The GorDiet Experiment

[Mike DeLisa]

I am starting a new thread so I can track the GorDiet Experiment over the next year. Earlier posts were in http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/cbzfo...ead.php?t=5826

Here is where we stand:

Day 1 -- June 2, 2008. Blood pressure 144/104. Weight 238 (up from 199 just a year ago). Height 5'9" and shrinking.

June 10 -- Blood pressure 140/98. Weight 234.

June 22 -- Weight 230 -- will check BP later. So far NO red meat (except for 2 meatballs at graziano's during the hall of fame weekend!); no chicken or pork yet either. Basically grains, fish, salad, eggplant, banannas etc.

And, most importantly, the major pain from the Gout is gone!

[GorDoom]

Good job, Mike! Stick with it & you will turn your health around.

GorDoom

[Off The River]

I'd love to try it, having a skinny 100lb wife who can eat whatever she wants makes it tough.

How about A Gordoom Challenge?

All interested parties post pictures weight and height; after x amount of weeks we resubmit our photos for Ron Lipton to judge the winner of the best improvement overall improvement in weightloss and physique....

The winner gets a lifetime CBZ membership!

[Mike DeLisa]

Can't imagine I want my photo seen!

At this point, I am more concerned with "internal" improvement -- lowering BP, uric acid etc.

I am willing to take it slow, not worried about quick weight loss, just steady!

I was 199 last January -- but 250 prior to that, and am now at 230! I completely screwed up by not modifying the way I ate.

At 199, I still had GOUT so was unable to work out for weeks at a time -- clearly I was lighter but still sick! SO now I hope to control that issue -- I have no pain while stationary but I still feel a little discomfort while walking.

[GorDoom]

GOUT

Herbal Medicine

Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)

Devil's claw has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical research appears to indicate devil's claw may be of benefit in the treatment of gout; in addition to relieving joint pain, devil's claw also reduces serum cholesterol and uric acid levels.

Dosage: 750 mg 3 times daily of a preparation standardized to contain 3% iridoid glycosides.

Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) is the herb from which the drug colchicine was originally isolated and is used as a conventional treatment for gout. The drug colchicine is much more commonly used than are herbal extracts of Autumn crocus. Both the herb and the drug have significant toxicity and for this reason should only be used under the guidance of a physician.

Gravelroot (Eupatorium pu1pureum) stimulate elimination of uric acid.

Dosage: Drink an infusion of 2 tsp gravelroot in a cup of water, three times a day.

Warning: Do not take herbal teas if colchicine has been prescribed.

Celery (Apium graveolens) seed: stimulates elimination of uric acid.

Dosage: Drink an infusion of 2 tsp celery seed in a cup of water, three times a day.

Warning: Do not take herbal teas if colchicine has been prescribed.

Cherries

Consuming half a pound (225 g) of fresh or canned cherries per day has been shown to be very effective in lowering uric acid levels and preventing attacks of gout. Cherries, hawthorn berries, blueberries and other dark red-blue berries are rich sources of anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins. These compounds are flavonoid molecules that give these fruits their deep red-blue color. They are very effective in preventing collagen destruction.

Bilberry contains compounds called anthocyanidins that have proven valuable against gout. These substances reduce uric-acid levels and inhibit tissue destruction. Choose a product containing 25 percent anthocyanidins and take 80 milligrams three times daily.

Hawthorn offers some of the same properties as bilberry. Choose a standardized extract containing 1.8 vitexin-2 rhamnosides and take 100 to 200 milligrams two or three times a day.

Juniper berry is a diuretic herb that helps reduce uric acid. Take 350 to 500 milligrams in capsule form or 1 cup of tea twice daily.

Nettle root increases the excretion of uric acid from the kidneys. Take 250 milligrams three times a day.

Pine-bark and grape-seed extracts act to reduce inflammation, thus easing pain. Take 50 to 100 milligrams of either two to three times daily.

Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory action. It is used in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine against gout, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions. Take 250 to 500 milligrams three times a day.



