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Although we live in a society that highly regards shiny white teeth, is that really the way we were meant to look? It seems that more and more people are decided to bleach their teeth beyond recognition because it is considered to trademark a healthy appearance. You are probably aware that drinking coffee or tea will tend to stain your teeth yellow, but were you aware that the aging process actually changes the colour of your teeth?

Have you ever seen an old piano? Think about it. All piano keys used to be made of ivory; the tusk bone of an elephant. These were gleaming white at the beginning, and now those pianos sit decrepit in a corner with yellowed, cracked keys which may even have warped out of shape. This is what is naturally in store for your own teeth, although you should not worry too much; yellowed, warped piano keys are often twice as old as you will ever expect to be! The point is that the tissues that make up your bones and teeth will change over time and as you age will become more yellow. This colour change can be confusing, and often foods and drinks are blamed instead of pure genetics.

Younger people will have the most naturally white teeth of anyone, but even if you look closely at them you will see that few can be said to have perfectly white teeth. This is because on the whole, white is not a natural colour! Certainly close shades are in existence and are very flattering, but there is no escaping the slow colour shift from near white to nearer yellow. Sad, but true! Regardless of this fact, you have probably already armed yourself (to the teeth) to defend a whitened front.

Essentially, teeth whitening can be seen as another way to stop the aging process. In the same way that you use moisturising creams to stop wrinkles and hair dye to keep away the grey, various teeth whitening products such as toothpastes, polishes and adhesive strips are being used to make teeth whiter and more youthful. It is a somewhat unconscious effort by Westerners to remain in the blossom of youth for ever longer; white teeth are the trademark of preteens and teenagers, but certainly not of the middle aged and retirement set! Whatever the conscious and subconscious reasons for whitening your teeth, it is best to come into the venture with the knowledge that you may not ever have a perfectly white set. But that is no reason to despair!

You know there are plenty of teeth whitening options available, so choose one that is right for you and do the best you can to bleach away stains and natural colour changes. Society (especially North American society) is cultured to put a lot of value on teeth, and obviously you are not expected to be any different. Medically speaking, teeth whitening is a safe procedure so long as you have it professionally done or pay close attention to packet instructions.

Do not be tempted to over bleach or you can damage your gums and the roots of your teeth, a painful situation that is best avoided. It can be appealing to squeeze a tube of bleach on the enamel and leave it overnight, but believe me, it is not worth it! Be patient, be safe, and most of all be understanding to the fact that your teeth are not horribly stained, they are just growing older like the rest of you! There is nothing wrong with that, now is there?

A correct diet for gout is needed to help prevent gout from seriously damaging your health. Here you'll find a list of gout diet foods to eat and foods to avoid.

WHY YOU NEED A GOOD GOUT DIET

Your agonising symptoms of gout are caused by uric acid crystals that have formed in your joint(s), which can form when you have high uric acid in your blood. This usually occurs when your kidneys either can't excrete excess uric acid from your body effectively enough, or, your body is manufacturing too much acid for your kidneys to be expected to handle.

Uric acid is produced as a result of the natural breakdown of chemical compounds in your cells called 'purines,' but, they also exist in our foods at varying concentrations or levels. Some have high / very high levels, others have moderate, and others relatively low purine levels.

The trick is to identify those foods that have high / very high purine levels and avoid those. And supplement with those foods that have relatively low levels. And to help you do this I've listed the foods you can eat with gout, and, the foods to avoid for gout...

GOUT DIET FOODS TO EAT LIST

These are some of the low-purine foods that go to make a good gout diet:-

Complex carbs (cereals, rice, pasta, vegetables, fruits, etc. - not white flour products)
Low fat dairy produce (low fat cheese, milk, yoghurt, etc. - but not soya)
High vitamin C foods (fruit, potatoes, red bell peppers, red cabbage, etc.)
Essential fatty acids (nuts, seeds, flax-seeds, tuna, etc.)
Vegetables (celery, cabbage, parsley, kale, other green-leaf vegetables, - but not cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms)
Fruit (especially cherries, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, other blue / red berries)

LIST OF GOUT DIET FOODS TO AVOID

These are some of the foods, that are high / very high in purines, and should be avoided:-

Red meat (burgers, mincemeat, game, etc.)
Offal (liver, heart, kidneys, etc.)
Poultry (duck, goose, etc.)
Some fish (herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, etc.)
Shellfish (mussels, shrimp, scallops, etc.)
Gravy (broth, consomme, etc.)
Yeast (baker's and brewer's)
Dried legumes (peas, beans, lentils, etc.)

OTHER ISSUES AFFECTING YOUR GOUT

A good gout diet is an essential starting point in helping to get rid of the symptoms of your current gout attack, and, to prevent frequently recurring gout attacks, which can lead to permanent joint damage, kidney problems and hypertension, etc. Plus, once having had gout you're chances of more attacks are markedly increased.

But there are several other important issues to consider to give you the best possible chance of preventing recurring gout. These are things like your lifestyle, your weight, stress, medications being taken, family history, underlying medical conditions, and so on. You need to investigate these and sort them out.