T.J. Samson | Destination Health | February 2021

What to know about gout Ouch! Often, that’s the sound of a bout with gout —a painful condition that can make your joints, particularly your big toe, feel miserable. What exactly is gout? And what can you do to feel better if you develop it? Check out these facts: 1. It’s a form of arthritis. Some types of arthritis result from joint wear and tear. But in the case of gout, too much of a natural substance called uric acid builds up in the blood. Uric acid can then form crystals in the joints, leading to the pain of gout. While gout can develop in any joint, it most often affects a big toe or other foot joint. 2. It causes painful episodes known as flare- ups. These episodes tend to come and go, often lasting a week or two. In addition to causing intense pain, a gout flare-up may make the joint swollen, red, warm and stiff. 3. It strikes more men than women, especially in midlife. The tendency to develop gout can run in families too. While anyone can get gout, eating a diet high in substances called purines—such as shellfish, gravies, red meats and organ meats—may raise the risk, as can drinking alcohol and sugary beverages. Other risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and kidney disease. Taking certain drugs, such as im- munosuppressants and diuretics, is linked to gout too. 4. Medications and lifestyle changes can help. For instance, medications may be used to treat the underlying cause of gout (high uric acid levels). Over-the-counter or prescription medicines can ease pain and swelling during a flare-up. Lifestyle changes can also help people man- age gout. These may include getting to a healthy weight and cutting back on foods and drinks that trigger gout, such as alcohol, sugary sodas and certain purine-rich foods. Sources: American College of Rheumatology; National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Wellness It’s been a month since New Year’s Day, so are you still on track with all of your New Year’s res- olutions? We know that sometimes it seems like New Year’s resolutions are made to be broken. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s a lot you can still do to make your resolutions stick. All of the following tips have one common thread: Be realistic—in both your goal-setting and goal-achieving behaviors. By keeping your resolu- tions firmly grounded in reality, you have a better chance of holding to them throughout the year. TRY THESE SEVEN TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR RESOLUTIONS STICK: 1 Start small. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier foods, begin by enjoying fruit for dessert instead of ice cream or cake. Once you’ve become accustomed to that change, pick another healthy substitution to tackle. 2 Change one behavior at a time. Quitting smoking, losing weight and exercising more—these are great resolutions. But don’t try to do them—or other tough ones—all at the same time. Pick one to focus on. 3 Seek support. If you can, find someone who shares your same goals and take the resolution journey together. Share your experiences with family and friends. Or join a support group. You don’t need to do this alone. 4 Wait it out. The urge to eat a piece of cake or smoke a cigarette may be strong, but it will pass. Distract your brain with some other activity until the urge fades. 5 Talk kindly to yourself. Did you slip up and break a resolution? Don’t beat yourself up. It’s perfectly normal to make mistakes. Imagine what you’d say to a friend who did the same thing. Give yourself a break. 6 Try, try again. If you fall back into bad habits, dust yourself off and get back on that horse. Nowhere is it written that missteps equal total failure. 7 Figure out where you went wrong. Did you stop exercising because you’re too tired after work? Move your activity to the morning instead. Did you wait too long between meals to eat, then scarfed down some less-than-healthy food? Keep nutritious snacks on hand to get you through the day. Sources: American Psychological Association; Mental Health America BENEFITS QUITTING When you g i ve up smok i ng , the perks add up over t ime AFTER... 20 minutes Blood pressure and heart rate drop. 12 hours Carbon monoxide level in the blood returns to normal. 2 weeks to 3 months Lungs are working better. The risk of heart attack decreases. 1 to 9 months Respiratory problems have started to decrease. 2 to 5 years Risk of stroke can fall to about the same level as a nonsmoker. 1 year Excess risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a current smoker. 10 years The risk of dying from lung cancer declines to about 50% of that of a current smoker. 15 years The risk of heart disease is the same as that of a nonsmoker. Sources: American Cancer Society; American Heart Association; American Lung Association of New Year’s resolutions 7 tips to make yours stick February 2021 7