Herbal Formulae and Combinations for Gout

Herbal teas, juices, tinctures, compresses and baths help eliminate uric acid and ease pain.


Celery, birch leaf and parsley juice are very effective in combating and flushing out uric acid from the tissues.


Drink 1 cup of stinging nettle or horsetail tea three times daily for three weeks . These herbs help eliminate uric acid in the joints.


Drink 1 cup of horseradish juice made by boiling 1 tsp. of grated horseradish root in 1 cup of water . Steep for ten minutes and drink 1 cup on an empty stomach for ten days. Horseradish stimulates elimination of all wastes and toxins from the system.


Dark red or blue berries are an effective remedy against gout because they contain anthocyaniding. Anthocyanidins are flavonoids which have potent anti-inflammatory properties, prevent collagen destruction and neutralize excess acidity, including uric acid. Cherries, blueberries and hawthorn berries are rich in anthocyanidins and should be consumed in large amounts. One published study demonstrated that consuming half a pound of unsweetened cherries a day lowers uric acid and prevents gout attacks. When cherries are not in season, alternatives include hawthorn berries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.


To reduce pain and inflammation in the affected area and to cool down the joint:
Mix 4 tbsp. of honey with 1 tsp. of comfrey tincture. Heat it in a double boiler.
Soak a cloth in mixture and apply to parts where the pain is worst- such as hands, elbows, knees and feet.
Apply in the evening and leave on overnight.
Place a pack of cherry stones or a camomile compress on top and wrap a warm, dry cloth around it.
Repeat nightly for several weeks.


When acute pain has subsided, massage with St. John's wort oil to relieve the pain, then apply a crushed raw cabbage leaf poultice before going to bed and leave on overnight.


Oat straw packs can help to alleviate the pain.


The stinging nettle plant is an effective treatment against osteoarthritis and gout. It can stimulate the body to excrete uric acid. Extracts of stinging nettle applied topically can help in reducing the pain from any kind of arthritis.


Place affected area inside a small sack filled with birch leaves for one to two hours daily.


Take a rising-temperature bath with infusions of oat straw, horsetail, nettle or any cut grasses once a week as a prevention.

[Mike DeLisa]

Thanks for the info Bucket. I am taking this seriously!

Assuming the rain stops, i plan on adding a daily swim of a few laps in my pool. I walked a little yesterday buy it made my foot feel like shit so that is out for now.

June 25 -- Blood Pressure 129/84. Weight 230. Pulse 72 resting.
June 22 -- Weight 230
June 10 -- Blood pressure 140/98. Weight 234.
June 2, 2008. Blood pressure 144/104. Weight 238 (up from 199 just a year ago). Height 5'9" and shrinking.

[Off The River]

Mike,

Why the sudden weight loss? Was it because of the gout, or did you just let things go. I have had weight issues for the past ten years because I was injured in a car accident and my primary means of fitness was running. Now chronic pain makes it tough for me to run on a regular basis.

After my car accident I balloned from a fit 180 lbs to about 230 in around four months! Part of my problem was that I never had to worry abot diet, I jst ran whenever I put on a few pounds. Now, I can't seem to get under 200 these days without reinjuring myself...

Keep up the good work
Brendan

[GorDoom]

Your doing great, Mike! Keep it up. It's hard at first adjusting to a different life style but after a while you get really into it. & losing weight is one of the healthiest things you can do - to a point.

I've recently been turned on to a compound called, beta-sisterol & I just ordered some. It's a natural enzyme that has been tested clinically. The results are it lowers cholesterol significantly & it might be the single best thing for maintaining your prostate which is a challenge for us older guys.

I'll report back after I take it for a while.

Regarding weight, I made a breakthrough this week. I've finally hit the middleweight weight range coming down from 218. The thing to remember Mike about losing weight is that you hit these plateaus (sp?) where you stabalise & don't lose weight no matter what you do.

I remember it took me almost 2 months to crack the 190 barrier. Another was 170. It took me 6 months to hit middleweight. It's easy to get discouraged but if you stick with it it will eventually continue to drop.

