Gout was once called the ‘disease of kings’ because it was associated with wealthy men who overindulged in rich food and drink. King Henry VIII of England, who was grossly overweight, suffered from debilitating gout. Other prominent gout suffers in history include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. While gout is no longer confined to rich folk and kings, it is part of a class of diseases described by T. Colin Campbell of Cornell University as ‘diseases of affluence.” As John McDougall, M.D., points out, the standard Western diet of today contains more fat, sugar, and processed food stripped of its nutrients and fiber than the diets of kings and queens throughout history. Gout is a result of too much saturated fat, too many purines, and not enough plant fiber in the diet.
Gout was once called the ‘disease of kings’ because it was associated with wealthy men who overindulged in rich food and drink. King Henry VIII of England, who was grossly overweight, suffered from debilitating gout. Other prominent gout suffers in history include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. While gout is no longer confined to rich folk and kings, it is part of a class of diseases described by T. Colin Campbell of Cornell University as ‘diseases of affluence.” As John McDougall, M.D., points out, the standard Western diet of today contains more fat, sugar, and processed food stripped of its nutrients and fiber than the diets of kings and queens throughout history. Gout is a result of too much saturated fat, too many purines, and not enough plant fiber in the diet. |