Gout

Gout is an acute and extremely painful form of arthritis. It can affect a number of joints in the body, including the ankle, the wrist, the knee and the elbow – however, it most commonly begins in the joint of the big toe. The disease most often affects men in their forties and fifties, although it can affect women of menopausal age. Gout occurs through the over production of what is known as uric acid in the body which then forms uric acid crystals and gets trapped in the space between two joints. This causes inflammation of the surrounding area and the joint swells, stiffens, and throbs with pain.

Gout is different from other forms of arthritis because of its rapid development – commonly between twelve and twenty four hours. The onset of gout can last anywhere between three and ten days. Gout can be a recurring problem – once you have had an attack then you are more likely to experience other attacks. If gout is not treated properly then it can cause permanent disfiguration of the affected joint. When gout is left untreated it can also lead to kidney problems and high blood pressure. It therefore makes sense to find out the causes of gout before it develops into what could be life threatening diseases.

Causes

Gout is caused by high blood levels of uric acid that crystallize and form painful deposits in the joints. Traditional thinking tells us that gout is the result of excessive amounts of alcohol, protein, heavy foods, coffee and soft drinks in your diet. These foods cause uric acid levels to rise. Other foods that increase uric acid are anchovies, asparagus, legumes, mushrooms, meat, organ meat, and shellfish. Reduction in consumption of these foods is very often successful in reducing or eliminating gout.

While gout is a hereditary metabolic disorder in some people, usually something else actually causes uric acid levels to rise and trigger gout attacks. With approximately one million people suffering from gout, it is certainly a fairly common ailment. However, with understanding of its causes you can eliminate those painful attacks.

Food allergies may lead to gout. When people who are sensitive to certain foods eliminate them from their diet many find that their gout goes away, too.

Gout is more common in overweight people. Nearly half of the people with gout are at least 15% above their recommended weight. As mentioned below, dieting can trigger gout attacks.

Prevention

1. One of the best ways to prevent gout is to drink at least 6-8 eight ounce glasses of water, fresh juices or herb tea daily, especially at the first signs of gout. This will keep your urine diluted and will help your body excrete uric acid and prevent crystals from forming.
2. Eat foods high in potassium, as mentioned above.
3. Eating generous amounts of other fruits and vegetables helps keep uric acid crystals in solution.
4. Lemon juice prevents gout attacks by stimulating the formation of calcium carbonate in the body. Calcium carbonate neutralizes acids in the body, including uric acid that triggers gout attacks. After each meal drink the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of lukewarm water. To get more juice out of the lemon, bring it to room temperature, then roll it around on the counter with the palm of your hand.
5. Taking 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with meals will prevent gout attacks. This will help alkalize the body.

Remedies for Gout

1. Cherries are very good in treating people with gout, it has helped many people but it doesn’t work for everyone. Cherries are rich in vitamin C, which can help in eliminating the gouty deposits. A person with gout must consume about ten to fifteen cherries in a day to get relief from recurrent attacks of gout. Cherry juice is also very beneficial. Drinking a whole glass of cherry juice at least once a day proves to be very beneficial.
2. Gout can be controlled using Apple Cider Vinegar as a remedy. To make a Gout fighting drink, mix 1 tablespoon of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, with 1 teaspoon of organic honey and some warm water and drink. Honey is a major ingredient to be added to with Apple Cider Vinegar, as it will make the taste of Apple Cider Vinegar more enticing. Try and use organic honey as it is an alkaline forming food, if you use processed honey there will be little acidifying benefits , but would make the Apple Cider Vinegar still taste better. Try Organic unprocessed Honey, as this has the biggest benefits for you as an addition to Apple Cider Vinegar.
3. The element in Turmeric making it a useful Gout home remedy is Cucurmin. It is thought to inhibit production of prostaglandins, which are involved in pain. It has a powerful anti-inflammatory action. It is used in Chinese medicine against gout, arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions.