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on.

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on.

Gout, gout, get it all out (get it all out)

You are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on

And when I'm on my Gout Diet

Don't cook me beef or mackerel, pork n' beans will give me hell

Nuts make my feet really swell

Gout, gout get it all out

(give me hell) you are the thing I can do without

(Nuts make my feet really swell) come on

I'm walking on you, come on

Gout, gout, get it all out, you are the thing I can do without

Come on, I'm walking on you, come on

(guitar solo)

Starting with the Symptoms

Curcumin an herb for gout
Alfalfa for natural trace minerals
Folic acid to calm the nerves associated with pain
BromoPlex to reduce inflamation

There are products that can help alleviate the results of gout without eliminating the cause. They do however offer relief until the condition is corrected. Curcumin mildly mimics Allopurinol and anti-gout drug. Some studies demonstrate the effectiveness of Alfalfa. I have only seen this work once, but the results were dramatic eliminating the pain and the deformity within eight weeks. Folic acid will assist in pain management by calming the nerves involved. Finally, BromoPlex is an enzyme product designed to eliminate the protein molecules responsible for inflammation and pain.

Consult your own health practitioner before taking any new supplements.