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[Daisydot]

Hi spangles that's brill I'll pop in tomorrow and try them thank so much xx

Hi Wilks no probs I wrongly assumed because I can alter the ph in my urine it would be the same for blood.Im on a learning curve lol it's definately challenging this old grey matter but I enjoy it and it's lovely to share info the way we do to try and help each other xx

[Daisydot]

Morning Wilks can I just ask this as it's been bothering me.If as you say we can't influence the ph in our blood with diet why then does diet influence the rise in Uric acid that causes the attacks of gout,do you know the answer to this with your science background sorry I'm not challenging you I'm just curious as I can't bear to see him hurting and hobbling around between attacks.they are much fewer now maybe once or twice a year and we do know what triggers it but he's a greedy wee bugger and risks it then suffers the consequences,he doesent drink or smoke by the way just likes his grub lol..Is there more I can do to control the Uric acid that you know of.thanks Wilks xx

[tika]

Daisydot my Partner suffers from occasionally and his doctor gave him a list of foods to eat and to avoid, purine foods that are acidic are to be avoided.

https://www.livestrong.com/article/316526-alkaline-diet-to-treat-gout/

It can be difficult to stick to the recommendations advice especially as he likes tinned sardines and pate.

He has had blood tests which showed his uric acid levels to be higher then normal, after sticking to the diet they came back satisfactory.

We were taught that surprisingly though lemons seem very acidic they are alkaline.

https://www.verywellfit.com/alkaline-acid-diet-89879

[Daisydot]

Hi Tika yes this is why I'm questioning wether or not it effects the blood ph because I've always worked on the basis of using an alkaline diet to adjust my urine ph balance and it works a treat as you know and although Wilks is correct and everything says an alkaline diet will not effect blood ph levels it seems very contradictory to me because we know certain foods cause the flare up of the Uric crystals that's cause all the gout pain so therefore by avoiding those foods we can limit the amount of gout attacks so is that not a contradiction of what we are being told.
Sorry Wilks I'm honestly not getting at you I'm just intrigued at the logic of this because as you rightly said it does state you can't alter blood ph levels.
And yes tika I use fresh lemon in water in mornings when I need to reduce ph in urine.Fascinating isn't it.xx

[Daisydot]

Hi Spangles I got the kefir flavoured drinks one of each to try,the honey and mint one is really lovely strange combination isn't it but it works,thanks so much for that I'm converted again lol xx

[Wilks]

Hi Daisydot,
Just a quick reply as I'm at work.
In a nutshell, the pH of your blood only fluctuates very slightly. The kidneys perform an important role in maintaining the correct pH balance of your blood, and they do that by excreting excess acid in the urine. That's why your urine can be acidic even though your blood isn't.

Regarding gout- a diet low in purines is recommended because the body converts purines to uric acid. So if someone with gout eats fewer purine-containing foods, they make less uric acid and so have less of a problem with uric acid crystals in their joints.
It's not to do with the acidity of the purines.
Hope that helps, but I can explain further tonight xx

[Wilks]

Daisydot: I Forgot to add that drinking plenty of water can help with gout.
I have a friend with gout who swears by a cherry extract that he buys from a health food store. I'm not sure of the name of it but I could ask him if you like? X

[Daisydot]

Hi Wilks great explanation answers so much bouncing around in my head.thanks so much for your time.Xx

[tika]

It does seem confusing Daidydot found another site that explains more

" Uric acid is normally cleaned out of the blood by the kidneys, and passes out of the body along with urine. However, high levels of uric acid can accumulate in the body, either when the kidneys excrete too little uric acid or when the body produces too much uric acid. This condition is known as hyperuricemia, according to the NIH.

The high concentration of uric acid in the blood will eventually convert the acid into urate crystals, which can then accumulate around the joints and soft tissues. Deposits of the needle-like urate crystals are responsible for the inflammation and the painful symptoms of gout"

https://www.livescience.com/34729-gout-causes-symptoms-treatment.html

The anti inflammatory diet is another way of eating that really helps with health , I have my partner on this as much as he will comply lol

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet/anti-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory-diet.php  sorry if i have gone off topic but its all connected I think, food as your medicine. 

