A Good Food Day: Reboot Your Health with Food That Tastes Great (9 page)

(aka What I Learned from My Big Toe)

“Gout? Seriously?” I was completely thrown by my doctor’s diagnosis. I’d heard gout ridiculed as the “disease of kings,” something only gluttonous fat dudes (like Henry VIII) got. Sure, I had recurring foot pain, mostly in my heels and big toe, but I chalked it up to long hours at the restaurant. And I knew my diet was a far cry from the picture of health, but … gout?! It’s another lesson on the list of things I’ve learned the hard way.

Gout is an inflammatory condition caused by a crazy-high level of uric acid in the body. The excess uric acid forms crystals that collect in joints and cause painful swelling. Burgers and deli meats, as well as yeast-filled bread and beer, are high in a compound called purine, and purine breaks down into uric acid in the body. It’s normal to have a supply of uric acid, but when there’s too much, your kidneys can’t eliminate it fast enough, and it starts building up in places it shouldn’t. The more of those purine-rich foods I ate, the more uric acid accumulated in my joints, and the more my big toe hurt. To throw it in reverse, I had to start eating foods that would reduce my inflammation.

Digging into what this meant for my day-to-day eating habits, I came across the theory of the alkaline diet. The theory is that loading up on alkaline-forming foods and limiting acid-forming foods helps your body reduce inflammation by maintaining the ideal pH balance for peak health. Why more alkaline foods? The typical American diet, with all its meat, refined sugar, caffeine, and processed foods, dumps a steady stream of acid into your blood, so you need more foods that are alkaline, the opposite of acidic, to balance things out. Otherwise, your overly acidic body may resort to maintaining pH balance by pilfering its own store of minerals, making you more vulnerable to chronic inflammation and disease.

Taking control of my inflammation-induced gout led me to curb my habit of beer and meat-filled deli sandwiches, and to fill in those holes with the alkaline superstars, namely green vegetables like kale, spinach, lettuces, and dandelion greens, which I use in the salads here. Wheatgrass is the king of alkaline foods, but the alkaline-friendly foods in regular rotation in my kitchen are tomatoes, squash, avocado, root veggies, most fruit—especially citrus—seeds, and some nuts and legumes. Though meat and fish can be acidic, a few times a week I’ll have grass-fed beef and wild salmon, which are high in anti-inflammatory
omega-3 fatty acids
.

The beauty of the alkaline approach is that it’s about balance, so eating a moderate amount of unrefined acidic foods is still okay. Most of the recommendations you’ll find suggest that at least 60 percent of your foods be alkaline-forming and no more than 40 percent be acid-forming. But some foods don’t have to taste acidic to lead to an acid party in your body. For example, a sugar-laden pastry is acid-forming, while acidic tasting foods like lemons and vinegar are alkaline-forming. And there are a few foods that fit into an alkaline diet, but don’t work for gout-sufferers because they’re
high in purines (lentils, for example). This may sound tricky, but trust me, it’s not. Unless you have a throbbing big toe right now, focus on cutting back on refined sugar, meat, and packaged foods, and make up for them with more greens and fruit, especially citrus.

My experience with inflammation and gout made me a believer in the alkaline approach. I felt noticeable relief within four months of changing my diet, and now I’m gout-free. While I don’t think there’s one healthy diet theory that’s a home run for everyone, it’s hard to poke holes in a style of eating that emphasizes fresh, plant-based, unprocessed food. Even if you don’t buy into the pH aspect, eating more alkaline foods will do you right.

Add all the ingredients to a screw-top jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well to combine.

Add all the ingredients to a screw-top jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well to combine.

Add all the ingredients to a screw-top jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well to combine.

Add all the ingredients to a screw-top jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well to combine.

In a blender, combine the carrots and ginger, miso, sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce. While pureeing, add the olive oil in a steady stream until the vinaigrette is smooth.

In a large bowl, flake the tuna into bite-size pieces with a fork. Add the kale, beans, onion, vinegar, and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.

1
Squeeze the lemon juice into a screw-top glass jar. Cut the garlic clove in half across its equator; smash each half with the flat side of a large knife. Mince the garlic and anchovies together, add a pinch of salt, and mash into a smooth paste with a knife. Add it to the jar.

2
Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Screw the lid on the jar and shake to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice or seasoning, if needed.