…there you have it. What better could you call gout? “Crystal-induced Arthritis” That IS what gout is.
But what causes those gout crystals? Red meat? Beer? Spinach? Shrimp? Lobster? Alcohol? …Broccoli? Gout Killer Lee got my gears turning a couple weeks ago with the new attention-getter in the world of nutrition…Oxalates.
Are Oxalates the Cause of Crystal-induced Arthritis?
As I mentioned above, Gout Killer Lee turned me on to Sally K Norton and her work with oxalates. Her knowledge about oxalates is staggering. The piece of this puzzle that really grabbed my attention is how oxalates may be a huge cause of all kinds of physical problems for us, as it was for her.
To reguritate a little of what I have learned from Sally, oxalic acid is a naturally occurring toxic substance in the form of a tiny molecule. It binds with different minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium and others to form “oxaltes”. (OX) These oxalates form crystals and they are chemically a salt. The most commonly recognized oxalate problem is kidney stones, typically made up of calcium.
That really caught my attention.
Pseudogout
Pseudogout is another one of those arthritic conditions that presents much like gout; red, shiny, hot-to-the-touch joints that have you wincing in pain and writhing on the floor when it is full on. Did you ever wonder if it was gout? Or could it be pseudogout? Can you have gout in your ankle and pseudogout in your knee at the same time? What about gout one time and pseudogout the next?
Interesting, huh?
Crystallized Uric Acid…is Crystal-induced Arthritis?
The clinical term for pseudogout is “calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease” (CPPD). i.e. misappropriation of calcium, a mineral imbalance so to speak.
So if oxalates cause kidney stones made of calcium, it seems feasible (to me) that they are playing a hand in causing pseudogout…? What do you think? (well then leave a comment below!)
Here’s the kicker: Do oxalates have something to do with the crystallization of uric acid…?
Oxalates and Uric Acid
Getting some sort of scientific documentation of the connection of oxalates causing uric acid to form into crystals is what I’m after. I do not have that yet. As I stated earlier, this whole connection of oxalates and gout is a new exploration. In my nutritional studies a few years ago, oxalates of course were a topic of concern but without direct correlation to gout.
But get this: It always comes up that spinach is a “high purine” food. I have always been skeptical about the purines in spinach being a real gout problem. HOWEVER…spinach IS one of the higher oxalate foods…! Is there a connection after all? Have we just been misguided about spinach being a gout-causing food?
Let’s learn a little more about oxalates in this video below from this very funny guy, Siim Land – he is VERY entertaining!
How Does Crystal-induced Arthritis Happen?
Just as Siim told you, there are a number of foods that facilitate the different forms of crystal-induced arthritis. Lets revisit just what goes awry in the body that brings on these problems.
Mineral Balance
First of all, this oxalic acid binds with the good, alkalizing minerals, robbing your of them and creating mineral deficiency. A bunch of the good ones – calcium, potassium, magnesium, and others – i.e. the electrolytes. If you remember back, maintaining acid/alkaline balance has everything to do with minerals.
Digestive Problems
The tiny “needles” of oxalates crystals have an adverse effect on the lining of the digestive system lending toward leaky gut problems and damage to the mucosal lining.
Kidney Function
This may be the reason for those of us with gout to be concerned with oxalates. Oxalates play a hand in diminishing kidney function – think of how kidney stones may interrupt optimal elimination of uric acid and other waste substances from our blood. Not as common, but kidney stones are sometimes made up of uric acid.
…and More
They is some really high level business about oxalates creating “nanocrystals” and microcrystals that can collect in any tissue in the body. These nanocrystals can facilitate many different kinds of systemic inflammation. This shows up as fatigue, issues with cognitive function, auto-immune problems, hormonal imbalance, and neurological dysfunction to name a few.
Kidney damage, leaky gut, respiratory problems, autism, pain and dysfunction of reproductive organs, poor dental health, connective tissue instability, and premature aging are all common symptoms linked to excess oxalate consumption and/or production by metabolic processes.
Lastly, oxalates cause the depletion of vital nutrients.
Glutathione is a critical antioxidant involved in the detoxification processes of the liver. Oxalates also promote a destructive cycle of depleting vitamin B6. When this happens, it promotes more metabolic production of oxalates, that combines with the oxalate load that is generated from the diet, and that further depletes B6.