[Daisydot]

Morning tika thanks so much for that info yes my poor wee head goes into overdrive lol.
I do love to learn new things.especially now I'm feeling human again lol,I know it sounds daft but after I had the head injury I couldn't get enough of it I trawled through things like nobodies business and if something didn't make sense to me I didn't give up I kept reading and learning as much as I could,the problem I have is I can't remember short term,I can recall fine detail from 40 years back but don't ask me what I ate two days ago I have no memory of it and it frustrates me very much but I'm getting better I make myself work at it.
Food and drink does play a massive role in everything we do your right there and that's why I sing the praises of these old remedies like kefir they have such a big influence on our lives but also you have to be aware of the downsides so you know how to adjust to get the best from them.thank you again tika and Wilks great posts xx

[Spangles]

Hi Daisydot,
I'm glad you found them to your taste, my favorite is also honey and mint, it's so gentle.
Hope they work for you xXx

[CLKD]

   Dr Zand suggests:

Instead of reaching for pricey probiotic shots or snacks, I recommend making these five easy food swaps to give your gut a boost.
Swap crisps for popcorn. Popcorn is a wholegrain so it's packed with fibre that feeds the good bacteria in your gut and it's also lighter and far less processed than a bag of crisps.


Swap sweets for dried fruit. This can be a hard swap to make if you love sweets but dried apricots, raisins or dates can still hit that sweet spot whilst also delivering fibre, vitamins and natural sugars that your gut and your energy levels will thank you for.

Add lentils or chickpeas to your bolognese. Pulses are full of prebiotic fibre which acts as food for your gut microbes and they can help bulk out your meal, making it go further while adding texture and extra plant-based protein so it's a great way to eat less meat without feeling like you're missing out.


Swap flavoured nuts for plain ones. Flavoured nuts are often loaded with salt and sugar while plain nuts give you healthy fats and fibre without the additives your gut could do without.
Swap ice cream for frozen berries and kefir.

Ice cream might make your taste buds happy, but frozen berries with kefir (a tangy fermented milk drink) give you natural sweetness, antioxidants and live cultures that can help your microbiome flourish.

My question is: what's it like to drink?  We bought a bottle this morning  - do I need to mix it with anything?

[chopsuey]

It's like a slightly sour yoghurt drink. Did you buy the plain or a flavoured one? The flavour does vary from brand to brand. I personally like the Bioitiful cherry one, which does have fruit sugars in it and doesn't need anything added to it. But the plain ones are fine if you don't have too much of a sweet tooth! 

[CLKD]

  and have U noticed any difference since drinking it?

DH thinks that I don't get enough roughage as well as very little protein as I 'go off' food things like cheese, fish, ham .........  although he does cook a meat-based meal most evenings.  I've chosen one with vanilla added but can't from where I'm sitting  remember the make - the shelf was quite overwhelming in it's choice 

Do U have a particular time for this, I will probably wait until 2morrow evening as we are away from home 2morrow  and the loo will be a field away 

[chopsuey]

Yes, I think it does help. I don't buy it all the time - usually when it's on offer - but I bought a couple of weeks supply recently after having a dodgy gut and things did settle down. My mum uses it to help with her IBS.  I usually buy the 500 ml size and have that over 3 consecutive days. I don't have a particular time to have it but usually after food, as my body is hyper-sensitive to sugars, even the small amounts in the kefir.

You may find you are a bit more windy when you first start having it - hopefully nothing more than that but probably best to be close to home when you first try it - just in case!

As for brands, I would check the ingredients and sugar content. Unless you are having the plain stuff, some have a lot more sugar than others and stuff that really doesn't need to be in there, like maize starch. It will give you some protein - per 100 ml my one gives 3g,  which is not much really and around 12% of the recommended daily calcium intake.