If you’ve ever watched the play/movie 1776, you may remember a scene where Ben Franklin is led into Congress and sits down carefully, propping up his foot. He says something like “I wish King George felt like my big toe all over.” That was an allusion to the taste, which Franklin suffered.

Franklin was wealthy, and at the time, the affliction was called “Rich Man’s Disease.” That was because men are usually the victims, and rich food was considered the source.

To some extent, they were right. Premenopausal women rarely have this condition, and some meats are extremely high in purine. Purine breakdown is what causes breakouts. However, beer and most protein sources can be just as bad.

The most important category of food to avoid is organ meat. No matter what creature it comes from, cow, sheep, chicken, avoid it all. For chorizo ​​lovers, this could be a problem, since its main ingredients fall into that category.

Shellfish can be another major trigger, especially shellfish. However, salmon oil, which is used to give us Omega-3 fatty acids, is known to cause breakouts. You may also want to look at supplements like glucosamine, since its source is shellfish.

If you enjoy a good beer on a hot summer afternoon, you won’t be happy with the following. Beer is doubly bad for the taste. First, yeast has purine. Second, alcohol causes dehydration, which can increase the concentration of uric acid in the bloodstream. Most alcoholic beverages will do that, although a glass or two of red wine may do more good than harm.

If you’re like me, you don’t appreciate articles that focus solely on the negative. They taught me that if I’m going to take the time to point out a problem, I need to spend the time showing possible solutions, and there are some.

In the beverage department, cherry juice is great for helping to flush out uric acid crystals and reduce inflammation associated with a breakout. In fact, many 100% fruit juices will do the same. Citrus could be an exception to this, as they are acidic and could encourage crystal formation.

Plant protein generally contains less purine than animal sources, but there are some cuts of chicken, pork, and beef that are in the acceptable category. The far portions in particular, due to the decreased fat, are the most beneficial.

For Omega-3s, you may want to look at flax seed oil. It is a natural plant resource for this cholesterol-lowering constituent. You’ll still want the benefits of the Omegas, and this might be your best bet.

Talk to your doctor about these suggestions. There are medications that can help, but they could interact with any type of herbal supplement, including those mentioned above. That’s the best way to ensure you avoid unnecessary breakouts and avoid side effects that could be a problem.