Health Auxiliary

Most fruits and vegetables are high in potassium. Potassium regulates electrolytes in the body and has the ability to get rid of uric acid crystals from the blood. Potassium-rich fruits are bananas, avocados, apricots and cantaloupe. High-potassium vegetables include spinach, potatoes, asparagus, beets and pumpkin.

Purines are mostly found in foods which are high in protein and fat content. Vegetable oils, greasy burgers and fatty fish are all high in purines, so you should avoid fried foods and naturally fatty produce. Basically, high purine content is found in almost all kinds of food: pork, beef, chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, oysters, scallops, creams, eggs, peas and beans. But there are ways to have a low-purine diet.

Drink several glasses of water everyday. 8-10 glasses daily is ideal. Water dilutes uric acid (a cause of gout) and rids them from the body. Cloudy urine means you have high acid content in your body and this is not a healthy sign. Clear urine suggests that you are properly hydrated and well on your way to good health.

Reduce calorie intake to maintain a healthy weight. However, avoid fad diets or very low calorie diets as rapid weight loss can precipitate gout.

Juice one small or half a medium-sized beet root, greens and all. Add a quarter bitter gourd, cut length-wise. This juice is very potent and should not be taken too frequently, especially if you are not accustomed to beet. Take it only once, or twice a week at the most.

Cherries and strawberries have shown to have a particular helpful effect on gout so these foods should be eaten every day on the anti-gout diet for the prevention of gout.

Excessive alcohol consumption increases uric acid levels in the blood since alcohol disrupts the disposal of uric acid from the body.

Diuretics, which are medications prescribed to help dispose of excess body fluids resulting from certain diseases like hypertension, edema, and other cardiovascular diseases.

Include lemon juice at lunch for cleansing. Lemon juice is filled with vitamin C and antioxidants to help flush your body from unwanted uric acids. Couple the drink with a hearty salad and meal using tofu to replace red meat or chicken, finely chopped fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

A low-purine diet and medications are commonly used to treat gout. Purines are mostly found in foods which are high in protein and fat content. For breakfast, take low-fat protein foods. High-protein foods that are low in fat have been found to be safe.

Consume a moderate amount of protein. Limit meat, fish and poultry to 4 – 6 oz per day. Try other low-purine good protein foods such as low fat dairy products, tofu and eggs.

Zone dieting definitely works, people testify to that fact. Many have felt increased body and mind energy levels after only a week with it. Even those with existing medical conditions have seen an improvement in their physical wellbeing. This program is not a weight loss strategy, it is a health strategy. Watch the food you eat and watch the lifestyle you live. Do that, and better yet, let zone diet help do that for you.

The South Beach diet plan was developed for obese patients by an American cardiologist in Florida, Dr Arthur Agatston. He supports the consumption of mostly “good carbohydrates” and “good fats.”

The diet is often being confused or compared to the Atkin’s diet which was developed by the late Dr Atkin. The Atkin’s Diet is mainly a low-carbohydrate dieting system.

Dr.Agatston believes that excessive consumption of “bad carbohydrates” ie high glycemic carbohydrates, creates an insulin resistance in the human body. This is a malfunction of the hormone insulin’s ability to properly process fat and sugar. He also held the view that over consumption of “bad fats”, such as saturated fat and trans fat, contributes to an increase in cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke.

To prevent these two conditions, The South Beach diet minimizes consumption of bad fats and bad carbohydrates and instead push for the replacement of these unhealthy food with good fats and good carbs.

This is a 3 step program. In all 3 steps of the diet, Dr. Agatston recommends minimizing consumption of bad fats.

The South Beach Diet Step 1 – During the first two weeks, weight loss dieters try to eliminate insulin resistance by avoiding high or moderately high-glycemic carbs, such as sugar, candy, white bread, potatoes, fruit, cereals, and refined grains such white rice. During this step, the body will lose its insulin resistance and begin to use excess body fat for energy, thus the dieter will lose weight rapidly as much as up to 10 pounds during this step.

The South Beach Diet Step 2 – During the second phase two weeks later, whole grain foods, some starchy carbs and fruits are progressively reintroduced into the diet albeit bit by bit until the dieter reaches the desired ideal weight.

The South Beach Diet Step 3 – In step 3, dieters continue to increase consumption of whole grains, fruit servings and some moderate carbs. If the dieter’s weight do not increase or stay at status quo, then that will be the level of carbs in his meals and henceforth to maintain his ideal weight,he will know his carbohydrate tolerance level.

The weight loss program do not have the cumbersome counting of calories or limiting calories. Dr Agatston suggested that you eat until you are satisfied. Dieters are told to eat small 6 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with small snacks between each meal to increase their their metabolism for fat burning purpose.