A butter & chocolate diet for me!?

I've had arthritis since high school...brought on by my weekly volleyball games where I'd dive for any ball that was within 20 feet of me. I probably spent more time on my knees than a $2 hooker. :)

Anyway, at one point, I tore the cartilage in my knee and it's never quite been the same.

Lately, as my weight has yo yo'd up and down I've noticed that I've developed an occasional pain in my left big toe that makes it nearly impossible to even bend that toe. Forget about wearing heals, I can't get my foot in the correct position for that.

I've always suspected that I have gout, brought on by the extra weight that I carry. I'm pretty convinced of this because when I lost 90 pounds a few years ago, the pain went away.

Anyway, I've been doing some research and here is a list of foods that WebMD suggests to help deal with gout. The first few I can understand but how am I suppose to lose weight, as they suggest, if I'm eating butter, cheese, chocolate, sodas & peanut butter?

Foods that are safe to eat (low in purines):

• Green vegetables and tomatoes
• Fruits and fruit juices
• Breads and cereals that are not whole-grain
• Butter, buttermilk, cheese, and eggs
• Chocolate and cocoa
• Coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages
• Peanut butter and nuts

I'm totally ok with eating these items, the trick is to find that happy balance between calories and low purines. We'll see what we can do. A butter & chocolate diet it is! :)