GorDoom

[Off The River]

Hey Gor... When you say no red meat... What is duck classified as?

[Sharkey]

it is fowl that is kinda red!

[GorDoom]

Here is the low down on Duck. First, it's not red meat. The reason the meat is dark is because ducks fly & dive, They exercise far more than say a chicken or a turkey & the adrenaline stimulates them & that's why the meat is dark.

For decades medical people couldn't figure out why the French has such low incidents of heart disease. They have a diet high in dairy products like cheese. They smoke like it's going out of style & cholesterol is not something they concern themselves with.

it turns out the answer is red wine & duck!

Red wine has an element called reveratrol which is an anti-cancer heavy immune booster. Duck it turns out while it does have saturated fat it's almost entirely made up of mono & poly unsaturated fats & is loaded with those & Omegas.

& that's why the French are way healthier than they should be. Well that & the fact that they consume large quabntities of leafy vegetables, artichokes etc. & fruit.

GorDoom

[Sharkey]

This is pretty fascinating stuff.

Interestingly, Gor, I have never been one to eat a lot of bread of any sort not because I do not like it, or avoid it, but it gets in the way of eating more lean meat or green beans or carrots or whatever at a sitting.

I eat plenty of 'red' meat meals but rarely eat a ton at any one sitting. Always hated feeling 'full'.

I have not needed to avoid it (red meat) to lose weight, but it is interesting to read all of this because it is harder for me to GAIN weight than most people. My cholesterol is low, my pulse is 45 at rest and I do not run or jog.

I personally think my eating red meat, pork, chicken and turkey and essentially any animal keeps me trim at age 35 because I don't eat a ton of bread... rarely go nuts on potatoes (though I love them, they again fill up space in my gut better filled with seasonal vegetables and meat which i'd rather focus on).. always eat salad or peas each dinner... and expose my body to full-fledged stuf (never drink lite beer, never eat anything diet, or lite)

I'm a nut for eating blueberries, and cherries by nature (just always loved them) and love red wine. I also never use artificial sweetners (don't like the taste), never use margarine (something weird about a substance that changes forms fromsolid to liquid to solid) but I do use butter and olive oil. I drink full fat milk, dislike any meat-fat save crispy pork fat.

It is amazing to read about the Gor Diet and how it works, because absent the supplements and herbs, a lot of it is what and how I eat.

[Mike DeLisa]

There are many reasons why my weight swelled to about 250, not the least of which was simply eating poorly.

In any event, in July 2007 I hit my peak of 250. A few days before my 50th birthday on July 16th I had a hard-boiled egg for lunch, started walking every day, and eliminated bread and pasta from my diet. On days i could not walk for an hour (usually due to rain in Venezuela), I climbed up and down ten flights of stairs in my apartment building. The stairs were tougher than the walking!

In any event, by January 2008 when I returned to the USA, I was at 199 and feeling pretty good. I joined a gym, started working out with a personal trainer, and then my ankle started acting up. I didn't realize it at the time but the pain was from gout. Many yaers earlier I had injured my ankle. The doctor I went to said it is an old injury, arthritic, and nothing they could do.

Okay, I gutted it out. By July 2008, I was at 215, still working out, but eating poorly and not able to do much cardio. I woke up one morning unable to walk -- another gout attack. It took over a month to feel comfortable. At this point I stopped going to the gym.

By Jan 2009, I hit 240 or so. Weird things were happening internally. I stopped even social drinking because after one drink my entire body felt weird. Then the gout attacked my toe. Motherfucker that hurt! Also, just looking at the toe I knew I had gout. Sure enough, the Doctor now said it was gout all along, and not the old injury!

Right about that time I read of GorDoom's amazing life-changing transformation. So June 2 I started the Gordiet.

I have not really been doing everything I should, but as GorDoom says it takes a while to adjust. I definitely feel a lot better.

It rained again today, but as soon as it stops (it has rained 21 straight days on Long Island) I will be swimming in the morning before work.

