For an acute attack, there is no better remedy than a fast. The patient should undertake a fast for five to seven days on orange juice and water. Sometimes, the condition may worsen in the early stages of fasting when uric acid, dissolved by juices, is thrown into the blood stream for elimination. This usually clears up if fasting is continued.
In severe cases it is advisable to undertake a series of short fasts for three days or so rather than one long fast. A warm water enema should be used daily during the period of fasting to cleanse the bowels.
After the acute symptoms of gout have subsided, the patient may adopt an all-fruit diet for further three or four days. IN this regime, he should have three meals a day of juicy fruits such as grapes, apples, pears, peaches, oranges and pineapples. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may gradually embark upon the following diet:
Breakfast: Fruits of any kind such as oranges, apples, figs, apricots, mangoes, etc. , whole wheat bread or dalia and milk or butter-milk.
Lunch: Steamed vegetables such as lettuce, beets, celery, watercress, turnips, squash, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes, chappatis of whole wheat flour, cottage cheese and butter-milk.
Dinner: Sprouts such as alfalfa and mung beans, a good- sized salad of raw vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, whole wheat bread and butter.
The patient should avoid all purine and uric acid producing foods such as all meats, eggs and fish. Glandular meats are especially harmful. He should also avoid all intoxicating liquors , tea, coffee, sugar, white flour and their products, and all canned and processed foods. Spices and salts should be used as little as possible.
Foods high in potassium such as potatoes, bananas, leafy green vegetables, beans and raw vegetable juices are protective against gout. Carrot juice in combination with juices of beet and cucumber is especially beneficial. Three ounces each of beet and cucumber juices should be mixed in ten ounces of carrot juice to make a pint or sixteen ounces of combined juice. Raw potato juice and fresh pineapple juice are also beneficial.
If the patient is overweight, he should bring his weight down by a general dietary regime, as explained in Chapter 37 on obesity. Because of the increased risk of stones in the urinary tract, patients should maintain a good intake of non-alcoholic fluids. They should drink at least eight glasses of cold or hot water daily.
The feet should be bathed in Epsom salt foot baths twice daily. Half a pound to one pound of salt may be added to a foot bath of hot water. Full Epsom salt baths should also be taken three times a week. The baths may be reduced to two per week later. Cold packs at night applied to the affected joints will be beneficial. Fresh air and outdoor exercise are also essential. The patient should eliminate as much stress from his life as possible.