Everyone has naturally occurring uric acid in his or her body. Uric acid is created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are found in body tissues as well as some foods and drinks. Having too much uric acid in the body causes gout. A healthy uric acid level is below 6 mg/dL. Your doctor can test your uric acid level a few weeks after a gout flare to see if you might be at risk for additional gout flares. Gout may cause repeated flares.
July: Vegetables to plant in July include cantaloupes, collards, cucumbers, luffa, okra, pumpkins, Southern peas, shallots, squashes and watermelons. In addition, you can plant seeds to grow transplants of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, peppers and tomatoes.
Collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) belong to the Brassicaceae, or cabbage, family. These cool-season vegetables grow in most U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones in the spring. In milder USDA zones 8 and higher, collards grow in the spring and fall, producing two crops in a single year. Collard greens grow readily from seed. For a spring crop, sowing seeds indoors six to eight weeks prior to the last average spring frost date or direct seed in the garden three weeks prior to the last frost. Fall crops require starting eight to 12 weeks prior to the first average fall frost date whether sown outdoors or in.