Natural Herbal Remedies and Cures

Gout is one of the over one hundred forms of arthritis, and is triggered by excessive blood levels of uric acid.

Gout, otherwise known as gouty arthritis, is commonly accompanied by sudden and severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and inflammation. Post-menopausal women may experience an elevated risk of developing this form of the rheumatoid disease. Middle-aged men, between the ages of forty and fifty feature the usual face of a gout sufferer. Nine out of ten gout patients are men over the age of forty.

The Four Stages of Gout

Gouty arthritis is marked by four stages. The four stages of gout are asymptomatic, acute, intercritical, and chronic.

The first stage of gout is the acute stage. Generally accompanied by no symptoms, this stage of gout marks the onset of the excess uric acid crystals, which is responsible for the irritation and inflammation associated with the advanced stages of the condition.

The first attack of gout occurs in the acute stage of the disorder. This second stage of gout sports both mild and severe bouts with gout. Gout attacks can last as long as one or two weeks.

The first gout attack is followed by a period of several months, or possibly years, without a single symptom of gout. This is known as the intercritical stage of gout. The majority of gout sufferers experience their second attack within two years of the first episode.

The final stage of gouty arthritis is the chronic stage. Episodes of gout attacks become more frequent during the chronic phase of the condition. Chronic gout can cause damage to other areas of the body; damage to the kidneys and the development of high blood pressure are signature features of gout’s chronic stage.

Gout is a highly treatable form of arthritis. There are a number of home remedies for gout and it’s natural treatment.

Herbal Medicine: Herbal medicine is one of the holistic home remedies for gout treatment. The pantry may be the optimum spot for snagging some of the staples of home remedies for gout. Cherries, juniper berry, bilberry, nettle root, and celery.

Nutritional Therapy: Nutritional therapy is one of the home remedies for gout. Vitamin B12, vitamin E, folate, and the B family of vitamins are a part of nutritional home remedies for gout treatment. Implementing nutritional improvements is one of the home remedies for gout used to reduce the occurrence of metabolic arthritis flare-ups. Many of the vitamins included in the therapy have been proven beneficial in preventing gout.

Regular Exercise: A buildup of uric acid plays a pivotal role in the development of gouty arthritis. Regular exercise is one of the home remedies for gout episodes that has been documented as useful in both treatment and prevention. Exercise routines that improve circulation include stretching, dancing, yoga, Tai Chai, and aerobic.

Metabolic arthritis, or gout, is one of the one hundred forms of arthritis that characteristically features severe and sudden attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and warmth afflicting the joints.

Gouty arthritis is a treatable condition that most commonly affects the joint of the big toe, but may also occur in feet, ankles, knees, hands, and wrists. The first onset of gout generally occurs at night and continues on for a week or two before the symptoms subside. Seventy-percent of first gout attacks occur in this part of the body.

Gout is one form of arthritis that made it’s debut as early as the eighteenth century. Gout was historically linked to overweight, lazy, middle to upper class, middle-aged men. This perception of gouty arthritis sufferers was born from the fact that many of the foods the influence the onset of gout were routinely reserved for the rich-earning the rheumatoid condition the nickname of “The Disease of Kings.” Queen Anne, John Hancock, and American founding father, George Mason are some of history’s most noted gout sufferers.

Gout occurs as a result of the body hosting uric acid in elevated levels. Only designed to carry trace amounts of uric acid, the human bloodstream turns excess uric acid into crystal deposits that lodge themselves into the joints of the body, sporting a chalky white-colored material. Uric acid buildup occurs during the body’s breakdown the waste product called purines. Purines is commonly found in foods like liver, brains, and kidneys, as well as sweetbreads, mushrooms, and asparagus.

Natural Cures for Gout

Since highly treatable, implementing a number of lifestyle changes can serve as one of the effective natural cures for gout. Adopting a low purine diet is one of the natural cures for gout suggested by some medical professionals. Cherries, strawberries, and blueberries have been identified as some of the staples of a diet low in uric acid. Limiting consumption of fish, poultry, and tofu is also a part of a low purine diet. Other foods to avoid to discourage a gout flare-up include:

Sardines

Sweetbread

Scallops

Alcohol Beverages

Diet Soda

Who’s At Risk For Developing Gout?

The condition is most common among middle-aged men between forty and sixty years old. Women are at an increased rate for developing gout following menopause. African-American men are twice as likely as White men to suffer the onset of gout.

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the excessive accumulation of uric acid inside the organism. In large amounts, uric acid forms crystals which deposit in various regions of the body, causing inflammation, pain and swelling of the joints. Uric acid is a waste product that results from purine metabolism. Although most cases of gout are hereditary, occurring due to genetically acquired renal dysfunctions which determine an inappropriate elimination of uric acid, gout is more likely to occur in people who consume large amounts of purine-rich foods. Thus, an appropriate diet and lifestyle improvements can successfully alleviate the symptoms of gout and can actually reverse the undesirable effects of the disease.