I'll keep you posted!

ps -- at age 21, for my last bout, I weighed 138! Bday 52 coming up in less than 3 weeks -- I'd like to be in the 220s.

[Off The River]

Gor and Mike,

This is a great thread, hope it coninues for a long time and we all benefit form it. I'm now starting my own modified GorDiet. I'll continue to eat redmeat in moderation, but I am going to go all out on the green vegetables, and fish. I've been doing some research on nutrient density and think the key is GREENS. Which I love anyhow.
I found this chart on nutrient denisty and I got the wife cooking me daily batches of beanpaste soup fortified with lots of greens (winter cabbage this week).

A Sample of Dr. Fuhrman's
Nutrient Density Scores
Kale 1000 Tofu 86 Bananas 30
Collards 1000 Sweet Potatoes 83 Chicken Breast 27
Bok Choy 824 Apples 76 Eggs 27
Spinach 739 Peaches 73 Low Fat Yogurt, plain 26
Cabbage 481 Kidney Beans 71 Corn 25
Red Pepper 420 Green Peas 70 Almonds 25
Romaine Lettuce 389 Lentils 68 Whole Wheat Bread 25
Broccoli 342 Pineapple 64 Feta Cheese 21
Cauliflower 295 Avocado 64 Whole Milk 20
Green Peppers 258 Oatmeal 53 Ground Beef 20
Artichoke 244 Mangoes 51 White Pasta 18
Carrots 240 Cucumbers 50 White Bread 18
Asparagus 234 Soybeans 48 Peanut Butter 18
Strawberries 212 Sunflower Seeds 45 Apple Juice 16
Tomatoes 164 Brown Rice 41 Swiss Cheese 15
Plums 157 Salmon 39 Potato Chips 11
Blueberries 130 Shrimp 38 American Cheese 10
Iceberg Lettuce 110 Skim Milk 36 Vanilla Ice Cream 9
Orange 109 White Potatoes 31 French Fries 7
Cantaloupe 100 Grapes 31 Olive Oil 2
Flax Seeds 44 Walnuts 29 Cola 1

I'm saving my red meat for weekends and still working on a decent rice substitute. Since I gave up drinking six months ago, I will allow myself a few icecream and pepsi's, but man I sure do love a cold beer!

[GorDoom]

Guys:

I'm going to a Naturapath/Accupuncture specialist this morning & he asked me to list all the herbs, vitamins & supplements I take as well as my diet.

Wow! looking at the list of supplemnts & my diet I realise I'm kind of a freak. When I see it all on paper it's a real eye opener & looks extreme. Which it probably is but I was legitemally in a life or death situation so I had to do SOMETHING!

Like I said looking at it seems extreme but in actual practice it's become routine & I don't even think about it I just do it. Anyway here's the list:

Supplements/Vitamins

Milk Thistle - 4 a day

Turmeric - 4 a day

Fenugreek - 12 a day

Hawthorn - 4 a day

Flax Oil - 6 a day

Fish Oil - 6 a day

2 multi vitamins

Cranberry - 1 a day

Garlic - 4 a day

Bayer heart advantage 81mg. aspirin - 1 a day

Calcium - 1000 mgs.

Magnesium - 500 mgs.

Vitamin D - 2500 mgs.

Saw Palmetto - 1 a day

Cinnamon - 1000 mgs.

Beta Glucan - 3 a day

Chia Seeds - 4 tablespoons a day

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil - 1 tablespoon a day

DIET:

Northen Pacific Ocean Cod Water Fish: Salmon, Halibut, Red Snapper, Black Cod, Alaskan True Cod, Wild Caught Prawns from Mexico-Fla. Consumed 4-5 times a week

Organic free range chicken- Skinless once or twice a week.

Organic free range Buffalo - once a month

Alcohol- never

Non fat yogurt daily with chia/rasberry compote- daily

10 grain cereal or oatmeal w/chia & rasberry compote - daily

Leafy greens -daily

Fruit - daily
Brown rice/whole cooked beans - daily

No dairy products includng eggs, sugar or any deserts.

