About Gout...
Gout is a kind of arthritis that has been known since ancient times. Hippocrates called it “the disease of kings” because of its association with a rich diet. In reality, there are a number of factors that can lead to gout, and diet is part of this larger picture.
The pain of gout (called attacks or flares) is caused by inflammation when needle-like crystals are deposited in connective tissue and/or in the fluid that cushions a joint (the synovial fluid). These crystals are made up of uric acid, a substance produced when the body breaks down purines found in human tissue and many foods we eat. Most uric acid is carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys, which eliminate it from the body in the urine. However, if the body produces too much uric acid or if the kidneys don't eliminate enough of it, uric acid can build up in the blood. This condition is called hyperuricemia and can lead to gout attacks in some cases. However, in most cases, hyperuricemia does not lead to gout.
An attack usually starts with sudden, severe pain, tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling in the large joint of the big toe. Other joints may include the instep, ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. Rarely, the shoulders, hips, or spine may be affected. After about 3-10 days, the attack usually subsides, and the next one may not happen for months or even years. But over time, the gout attacks can become more severe, last longer, affect more than one joint, and occur more often.
Gout can progress, eventually causing damage to joints, potentially leading to disability. However, with proper treatment, most people with gout are able to control their symptoms. Treatment may include different kinds of medication to ease the painful attacks, to prevent future attacks, and to help prevent long-term damage to the joints and related disability. In recent years, natural remedies for gout have become very popular. The primarily reason for this is that most gout medications have severe side effects, or are not safe to take long term. Natural remedies for gout are safe to take, and usually have no side effects. Many people also find that gout natural remedies work better than traditional gout medicines. Before going over gout natural remedies in more detail, lets go over some basic information about gout.
Gout is caused by the formation of crystallized uric acid in the joints. People with gout are unable to properly excrete the uric acid that is in their body. This excessive uric acid can be caused by under performing kidneys, an increase in the production of uric acid by the body, or an increase in the consumption of foods that lead to an increase in uric acid levels. The most common gout symptom is a painful big toe, however, gout can also appear in the finger joints, elbows, ankles, wrists, ears or other areas of the foot. Gout symptom:
The Basics
A gout symptom can come on very suddenly and with no warnings. It is best to start treating gout immediately, or it can become more painful and lead to joint deformities. (Natural remedies for gout are discussed below). A typical gout symptom includes:
Causes of gout:
Although heredity can be a factor in the occurrence of gout, there are other causes that can lead to an increase of uric acid in the blood. They include:
- Being overweight, excessive alcohol consumption, and irregular kidney function all increase the risk of getting gout.
- Certain drugs are known to cause uric levels to rise. They include insulin, some antibiotics, cyclosporine, low dose aspirin, and others. This is another reason that gout natural remedies have become so popular.
- Recent surgery.
- Injury to a joint.
- High blood pressure.
- Low thyroid hormone levels, known as hypothyroidism.
- Consumption of foods with high levels of purines. Purines are the chemicals in food that are metabolized by the body into uric acid. Foods known to increase uric acid include shellfish, organ meat (liver, kidney), red meat, alcohol, dried peas, creamy sauces and anchovies.
Prevention
Treatment
- Drinking a lot of water, six or more glasses a day, will help the body to excrete more uric acid. Water also decreases the chances of getting kidney stones.
- Maintaining a proper weight, and getting regular exercise reduces the risk and severity of gout attacks.
- Avoid foods with high levels of purines. As we mentioned before, foods with high purine levels include shellfish, alcohol, organ meat, creamy sauces, dried peas, etc.
- Foods known to decrease the occurrence of gout include: dairy, foods high in potassium, black cherry juice, blueberries and lemon juice.
- Immediately treating gout will not allow it to get worse. We will now go over treatment, and natural remedies for gout in more detail.
Treatments of gout can vary depending upon your overall health, age and medical history. The first step in treatment though is to reduce the risk factors mentioned in our prevention section. These include: Drinking a lot of water, maintaining proper weight, exercising, avoiding certain foods, and using appropriate medications.
Most traditional gout medications have severe side effects, and as a result, many people prefer to use natural remedies for gout. For example, the side effects of Prednisone include: thinning of bones, an increase in joint pain, lessoning of ability to fight infections, irregular heartbeat, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, eye pain, etc.
Natural remedies for gout have no side effects, and are safe to use long term. As an added benefit, most gout natural remedies contain ingredients that will help to improve the bodies overall health. For these reasons, many medical professional believe that natural remedies for gout are your best alternative.
“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.” Hippocrates
“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”. Hippocrates, who is called the “Father of Medicine”
