05/29/2026
It’s a great time to talk about gout. Traditionally it’s thought to be caused by red meat and seafood. While that’s true to an extent it’s also heavily influenced by your liver and kidneys. You can make too much uric acid or not get rid of it enough. Dehydration plays a role in this as well. One underrepresented reason for gout is that some diuretics (water pills here in the South) can raise uric acid levels. If you have gout, a good target is keeping your uric acid under 6.5. Have fun this summer and if that big toe gets red, hot, and swollen give us a call.
And Happy Birthday, Julie!