No saturated fat, olive & grape seed oil only

[TKO11]

Hey Bucket - if you don't mind me asking, what does the cinnamon and cranberry do for you? Also, where does one procure "organic, free-range Buffalo"?

As someone who takes a one-a-day type vitamin only when I remember to (which is once a week, if I'm lucky) and as someone who has recovered from being a tremendous lard-ass to now be only a slight lardass, and considering that I am 6 months away from my 40th birthday, what vitamins or supplements would you suggest as being ones I should most seriously consider adding to my routine?

Thanks Gor.

[Phillyfan]

I have a really long story, but am going to try to shorten it considerably. In april I was in the hospital. I was supposed to have surgery to fix a torn tendon in my foot. Orthopedist open it up, saw a bunch of yellow crystals. He cleaned it up and sewed it up. I woke up in the hospital and was told I had to spend the night because they sent the crystals out to the infectious disease lab. My foot was in severe pain. Slowly the pain went into my knee. I couldn't straighten it, bend it, put any weight on it. I put pillows around it, but they were even too painful. It was all I could do to get out of bed, stand, pee in a cup, and fall back into bed. The pain started to migrate into my other foot. I started to panic. Any movement caused severe pain. Finally infectious disease doctor asks, have you ever had any gout? BINGO. I had minor cases that went away after a day or 2, nothing even close to what I was going through. They sent me home. I lay on my couch in agony. I called my doctor and she said I had to come to the office. I told her I couldn't move. She prescribed an anti inflammatory and some pain pills. I called her 2 days later and said pain pills were useless. Pain was worse than ever, damn anti inflammatory wasn't working. I had passed out for maybe an hour a night because pain was unbearble. I told her take the leg off. She finally prescribed colchasine. 10 pills max, one an hour, stop if you get diarrea or the pain stops. I finished 9 pills before i passed out. Each pill the pain lessened. Its a poison so strong, your body has diarrea to expell it. I was on the can 12 hours the next day. I swear brain fluid was passing thru my butt, there was nothing left in me. But it was worth it to get rid of the pain. Also, you can't take it again for 3 days.
The gout did a number on my knee. Finally a doctor explained about the crystals. They are not suger cube type crystals, they are pointed dagger-like crystals that poke and burst everything around them. I never want to go thru that again. Pain was indescribable. There is no position you can get into to get confortable. There isn't a pain pill strong enough to lessen the pain. ANY movement caused severe agony. And how do you get rid of it, by drinking lots of water, which makes you get up and go to the bathroom. So you crawl to the bathroom or you wet yourself. I was in the marines. I'm not ashamed to say I cried some nights the pain was that intense and not letting up.
I'm still recovering. I can't walk normal yet. I drink gallons of water a day. Take allipurinol to get rid of excess uric acid. I drink water with unfiltered apple cider vinegar and honey. Take fish oil pills and cherry extract pills. Plus a capful of goji juice. My weight ballooned up to 210 pounds. I should be 160.
I'm just glad I can finally walk without a cane or crutches. I haven't had a beer in 2 months and will probably never drink red wine again. At 45 I thought gout was a joke. Its not. Mid july I start rehab. Hopefully I can take some of this blubber off.

[walshb]

Philly, that is a heck of a story and so tough. And to think, there are folks in even worse situations throughout the world. Best of luck on the recovery trail!

[Mike DeLisa]

That is a great description of gout pain. Mine also went diagnosed for a couple of years because it was in my ankle -- only when I got it in the toe was it realized to be gout.

Yes, no amount of "gutting it out" can deal wit the pain. One day I could not get out of bed so I peed in a vase at my bedside, then called my sister from an hour away to come dump it out. When she saw what i was asking she almost dumped it on my head!

It is the most painful thing ever -- and I have had two bouts of kidney stones and one psychosomatic labor!

But, give the GorDiet a try to get off the meds -- I did not want to deal with diareah and hair loss so I sent on the GorDiet on June 2.

