Natural Health Remedies for You

Gout Natural Remedies

Gout natural remedies include the use of natural supplements, herbs, and homeopathy. Identifying what foods cause gout and dietary control is one of the many natural gout cures.

This page takes a look at the following topics related to gout:

What is Gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis (also known as "gouty arthritis") that is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in joints. The pain may go on for days and, although it will eventually go away, the attack is likely to recur unless the root cause is addressed.

Although gout can affect anyone, men are more likely to be affected than women. However, post-menopausal women become increasingly susceptible to gout.

Gout often occurs in people who indulge in fatty foods and alcohol.

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What are the Symptoms of Gout?

The symptoms of gout are almost always acute. The symptoms often occur at night without any warning. If you suffer from gout, you will have:

  • Sharp and Intense Pain: Gout usually occurs in the large joint of your big toe but it can also occur in your thumbs, ankles, knees, elbows, and wrists. The pain usually lasts five to 10 days and then stops even without treatment.
  • Inflammation and redness: The affected joints become swollen, red and tender to the touch.
  • Fever.

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What Causes Gout?

The root cause of gout is the build-up of uric acid. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines - substances that are found naturally in your body, but a few are taken in through eating certain foods, such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms.

Purines are normally broken down by a digestive enzyme which allows them to be dissolved and passed out of the body in urine. However, sometimes your body either produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up. Eventually, it crystallizes and forms sharp, needle-like urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue. The result is intense pain, inflammation and swelling.

A person suffering from gout is also more likely to suffer from uric acid kidney stones.

Risks factors that increase the uric acid level in your body include:

  • Diet: A diet high in saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, and excessive alcohol increases the chance of uric acid build-up and occurence of gout.
  • Medical conditions: Certain diseases and conditions make it more likely for people to develop gout, e.g. untreated high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease.
  • Obesity: Obese people with high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood have a higher chance of developing gout.
  • Certain medications: Certain medications increase uric acid levels in the body, e.g. low-dose aspirin, diuretics, and high-dose niacin therapy.
  • Insulin resistance: Recent research has shown that people with insulin resistance are more susceptible to gout.

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Gout Natural Remedies

Gout natural remedies are effective and safe to prevent and treat this disorder.

If you have gout, you need to detoxify your body to get rid of the excessive uric acid. Then, identify in your diet what foods cause gout and then eliminate such foods.

By using a combined approach of detoxification, dietary control, and natural remedies such as herbs, and other supplements, you can become gout-free.

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Gout Natural Remedies - Detoxify Your Body

When you have a gout attack, detoxify your body by starting a 3-day fast. Do not eat any solid foods. Sustain yourself by drinking a lot of fluid, especially cherry juice and green drinks (e.g. spirulina, chlorella, etc.). Drink also plenty of clean water. The fast can help accelerate the elimination of uric acid in your body.

After three days of fasting, limit your diet to raw vegetables and fruits plus water and juices for several more days, or until the pain subsides.

This will detoxify your body and re-alkalinize your system's environment.

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Gout Natural Remedies - Dietary Control

To prevent recurrent gout attacks, dietary control is essential. Take a good look at your diet, identify foods that cause gout, and eliminate them from your diet.

Foods that cause gout include:

  • Red meat
  • Meat gravies
  • Meat broth, bouillon, sonsomme
  • Anchovies
  • Sardines
  • Herring
  • Mushrooms
  • Asparagus
  • Eggs
  • Dried beans, peas, lentils
  • Brewer's yeast
  • Rhubarb

In addition, foods that are rich and heavy aggravate the pain caused by gout. Avoid saturated, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats and oils, refined sugar, and refined flour.

Finally, alcohol increases the levels of uric acid in your body. Avoid all alcoholic drinks if you have gout.

Base your diet on foods high in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Your protein sources should preferably be from plants such as soy products, nuts and seeds, or from fish such as salmon, halibut, and cod.

Consume flaxseeds for your source of essential fatty acids which are "good fats" and can reduce inflammation.

Also eat lots of berries, especially cherries, blueberries, and strawberries, as they can neutralize uric acid.

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Gout Natural Remedies - Herbs

Several herbs are effective gout natural remedies. They include:

  • Nettle root (Urtica dioica): This herb helps to eliminate uric acid from the kidneys. You can get a supplement which contains concentrated nettle extract from health food stores.
  • Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinalis): This diuretic herb cleanses the kidneys and helps elimination of uric acid. Get a supplement that is made from the dried root of the herb.
  • Cayenne (Capsicum): This herb contains capsaicin which is an effective pain-reliever. You can get capsicum cream from most health food stores. Put the cream on your gout to relieve the pain.
  • Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Turmeric contains curcumin which is anti-inflammatory and has great pain relief properties. You can get curcumin supplements from most health food stores.

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Gout Natural Remedies - Other Supplements

Other supplements that are effective gout natural remedies include:

  • Fish Oil: The essential fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6) in fish oil are effective in reducing inflammation in the joints.
  • Bromelain: Bromelain also has a natural anti-inflammatory effect. Another supplement that has similar anti-inflammatory effect is Quercetin.
  • Celery Seed Extract: This supplement has anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce uric acid levels.
  • Chlorella: Chlorella is rich in chlorophyll which works to alkalinize the body.

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Gout Natural Remedies - Homeopathy

An acute attack of gout can be extremely painful. Homeopathic remedies are very effective in giving fast relief. You need to pick a remedy that best matches your symptoms. As a general guideline, take a low potency (e.g. 6x, 12x, or 12C) for low-grade pain. For acute gout pain, take a 30C potency four times daily. It is advisable to consult with a holistic doctor to ensure proper choice of remedy and dosage.

Common homeopathic remedies for pain relief include:

  • Colchicum: This remedy is specific for gout pains that are worse with any motion.
  • Sulphur: This remedy is for gout where there is a burning sensation and itching of the skin.
  • Pulsatilla: This remedy is effective for pain that moves around within the joint.
  • Arnica: This remedy is usually for deep, bruising pain.
  • Belladonna: This remedy is for intense, throbbing, and burning pain that comes on very quickly.



References

Balch and Stengler, Prescription for Natural Cures, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004)
MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com)

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