By Will Tigley
Lawrence Santiago is on a mission to help Filipinos overcome a disease that commonly affects them.
“The prevalence of gout is abnormally high among Filipinos,” explains Lawrence Santiago an organizer for the upcoming ‘Without a Gout’ session. “Many Filipinos I talk to have either experienced gout themselves or have known a family member that has suffered from gout.”
Studies have shown that immigrants, particularly of Filipino descent, are more likely to seek treatment against this inflammatory condition caused by a high concentration of uric acid in the blood which forms crystal deposits around joints leading to intense pain.
A study conducted by Alberta Health, Health Standards, Quality and Performance Division, Analytics and Performance Reporting Branch has shown that patients from Southeast Asia sought treatment for gout at more than double the rate of other immigrants.
According to the study, rates of patients from the Philippines were the highest at 25 people per 1,000, while rates from patients from other countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore did not significantly differ from the rates of non-immigrants.
“While the primary cause of gout is not precisely known, there are some factors that are attributed to gout,” explains Santiago.
Factors may include genetics, obesity, certain foods, hypertension, alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome, or imbalance of kidney functions.
“For Filipinos, it’s believed that particular diets might trigger attacks,” says Santiago. “Foods high in purines like fish and seafood should be avoided, which is difficult when Filipino diets can be high in fish sauce and patis.”
Santiago also lists beer and alcohol as things to avoid purine consumption.
“We want to inform our community in Calgary about gout and how to avoid it,” says Santiago. “So Alberta Health Services is hosting a cooking class at the South Health Campus for the Filipino community to learn how to cook food that won’t aggravate gout.”
The session brings together award-winning Filipino SAIT Chef Instructor, Vanessa Mendoza and AHS Registered Dietician, Melissa Bissinger to show Filipinos how to cook their favourite native dishes to help manage the symptoms of gout.
“This session is one that’s never been done in the province before,” states Santiago. “It’s very ethno-culture centered and if successful could open doors by becoming a platform for addressing health issues in other communities.”
The session will be held on Tuesday, March 20 at the South Health Campus Kitchen on 4448 Front Street SE. Seating is limited, but attendees can register at app.bookking.ca/shcwellnesspub/ or by calling 403-956-3939.