I feel 100% better. Talk to your doctor about it.

Mike

[Phillyfan]

Thats the tricky part about gout. It starts off like a dull pain. You think you pulled something or twisted the wrong way. 12 hours later the pain keeps increasing. I had the tendon surgery on the foot. I'm walking without a cast, but on different days, i get a pain in that area. I keep thinking its from the surgery, but its warm to the touch so I believe its gout. 2 months of nothing but water, vinegar, cherry extract, and allipurinol and I'm still getting attacks. I pop 2 ibuprofin for a couple of days and its gone.
In march I got a shot of cortisone so I could walk and delay the tendon surgery. I was in germany on vacation early april, not a care in the world, no pain, drinking a ton of beer, and enjoying life. Once I got back and the cortisone wore off, my life changed forever. Lying helpless in the hospital as the pain got worse and worse was the worst experience of my life. When they finally told me to go home, they gave me some crutches. The pain just started in my other foot so I knew within a few hours, it would be too painful to even use the crutches. The damn nurse would not let me leave untill she had me practice with the crutches getting up and out of chairs and walking up steps.
I kept begging her to let me leave before the gout in my other foot became excruciating. nope, not before she watched me practice with those damn crutches. I seriously was going to brain her with a crutch at one point.
All in all, I am doing better than billy mays, michael jackson, or ed mcmahon.
The point of the whole story is, enjoy life while you have your health. It can change that quick and once it does, lifes never the same. stay out of hospitals if possible, they are death traps.

[Phillyfan]

The colchasine is a drug of last resort. After my surgery, I had another severe attack in my knee. I took a pill and hour for 10 hours. Next day, I knew it was comming, another 12 hours on the can. From now on, the slightest twinge and I'll start on ibuprofin. I don't ever want to take colchasine again, but its there in case of emergency. As for the pain pills, i stopped taking them after my first bout with gout. After the colchasine took away the pain, no need for the pills.

[GorDoom]

TKO11:

I Live in Portland Oregon & their is a farm down south near Bend where they raise buffalo, yak & elk. They are all free range, grass fed , no antibiotics or hormones.

The guy who owns the farm sells it at a couple of different farmers markets up here & that's where I get it. In fact I get ALL my produce etc from the farmers market or the farms that sorround Portland.

Go online & you can find it & order it from several different companies. Don't worry about it being frozen because it doesn't affect the taste because there is no fat.

The cool thing about buffalo - besides the health benefits - is that unlike a beef steak, you can eat half of it put it in the fridge, reheat it & it tastes exactly the same! You do that with beef & it never tastes right. The reason it works w.buffalo is, again, no fat!.. Well, extremely minimal when compared to beef, pork or chicken.

I won't shop in a Supermarket anymore. Every week there is a massive recall of some freakin' food. Plus ALL packaged food is crap & not good for you & all that stuff is worse now than it's EVER been. Do you guys remember these kind of massive food recalls even 15 or 20 years ago? I sure don't.

As to the cranberry. Cranberry is a real boon to your kidney's, gall bladder & urinary tract. It's especially helpful to women because they're plumbing is a lot more intricate, sensitive & prone to problems. My wife started taking them because her mom died of gall bladder cancer & she takes it as a preventative which it is - it even helps repair alcohol & toxin damage. I started taking it when I was diagnosed with Diabete's because that's a direct kidney ailment. I do believe it helped contribute to my Diabetes being in remission for the last 2 years.

The reason I take cinnamon is that it helps control your blood sugar. Since I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 11 - even if it's been in remission for 2 years I still monitor my blood sugar levels.

Another good sugar control is unfiltered apple cider vinegar which is also great for a myriad of ailments.I just put a few capfuls in a glass of water & slug it down, An easier way is boil some water. Turn it off. After it settles pour into a cup with the vinegar add some honey or sugar & it tastes like apple tea no vinegar taste at all.

