New Year's Day is approaching, with laughter and bright fireworks, we ushered in a new beginning. For rheumatoid and gout sufferers, this is a special time to pay more attention to their physical condition. Director Chen Jianchun and Director Lv Wanping of Chengdu Rheumatism Hospital remind you to take good care of your health during the festival and make the new year more energetic!
Control purine intake: Patients with gout should limit the intake of high-purine foods, such as organ meats, seafood, beer, etc. Try to avoid eating too many of these foods during New Year's Day to reduce the risk of gout attacks. Even if certain foods are moderately high in purines, excessive intake can cause problems. Therefore, patients with gout should control their total food intake and avoid overeating. High-sugar diets may also be associated with gout attacks, so sugar intake should be limited.
Eat a low-salt, low-fat diet: Rheumatoid patients should maintain a low-salt, low-fat diet, and the daily salt intake is recommended not to exceed 6 grams, including salt ingested through various ways such as soy sauce, pickles, monosodium glutamate and other condiments. Reduce the intake of high-fat foods, such as fatty meat, organ meats, egg yolks, brains, caviar, etc. Eat more foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, etc.
Eat more fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, which help to strengthen immunity and reduce joint inflammation. It is recommended to consume five different colours of fruits and vegetables every day. Eating vegetables and fruits can promote the excretion of uric acid, which lowers uric acid levels and reduces the risk of gout attacks. In particular, some potassium-rich fruits and vegetables, such as bananas, potatoes, mushrooms, etc., help promote the excretion of uric acid.
Drink plenty of fluids: Maintaining adequate water intake helps in the excretion of uric acid and prevents gout attacks. Drinking a moderate amount of water can help dilute the inflammatory substances in the joints, reduce the swelling and pain of the joints, and also help the drug to better dissolve and absorb in the body, improving the best effect of the drug. It is recommended to drink at least 2000-3000 ml of water per day.
Take your medication as prescribed: Patients with rheumatoid and gout should take their medicine on time during the New Year's Day, and do not forget to take the medicine or stop the medicine without permission because they are busy or festive, and do not trust others' home remedies. Here are two cases we have encountered in which we stopped taking medicine and taking home remedies without authorization.
Case 1: Male, from Chengdu. Gout for more than 20 years, before he had been buying bags of drugs in the clinic to relieve pain, secondary to polyarticular pain, tophi, knee joint movement restriction, and then went to Chengdu Rheumatism Hospital for treatment, and the doctor arranged hospitalization for him. During the ward rounds, Director Chen Jianchun explained to him the importance of regulating metabolism. After the patient understood the causal relationship of gout, he kept taking medicine according to the doctor's instructions, and the gout symptoms have been gone for a year.
Case 2: Female, 58 years old, from Deyang. Hyperuricemia for more than 4 years, a few years ago in Chengdu Rheumatism Hospital was found to have high uric acid, but did not listen to the doctor's advice, went home to take soda, the control effect is not good. Later, when she returned to our hospital, Director Lu Wanping standardized for her for a month, the uric acid was well controlled, and the proteinuria disappeared.
I hope that everyone will take these two cases as a warning, as long as they can insist on taking medicine according to the doctor's instructions, the condition can be well controlled.
Carry your first aid medication with you: Carry first-aid medication with you when attending a party or going out in case of an emergency. Store your medications in an easily accessible place and let your companions or family members know what you're bringing with you and what they're used for, so you can get help in case of an emergency.
Regular follow-up: Regularly go to the hospital for follow-up examinations, keep abreast of changes in the condition, and adjust the best plan. Rheumatoid and gout, if not effectively controlled, can lead to a series of complications, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc. Regular follow-up can help detect and intervene early in these complications. During the follow-up, patients should bring their previous medical records, examination reports, and medication records so that the doctor can fully understand the condition.
Choose the right way to exercise: Before choosing a type of exercise, patients first need to understand their condition. The severity of rheumatoid and gout varies from person to person, and an exercise plan should be individualized based on your condition and your doctor's recommendations. Patients with rheumatoid and gout can choose low-intensity aerobic exercise such as walking, tai chi, and yoga to avoid strenuous exercise and aggravating the burden on the joints.
Maintain an exercise routine: Exercising regularly can help improve joint function and reduce pain. Develop a personalized exercise plan according to your individual situation, it is recommended to do about 30 minutes of exercise each time, 3-5 times a week. Patients with rheumatoid and gout are prone to some complications such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc., due to long-term illness and medications**. Maintaining proper exercise habits can prevent these complications from occurring. If you experience joint pain or discomfort, you should stop exercising and consult a doctor immediately.
Warm-up and stretching before and after exercise: Do a good warm-up exercise before exercising, and stretch well after exercise to reduce joint and muscle damage. Warming up can increase the range of motion of your joints and improve the elasticity of your muscles. Stretching relaxes muscles and joints, reducing pain and discomfort after exercise. Patients are advised to do 5-10 minutes of warm-up activities such as joint rotation, muscle stretching, etc. before exercising.
Clothing and the environment are warm: The temperature is low during New Year's Day, and patients should pay attention to keeping warm, especially in the joints. It is recommended to wear loose and thick clothing and use warm items such as knee pads and wrist pads. At the same time, keep the room warm and dry to avoid aggravating joint discomfort in a humid environment. You can use heating, air conditioning, and other equipment to adjust the indoor temperature. When joint pain occurs, a hot water bottle, hot towel, etc., can be applied to a local warm compress to help relieve pain and stiffness.
Have a regular schedule and relax your mind: Ensure sufficient sleep time, avoid staying up late and overwork, which helps the body to recover and improve immunity. Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude to avoid mood swings that aggravate your condition. Psychological adjustment can be carried out through listening, reading, meditation, etc.
Engage socially: Actively participate in social activities such as New Year's Day parties, communicate and share with others, broaden the circle of life, and be conducive to physical and mental health. When participating in social interactions, you should take proper breaks and avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time. You can choose some relaxing and enjoyable activities, such as tea parties, watching movies, listening**, etc.
In this festive New Year's Day, we hope that every rheumatoid and gout patient can pay attention to their health and follow the above health principles, so that health and happiness go hand in hand. In the new year, I wish you good health, good mood, and quality time with your family and friends!