After more than a year, in the early fall of 2009, I woke up one cold morning with severe pain and swelling on the joint on my left big toe. Like before, because it was so painful, I couldn't stand on both feet and because our bedroom was upstairs, it was tough to go down the stairs. The pain and swelling felt really similar to what I experienced the previous year; the only difference was that it was on my ankle and now, on my big toe. This is when I got curious and did some reading, I found out that I have Gout or Gouty Arthritis.
"Gout is a painful form of arthritis. When your body has extra uric acid, sharp crystals can form in your joints (usually your big toe). Flare-ups of symptoms like pain and swelling come and go in periods called gout attacks. Treatment is usually a combination of symptom management and changing your diet.
Gout most commonly affects your big toe joint. But it can affect other joints, including knees, ankles, feet, hands and wrists and elbows.
Can gout be cured?
There’s no cure for gout. You’ll experience fewer attacks once you work with a healthcare provider to find treatments that manage your symptoms and lower your uric acid levels."
Back then, I had gout at least once a year, until 2014 when I started having gout flares twice a year. This is when I went to a doctor for a check-up. The doctor gave me medication that specifically targets gout inflammation and is effective in relieving pain when taken early in an attack, ibuprofen, and one that reduces the production of uric acid. three prescription medications all in all.
The gout just kept going, the flare-ups just kept getting frequent after 2015, from once a year, to two gout attacks per year, and in 2016, I was diagnosed with BPH, or enlarged prostate, and was prescribed a medication. So now I'm taking several medications for gout and an enlarged prostate. For food that I should eat, I was told to limit, foods that are high in purines, like all types of red meat, beans, and alcoholic beverages. For my enlarged prostate, I was told I could eat anything. After 2017, I noticed the frequent need to urinate got worse, and I had to wake up multiple times at night to urinate, and in 2018, I started having severe lower back pain. I was 46 at that time.
What was my typical diet at that time?
I was born and raised in the Philippines. The foods that I eat mostly consist of pork, beef, chicken, or fish, and some portions of vegetables. And even our vegetable dishes are cooked with pork, shrimp, or chicken and vegetable or seed oils. I rarely drink alcohol, I drink soda occasionally, and I love creamer and sugar on my coffee. I also like the flavored creamer for my coffee. I eat and drink SAD (The Standard American Diet), which is primarily composed of FOG (Fat, Oils, and Grease.)
Fast forward to 2023, my condition got worse, from high blood pressure, back pain, BPH, gout, and joint pain. And my weight has gone up to around 178 to 180s lbs., my waistline got bigger from 32 to almost 36. At this time, I was trying to go back to running, because I was thinking at the time that I needed to run or do a lot of exercises to lose weight. I was also cutting down on carbs, but not meat. My meal consisted of beef, pork, or chicken and rice, and a little to no vegetables.
Sometime in November of 2024, while doing some research on my worsening condition, I came across the website of the Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine (pcrm.org) and its podcast The Exam Room hosted by the weight loss champion, Chuck Caroll.
I took the 28-day challenge by Dr. Neil Barnard. All I have to do is eat foods that are plant-based for 28 days, and If I don't feel good or don't like it, I'll stop. But to my surprise, It did work. I felt better and it's been 1 year and almost six months of continuously eating a whole food plant-based.
Next I will tackle on what I eat everyday......