Philly Fan:

Whatta story! Man, you've been through the mill. I'm glad your on your way to recovery. & man, I always thought gout was stricktly in your toe, mostly your big toes - well, you can learn something new every day. I had no idea...

& Btw: guys. Please keep in mind that I'm NOT a doctor or naturapath. While I am conversant with diet & herbs & supplements I've really only studied them as the apply to me. What I know is how to fix what's wrong with me because I researched it. Other things like gout for example, since I've never suffered from it (knock on wood!), I don't know much about it.

However any questions you guys have I will research them for you just gimme a little time. This & the other thread have really morphed into something & I want to continue it. I think discussing this stuff is beneficial for all of us.

Gotta say though, when I started this boxing board I had no idea it would branch out into so many different area's which I think is VERY cool!

GorDoom

[Phillyfan]

Gor, I printed your herb list and am taking it to a herbalist/tea expert in the morning. I drink apple cider vinegar every day now. I order the organic stuff on line, the heinz pasturized stuff in the grocery store is no good. Fish oil pills once a day and also a royal jelly pill. not sure what good it does but its the stuff that makes super bees out of reg bees. Also replace sugar with honey when possible. My mother swears by folic acid. Her doctor says she has the blood of a 16 year old. Of course she also said I should take cottage cheese, put it on my knee and wrap it with plastic for the night. Its supposed to draw out the poison. I haven't tried that yet.
I'm not looking for any sympathy with my gout, it is what it is. I just want to alert the younger crowd of what can happen.
First bout i had was about 4 years ago. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night from the agony of my big toe. I couldn't walk and literally crawled down the hall, down the steps to the kitchen. I put a sock on and stuffed it full of ice untill my toe was numb. next day I went to doctor who felt the heat comming off the toe and said it sounds like gout. I laughed out loud and said gouts for old people, I was 41 at the time.
gout in the knee is rare, but I think the surgery really must have spread it around.
exercise is the key. I think you need to do some type of physical activity to get rid of the poisons in your body and regulate your sugar and acid levels. In 2 weeks I am going with the family to an all inclusive vacation. This was planned months ago. Its my last hurrah. Once I'm back, I am going on a health and fitness kick.
I will drink beer again and love dessert. The allipurinol and exercise should help regulate it. You have to enjoy life too.

[Phillyfan]

recipe
2 slices rye bread. Toast them. As soon as they're hot, slap on some raw honey, it spreads like peanut butter. Add a teaspoon of virgin cocoanut oil on top. Everything melts into the bread and tastes like a sweet pina colada and its filling.

[GorDoom]

GUGGUL: Guys, through a lot of research I found this obscure herbal compound. Apparently it is just as efficiant as cholesterol medications without the terrible SIDE EFFECTS! & better yet this has been clinically proven!

it works best in conjunction with other herbs & supplements. For instance taking it with garlic or garlic pills really increases it's efficacy. I also take it in conjunction with Fenugreek & Hawthorn.

In a little over two weeks my cholesterol has dropped 9%! & supposedly it takes about 4 weeks for the Guggul to fully kick in. I highly recommend this stuff! Below is some more info on it:

Guggul, also known as Commiphora mukul and Indian Bedellium, is a very effective herbal medicine for controlling obesity and cholesterol

Guggul is a resin known to increase white blood cell counts and possess strong disinfecting properties. It has long been known to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, while maintain or improve the HDL to LDL ratio. It is one of the very first "broad spectrum drugs" with a wide therapeutic range. A broad mode of action makes this herb very helpful even in protecting against ailments such as common cold, and various skin, dental and ophthalmic infections.