If you have generalized symptoms like poor concentration, joint pain and stiffness, muscle aches and pains, swelling, and digestive distress, oxalates may be part of your overall decline in health…not to mention gout.
VEGETABLES?! …cause crystal-induced arthritis?!
As if trying to eat a “low purine diet” weren’t hard enough, now half of the go-to vegetables are high oxalate foods. It’s enough to make your head spin! There is a way to navigate these waters but first here’s a list of some common foods that are high in oxalates:
High Oxalate Foods
- Spinach
- Kale
- Swiss chard
- Beets
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Grains
- Potatoes
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Figs
- Black Pepper
- Turmeric
Lower Oxalate Foods
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Healthy fats & oils
- Meats (?!)
- Arugula
- Avocado
- Bok Choy
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Cilantro
- Cucumber
- Garlic
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Mustard greens
- Mushrooms
- Green peas
From everything I’ve learned so far, all is not lost. A lot of those healthy high oxalate foods can be consumed in moderation and in conjunction with the other low oxalate foods to offset the negative effects.
A diet of nutrient dense, properly prepared whole foods is always the most important part of effectively killing gout. Our fast-paced lives don’t lend to creating a healthy diet. At some point we all have to stop and say to ourselves, “I’ve got a problem – I am going to stop, focus on this, and take care of it, once and for all.”
Is Crystal-induced Arthritis Making You Crazy?
Yeah, I know, me too. But hey, what else can we do beside make a project out of it and get it taken care of?
All this business of oxalates just adds one more thick layer to the mystery of gout. In my video program, I go through all the important areas of proper breathing, hydration, eating right, managing stress, avoiding toxic chemicals, exercising consistently, and getting good sleep. Gout or no gout, high levels of oxalates or not, these are the basic principals that keep us in the game, and at the top of our game.
I hope all my ranting and raving about how oxalates might be contributing to your battle with gout has stirred your curiousity. You would be wise to visit Sally K Norton’s website and download her Introduction to Oxaltes PDF. It is the basis of my education and what I related in this post is just the tip of the iceberg.
99% clear of gout!
Your FORMULA worked and my ankle joint is 99% clear of gout crystals…
Jim
Aches & Pains, Morning Stiffness…Crystal-induced Arthritis?
All this business about oxalates has me wondering if this might just be crystal-induced arthritis that has me feeling beat-to-sh!t first thing in the mornings. All those little aches and pains that sometimes sound the gout alarm…could they just be some sort of crystal-induce arthritis symptoms…?
I mean, most of the time, I just think I’ve run my poor old Mad Magazine body into the dirt too many times; nasty mountain bike wrecks, way too many yard sale crashes on my skis over the last 50 years, all the bad food, drugs & alcohol, wanton debauchery and rampant all-nighters…this old body has gone through hell!
Or maybe it’s just that the oxalates have caught up with me and all this “getting old” stuff can be erradicated with a low oxalate diet…? It’s worth a try! What do you think?!
Here’s the kicker: Do oxalates have something to do with the crystallization of uric acid…?
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Bottom-line: Make no mistake, gout IS crystal-induced arthritis. Killing gout is a lifelong project – let’s get busy…
“I know your pain. Let me help you kill your gout for good! And teach you to advocate for yourself and take ownership of your gout recovery, by showing you how to live the gout-free lifestyle.” Two decades ago, Bert Middleton found himself diagnosed with gout. Like 8.3 million other people in the United States (approximately 4% of the population), he struggled helplessly with the physical, emotional, social, and financial impact that gout left unchecked can have on your life. Prescription drugs were of limited help… And the terrible pain of regular gout attacks left him unable to enjoy even the simplest daily pleasures. His marriage was suffering. His finances were spiraling due to the impact gout had on his ability to work. And maintaining a social life was often nearly impossible. Tophi surgeries left him in terrible pain. And he found himself depressed … and angry … that gout was stealing years of his life.
Until one day, after hundreds of hours of research and self-experimentation, Bert finally had a breakthrough and created a blueprint for a way of living that would prove to be “the answer” to living gout-free for nearly a decade now. Today, Bert and his “Gout Wife” Sharon devote their evenings and weekends to educating other gout sufferers on how to live the gout-free lifestyle. Showing others his 911 Emergency Response Gout Recovery Plan for getting PAINFUL gout attacks under control in as little as 4 hours. And then, how to make daily choices that keep gout under control for GOOD! So you can finally start LIVING again!