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If you are suffering from gout, then you know how devastating the disease could be.  It’s hot, painful, and could completely debilitate you from going on with your normal life.  Luckily, although it is chronic, there are some ways that can help prevent its occurrence.  Moreover, there are gout home remedies that can help fasten the alleviation of its symptoms.  In this article, let’s learn more about the disease and how to deal with it naturally.

What is gout?

Gout happens due to the abnormal metabolism of the uric acid in the body.  When it’s not metabolized properly, it results in the excess of the acid which goes in the blood and tissues.  The buildup can lead in gouty arthritis, tophi (local deposits of uric acid), and kidney stones.  It is possible for gout to occur alone (primary gout), although it can occur with other medical conditions or due to some medications too.

Many people are suffering from this disease and the number continuous to rise daily.  In the US, there are at least six million sufferers of gout.

Gout arthritis is typified by sudden attacks of severe pain, tenderness, and inflammation of the joints.  Before, it was said to be a problem of the wealthy alone because the food that they ate were the common triggers of the disease.  However, as time evolved, the economic situation improved too.  There’s now little discrepancy with regard to what people eat.  Consequently, gout has also become common to everyone—even to the common people– although the more susceptible are middle-aged men and post-menopausal women.

 What are the symptoms of gout?

Gout is also known as the toe or feet disease because one of its most common symptoms is acute pain in the big toe.  It can become hot, tender, and swollen for hours.  Apart from the big toe, the joints can also be affected such as those which are found in the knees and wrists.  During an attack, it’s possible that one or more joints are affected.  Usually, the bouts happen at midnight or in the wee hours of the morning.

What are the causes of gout?

It’s tough to pinpoint the exact cause of gout although it has already been proven that high amounts of uric acid in the body can make a person more prone to it.  Hence, the best gout home remedies would really have to start from following a more disciplined diet; a diet which will help normalize the levels of uric acid in your body.

Other possible gout causes are the following:

• Heredity
• Alcoholic beverage
• Lack of exercise
• Excessive protein and carbohydrates
• Stress

Knowing these risk factors can be very useful to help prevent the occurrence of the disease or delay it, at the least.

What are the remedies for gout?

Self care and gout home remedies are an important aspect when it comes to dealing with the condition regardless of whether you’re already taking some medications or not.  The home cures are meant to promote healing and give relief to the symptoms.  If you are not familiar with these remedies, here are some of them:

• Cherries—Research shows that both sweet and sour cherries are fantastic antioxidants.  They contain anthocyanins which are very potent in relieving inflammation as well as lessening the flare ups of gout.  If you can eat anywhere between 15 and 20 cherries every day, that can yield great results.  When eating them, it is best to do so in the morning right after you get up.  Also, fresh cherries are a lot better than the canned variety.

• Apples—Apples can definitely help in keeping the gout doctor away.  They have malic acid which has the capacity to neutralize the uric acid in the body and provide soothing relief on its unpleasant effects.  It is recommended to have an apple every after meal to get the expected result.

• Lime—Lime and other fruits rich in Vitamin C are also a great source for treating gout.  This vitamin is known to cure sore joints as well as strengthen the connective tissues all over the body.  It also promotes healing of any wound and inflammation.  Citric acid also functions as a solvent of the uric acid.  Naturally, when uric acid is eliminated, the disease can also be prevented.  When taking lime as one of gout home remedies, what you should do is slice a piece into two, squeeze the half into a glass of water and drink it.  Do the same with the other half later in the day.

• Bananas— Bananas have also been proven effective in treating gout.  It is rich in potassium which can significantly aid in converting uric acid crystals into liquid form so it can be removed and flushed out of the body via urination.  Bananas are also abundant in vitamin C.  If you are suffering from gout and you love bananas, you can do a banana diet for three to four days.  Eat as much as nine bananas daily and you can notice improvement in your condition.

• French Beans— Beans?! You may be surprised to read that a type of beans can be included in the list of home remedies for gout.  But yes, the juice of French beans can be very effective in managing the swelling and pain of the joints.  By drinking 150ml of this juice daily, you can enjoy many more gout-free days.

• Fiber-rich foods—High amount of fiber in the body can dramatically help in the elimination of uric acid through absorbing bile acids that form in the liver.  These bile acids, when not eradicated, may serve as precursor to uric acid.

Apart from including all these foods in your daily menu, you should also be conscious of those which you are not supposed to eat.  Generally, as part of gout home remedies, it is important to avoid all high purine foods, as well as those which produce high levels of uric acid.   Some of these are the following:

• Meats
• Eggs
• Coffee
• Tea
• Sugar
• White flour
• Processed and canned foods
• Fried foods

Red meats are thought to be the worst food for any gout sufferer.  Because they are very high in protein, they can cause an increase in the levels of uric acid in the blood which then can trigger gout attacks.  It is important to avoid these meats if you wish to kiss the pains of gout away.  If it can’t be helped, make sure that you only consume lean meat at very small portions.

You should also bear in mind that not all fish are advisable for your condition.  There are some fish which have very high amount of purine such as herring, anchovies, and mackerel.  They can trigger gout so cross them out of your diet plan.

Another very important part of gout home remedies is your intake of water.  It is a must to keep yourself hydrated at all times.  Steer clear from carbonated and caffeinated drinks because they can only worsen the condition.  During a gout attack, you may want to take an oral re-hydration solution.

You should also not drink alcoholic beverages because alcohol can seriously mar your body’s ability to get rid of the excess uric acid.