Guggul can be taken by practically everyone, regardless of age and gender. Guggul can be taken by people for:
- Weight Management
- Lowering Cholesterol
- Improving Circulation
- Relief from Arthritis pain
- Menstrual Pain (relieves it)
- Skin problems

One of the most famous herbs in Ayurvedic medicine, Guggul possesses strong purifying and rejuvenating powers. People today most commonly use it to benefit from Guggul's lipid regulating and immunomodulating properties. It has been shown that Guggul can lower blood cholesterol by 14-27% and can lower triglycerides by 22-30%. The effects that Guggul has on the blood cholesterol levels is comparable to prescription medications but, being a natural plant extract, it is a far superior and much safer product. Guggul works on the liver by increasing the metabolism (or break down) of the bad cholesterol known as LDL Cholesterol. After taking the product for 4 to 12 weeks, total cholesterol levels can drop, triglyceride levels can drop and an increase in HDL (the good cholesterol) of approximately 16% can occur. Its benenfits as a weight-loss and fat burning agent have been well researched and documented in several studies.

Bottom Line: I think this stuff might be the "silver bullet" for those of us suffering from high cholesterol.

GorDoom

[Mike DeLisa]

Guys -- I will do a weigh-in and BP check later but I wanted to update on the food issue.

Gordoom has been a big advocate of poaching fish as part of the diet.

The other day, I saw Alton Brown's food show and it was all about poaching -- and I realized I didn't know what poaching was!

He had an interesting recipe for an electric skillet -- milk poached catfish. The key is not to boil the fish in the liquid -- you can actually cook it at near serving temperature, around 140 degrees.

So, here is what I did:

12-oz can of condensed milk into the skillet with some salt pepper, Old Bay spice, and half a thinly sliced onion.

Brought that to a boil, then lowered to simmer -- around 140-145.

Put the catfish in, covered the lid. After about 5 minutes I flipped the fish.

Done after about ten minutes!

I placed the fish on a bed of chopped cabbage -- that was it!

It was great, cheap and fast.

Hope milk is allowed on the GorDiet.

In any event, next up a Cort Boullion so I can poach a different way.

Key is the electric skillet which has temperature controls on the dial so you can poach at the right temperature.

[Off The River]

I've been eating a shitload of boiled greens in a korean soup called Deownjang/ Dwenjang Jigge. It's essentially a beanpaste soup; low on calories, but a bit high on sodium. I simply throw any green vegetable on sale in the supermmarkket, boil and eat it. Seems to be working, I also get to treat myself to an icecream every night as well.

This time last year, I was close to 215lbs with near high blood pressure. Now I'm at about 188lbs and my blood pressure is 117 over 51.

All thanks to Mr Doom himself.

I've also really cut back on the rice, but the one problem, is I'e also cut back on my meat production and while I'm losing weight, I noticed, I've also lost a fair bit of muscle mass. (not that I was massive to begin with)

[DscribeDC]

The Bucket does eat healthy...

[Wing master]

Hey Gor,
I am planning on starting some herbal supliments. Would you mind posting the benifits of the ones you take. I am sure their are some that wouldn't help me but, some would.
I have read where high colesteral has been linked to dimentia (sp) This is one thing I am very interested in.

Thanks
Wing master

[GorDoom]

Wing:

Since I don't know exactly what advice your seeking except for cholesterol I'll give you what I take for that. If you have other issues let me know what they are & I'll see what I can do.

For high cholesterol I take:

Hawthorn-3 capsules 3 times a day. Hawthorn is prescribed in Europe for a varierty of circulatory & heart conditions. What it does is opeen up your arteries to increase blood flow which helps reduce cholesterol & high bloood pressure.

One thing about Hawthorn & all the other supplements I take is that they are NOT medicine. They are herbal supplements & therefore take longer to take effect. Hawthorn typically takes 6-8 weeks to really kick in.

Guggul: In Ayuvedic(sp?) medicine which is from India they have been prescribing guggul for cholesterol for decades. I take 3 caps a day.

Beta Glucans: Along with lowering cholesterol it;s a potent anti-cancer/tumor preventative. 3 times a day

Bete Sistosterol: This does 2 things. 1- It is one of the best things you can take for an enlarged prostate-especially in combination w/Saw Palmetto. It also a strong cholesterol lowering agent. 3 times a day.

Hope this helps. You can look up these supplements on Google or dogpile.com (a much better search engine) to get more info.

Good luck! & if there's anything else I can help you with let me know.

GorDoom