I am one who suffers from high levels of uric acid in her blood. I just had a serum uric acid measurement test done and I was at 9. Normal is between 2 and 6.
Since I take immune suppressant medications, and at one time a blood pressure medication that is known to cause extreme uric acid levels, I have been thinking deeply about how to prevent attacks. I desire to take counter measures so I do not have a Hyperuricemia attack, also known as Gout. Since my brother and my friend asked me what uric acid is I figured this would be a good time to do some research, write an article, and share my experience.
Uric acid is produced when our bodies break down the foods we eat. This chemical breaks down the foods into an organic compound called purine. Our bodies also make purine when it breaks down the dead cells in our bodies too. Usually the uric acid that comes from the purine becomes dissolved in the blood stream and filters through the kidneys and expelled through our urine. When we don’t get rid of uric acid in our urine that causes a builds up in our body and that is when hyperuricemia happens (gout). Hyperuricemia causes extreme joint pain, swelling, and heat to radiate through the affected areas. Let me tell you it is painful.
Foods that are high in purine are:
- All organ meats
- Anchovies
- Mackerel
- Dried beans
- Beer
- Wine
- Shelled fish
- High fructose corn syrup
- Pork
- Beef
- Chicken
- Lamb
For me, when I have a gout attack my joints swell and are painful. It affects my hands and my feet. I also have nodules on my elbows that look like indentures on my elbow. This makes my elbows look deformed. Each person’s body will attack them in different areas. It’s painful. I’m thankful for the medications. I take Allopurinol to help my body fight the build-up.
If you have any of these conditions, then you are at risk for high uric acid levels.
- Diabetes
- Chemo therapy treatment
- Immune suppressant medications
- Leukemia
- A diet high in purines
- Kidney disease
- Kidney stones
- Multiple myeloma
- Metastasized cancer of any kind
- Obesity
For me I have a couple of the high risk factors, diabetes, obesity, chemotherapy, and immune suppressant medications. That to me means I need to watch my diet and the foods that have high levels of purines need to be limited. I love beans. I make beans in my crock pot a lot. It is a staple that is cheap for me to make. This means I am going to have to rethink my bean consumption. Limit them. I am not a beer or wine drinker. I don’t eat mackerel, anchovies, organ meats and I don’t eat a lot of shelled fish either. I know mine is caused from my medications and my illnesses.
This is what I know for sure.
- Just because my uric acid is high from my medications doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t start watching what I am eating. For the last two months I have stopped drinking soda, because although I couldn’t find anything to prove my doctors’ advice that high fructose corn syrups causes gout, doesn’t mean that it isn’t true. I watch what products I buy and make sure they don’t have corn syrup.
- Reading labels is vital for a wellness lifestyle. It’s annoying, but it is necessary for me to be healthy. I also know that I need to eat more vegetables in my diet. It is expensive to eat healthy, no matter how people say it isn’t. It is for those of us who live on a disability check and food stamps. I do my best. I do buy a lot of frozen vegetables and I buy fresh when it is in season. Right now, apples are on sale and so are squash and kiwi fruit.
- Getting blood work done regularly helps me to keep track of my wellness. This blood work checkup wasn’t all bad news for me. The blood work never lies. It gauges how well your wellness plan is working for you.
- Don’t beat yourself up if you have a sweet treat or something that you enjoy as treats.
- My suggestion is to ask your doctor to check your levels. It is not a routine test that they do.
Here are some links:
- Healthline: Uric Acid Test (Blood Analysis)
- Jamie Holloway at Jamie Chases Butterflies: Explaining Uric Acid
- Mayo Clinic: Symptoms High Uric Acid Level
- WebMD: Diet and Gout: Topic Overview
If you would like some help creating your Wellness Plan please Contact Wellness Works NW. We offer weight management counseling, fitness assessments and personal training. We are located inside Forever Fit Gym in Longview, Washington. We serve Cowlitz County and the surrounding areas.
Jamie Holloway lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. As most of her articles will be about Men’s Health, Jamie intends to write her articles as though she was sharing important information with her brother, nephews and friends. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
