Monday Menu #3

Last week, my husband had a flare up of his gouty arthritis. I used to think gout was an "old people's disease" but it's not. My husband is only 35, and from what I've read, gout typically strikes men in their late 20s - early 30s. Most sufferers are obese, drink a lot, and eat tons of meat or other proteins. But that does not describe not my husband. We eat meat, but we don't eat huge slabs of it every night. And my husband is neither obese nor does he drink all that often. According to his rheumatologist, gout is an inherited condition and it really boils down to how his body metabolizes and ultimately filters out uric acid. The attacks are painful for him and he's usually a big grouch the whole time. Which, I can't say that I blame him.

However, gout can be aggravated by certain foods in his diet. Foods that contain high amounts of purines or high fructose corn syrup (like soda) can lead to higher uric acid levels in the blood, which contribute to his gout attacks. So my husband asked me if we could go on a low purine diet to help control his frequency of attacks. I had never heard of a low purine diet, so I had to research. I've found some good sources, but not many. One source I found was a list of foods that contain high and low amounts of purines, if you're interested in seeing what's ok and what's not. 

It's a work in progress to come up with things that are ok to eat on a low purine diet. It seems to boil down to eating far less meat and eating a more low-fat diet. I've even contemplated taking some wheat products out of our diet, but if we brave it, it will be a phased approach.

So based on what my husband requested, here is what our menu looks like this week. 

Monday - Black Bean Burger Quesadillas

Tuesday - Chicken Potstickers & Steamed Rice

Wednesday - Garden Stuffed Yellow Squash

Thursday - Crock Pot Chili & Cornbread, made with Boca Crumbles (a textured vegetable protein, even soy isn't optimal for gout sufferers to eat.)

Friday - Out

Saturday - Spaghetti, side salad, and bread. Or out.

Sunday - Bowtie Pasta with sautéed Chicken and Vegetables (Frozen dinner, leftovers from last week)

What are your meal plans? Let's hear them!