Other Practical Remedies

Other practical home remedies are the following:

• Keep your affected foot elevated.   Taking the pressure off the inflamed area can be very helpful to lessen the pain
• Use cold/heat compress.  Applying cold compress to the affected joint and the surrounding area for ten minutes and then alternating it with hot compress (even just a hot towel) can help ease the pain and numbness.  The procedure can also help the swelling to subside.
• If you’re on the heavy side of the scale, it’s time to lose some weight now.  Gout attacks are a lot more common in overweight people so weight loss is advisable.  In a study, it has been found that men whose weight increased to 30 pounds (or more) since age 21 doubled their risk in having gout.  Meanwhile, those who lost ten pounds or more decreased their gout risk to as much as 40%.
• Exercise regularly—A regular physical routine can help your system get rid of uric acid even before they start building up.  Moreover, when you stay active, you are also able to keep a healthy weight, which, as just mentioned, is very important in lessening your gout risk.  When you exercise to countermeasure gout, the first thing you can do is perform calf stretches.  They can keep your joints healthy and strong.  Also, they can facilitate proper blood circulation so inflammation can be prevented.

These are some of the most effective gout home remedies you should try.  While there may not be a single solution to fight gout off, these simple cures can definitely do wonders.  The great thing about them is they are not only effective but also very affordable.

Gout is a condition, which can be very difficult to handle and deal with especially because of the short bursts of pain that one may face in the affected areas. Gout mainly develops when the body has a very high amount of uric acid. Under normal circumstances, the breaking down of purines in the food forms uric acid, and the kidneys are responsible for maintaining appropriate levels of the acid, flushing out the extra bits. However, there may be cases when the kidneys fail to perform this function properly, because of which the uric acid content in the body goes beyond the normal levels and creates crystals in joints, such as ankles, toes, elbows, fingers, spine etc. These crystals make the skin bloated and tender in the affected area, making it go red. Initially, the pain is less, but within a few days, people start to experience sudden pain attacks.

There are over-the-counter medicines and treatments prescribed by doctors that help to get rid of gout. Doctors first try and find out if there is something affecting the kidneys, which could be the main reason for them not functioning properly and leading to the formation of excessive uric acid. Once that is diagnosed, the relevant medicines are given.

Ideally, foods, which are high in purines, need to be avoided when a person is suffering from gout. These include cauliflower, red meat, white flower products, shellfish etc.

Drinking plenty of water is extremely important. Many times, dehydration is the main cause of gout. Water helps to flush out the harmful toxins from our body, and ensures that the kidneys are functioning properly, and that the uric acid metabolism is smoothly operational. One should avoid consumption of alcohol while suffering from gout, as it can cause possible kidney problems, leading to the disruption of smooth uric acid formation.

Foods that are rich in Vitamin C, as well as foods with carbohydrates such as rice, pasta etc. can safely be consumed with gout. One must eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Special preference should be given to cherries, blueberries, and grapes.

Sweet foods also need to be avoided. One may be tempted to use artificial sweeteners in the food; however it is safer not to use even those to reduce the recurrence of gout in the future.

Some studies have indicated that people who drink coffee regularly are less prone to suffer from gout. However, some medical experts are against this opinion, as patients complain of increased discomfort with the consumption of coffee. To know whether you can or cannot consume coffee, it is best to check with your doctor, who will analyze your condition and will give you an appropriate answer.

Most health experts suggest that gout is developed because of poor lifestyle habits, such as increase in weight, addiction to junk foods, improper nutrition, excessive alcoholism etc. Hence, it is very important to ensure that one exercises regularly and gets rid of the extra weight to remain fit and active. Exercising too helps in maintaining the proper metabolism of the body, which reduces chances of gout.

Gout is a form of arthritis which is found in people who are between the ages of 40 to 50 and this is caused due to the deposit of the uric acid with the blood stream near the area of the joint connections. People who are with gout should be aware of the purine contained food items and should avoid such foods. The purine contained food items increases the uric acid production in the human body and hence by avoiding such foods one can be healthy without getting affected with gout. Proper diet might make a person to lead a healthy life. It is also proved that one set of diet might be suitable to a few people and may not be suitable to some others. People who are affected with gout are asked to take special food items through which they can become healthier.

Foods which have high levels of purine include yeast, sardines, sweetbreads, smelt, mussels, herring, etc. Foods that contain moderate amount of purine includes salmon, goose, kidneys, haddock, partridge, pheasant, turkey, anchovies, mutton, liver, grouse, veal, scallops, bacon, trout, etc. The other items that have to be avoided by those who suffer from gout are alcohol, mackerel and asparagus among others.

Fatty food items are also not recommended for people suffering from gout. Some of the foods that should not be consumed by people with gout are beer, fish roes, organ meat and extracts of meat just to name a few. People who are suffering from gout should avoid all the above listed items in order to lead a happy and healthy life. People affected with Gout should also avoid foods that contain high levels of fat. Animal protein food items should also be included in the list of food that should be avoided by people with gout in order to lead a healthy life.

The reason behind why food items that contain high levels of purine should be avoided by gout affected people is because purine enhances the uric acid production which in turn increases the gout disease to a greater extent. One can fight with the gout disease only following a good diet as recommended by the doctor. Several drinks like coffee, tea, and chocolate should be avoided in order to reduce the risks of gout. Make sure that you stay away from the list of purine and fatty foods in order to avoid gout disease.

People who follow their diet in a great way can lead a happy and healthy life without any diseases. Similarly, to stay away from gout one should avoid the foods that are listed above. Foods like cheese, rice, raw fruits, white breads, seeds, strawberries, cherries, vegetables, cereals, nuts, etc can and should be consumed by gout sufferers as they help to reduce the effects of gout. All these food items are good for the people who are suffering from diseases.