There are many natural products that can reduce serum uric acid concentration. Gout sufferers are advised to eat plenty of fiber-rich vegetables (preferably raw) and fresh fruits, as they contain low levels of purines and they are also a great source of vital nutrients. Among all fruits, cherries seem to be the best natural remedy for gout. Apart from being irresistibly delicious, cherries have anti-inflammatory, sedative and analgesic properties, and they can considerably ameliorate the clinical manifestations of gout. A frequent intake of cherries can considerably reduce the duration and the intensity of gout attacks, by normalizing uric acid levels inside the body. Recent studies have revealed that by including cherries in their diet, gout sufferers are able to eliminate more uric acid through urine. Thus, cherries act as a purgative agent, aiding the process of excretion.

Both sweet cherries (dark cherries) and sour cherries (ruby-red cherries) have proved to be very benefic for gout sufferers. Sweet cherries contain few calories and are rich in natural fibers. Sweet cherries contain melatonin, a chemical that has sedative and analgesic effects. Thus, the intake of sweet cherries can also ease recurrent gout pain. In addition, this type of cherries contains a powerful natural antioxidant that acts similarly to vitamin C. Sweet cherries can also lower the levels of inflammatory substances such as nitric oxide and C-reactive protein, chemicals that are related to gout, diabetes and heart disease.

Sour cherries seem to reduce gout pain and inflammation and they also contain natural antioxidants that can decongest the arteries clogged with uric acid crystals. Sour cherries are rich in vitamin A, they contain very few calories and they can be safely introduced in any gout diet. Recent studies have revealed that by consuming around 100 grams of cherries each day, gout sufferers can experience a rapid amelioration of their symptoms. Although it is best to consume them raw, cherries can also be introduced in various recipes. Thanks to their remarkable qualities, cherries should be included in any diet.

Gout is a condition characterized by severe attacks of inflammation in single joints, which come on suddenly (acutely) and rapidly reach a peak of extremely severe pain and then subside. Characteristically, a further attack occurs after a variable period, usually of months or years, usually affecting a different joint, particularly of the lower limb. If gout is not treated, the periods between the attacks become shorter and last longer as the years go by. This will cause the condition to worsen and affect other joints of your body. There are a lot of methods that you can use to cure gout, including using natural remedies.

One of the effective ways to cure gout is by using cherries or cheery juice. Cherries are known for their anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce the amount of uric acid in the body and keep it from settling into joints which will cause the pain of gout. You can use canned cherries or fresh cherries and it does not matter if you use sour or sweet cherries. All cherries have been reported to be a natural gout cure. The recommended amount of cherries to consume a day is between ten cherries and up to one half pound. There are others who prefer to use cherry juice concentrate (1 tablespoon per day) and it is also effective in curing gout.

Diet is important and can be used as a natural gout cure as well. Purines consumed in the diet account for about 50% of the uric acid produced in the body. Therefore, a low purine or modified purine diet may help gout improve and prevent future gout attacks. A low purine diet consists of eliminating the following high purine foods from the diet: organ meats, sweetbreads, brains, kidney, meat gravies, meat extracts, scallops, wild game, mackerel, herring, anchovies and sardines. In addition, only one serving of the following foods are allowed per day in a low purine diet: dried beans and peas, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, poultry, meat or fish.

Apart from this, you can also consider a purine-modified diet, which consists of eliminating extremely high-purine foods such as liver, brains, kidney and other organ meats as well as sweetbreads. However, in a purine-modified diet, it is alright for some protein foods not to exceed 100 grams per day. In one ounce of meat, there are 7 grams of protein Bread and grains have about 3 grams of protein per serving. One serving is one slice of bread or ½ cup of grain. Protein can be obtained by eating milk, eggs and cheese because these foods are high in protein and low in purines.

Another natural gout cure is increasing the intake of water, which can help to flush out excess uric acid and help prevent kidney stones. As a guideline, it is recommended that you drink at least eight glasses of water or three litres a day. Gout sufferers should also avoid alcohol because it increases uric acid production and inhibits its secretion.

Although it is important to reduce your weight to prevent gout, you should avoid fad diets such as fasting because quick weight loss causes a release of uric acid by the cells as they break down. Instead, you should try a diet that encourages slow and steady weight loss.

Another natural gout cure is charcoal poultice. To make charcoal poultice, mix one half cup activated powdered charcoal with a few tablespoons flaxseed that has been ground in a blender until it becomes meal. Then add enough warm water to create a paste. Put paste on affected joint and cover with cloth or plastic. The dressing should be changed every four hours or it may be left on over night. Be sure to avoid getting the charcoal poultice on clothing or bed linens because it will stain.

A charcoal bath can also be used as a natural gout cure. Using an old basin that you don’t mind staining, mix one half cup of charcoal powder with water until a paste is made. Place affected foot into the basin and add water until the foot is covered. You should soak your foot in the charcoal bath for thirty to sixty minutes.

Millions of Americans suffer through gout, and the number keeps growing every year. An estimated two million Americans know the pain in the joints and the swelling of the extremities only too well. For many of these patients, medication is expensive. However, thanks to an increased interest in home remedies, there are now herbal remedies one can use to ease the pain.

Gout pains

Gout is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate, or uric acid, crystals in the joints of the body. Usually, this crystallization occurs in the outer extremities, specifically in the feet. Studies have shown that since there is less blood circulation in the feet, the purging of the uric acid crystals is less efficient in these parts of the body. Also, the