Off The Grid Living: Natural Remedies for Gout

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Natural Remedies for Gout

Written by: Sarah Natural Health

What is Gout?
Gout – also called metabolic arthritis – is a type of arthritis caused by the build up of uric acid in the blood. This excess uric acid causes monosodium urate crystals (or uric acid crystals) to form on the cartilage of the joints and tendons and their surrounding tissues. These joint crystals are needle shaped and cause sudden, excruciating, burning pain along with swelling, warmth, redness, and stiffness in the affected joints. One with gout may also have shiny purple skin around their joints. Gout usually strikes in the big toes first, but it may also be found in the ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. The symptoms can come on very quickly. One can go to sleep feeling great and wake up several hours later in excruciating pain.
So Who Gets It?
Anyone can get gout, but it mostly attacks men in their 40s and 50s. Women and children are better able to excrete uric acid efficiently, so this type of arthritis rarely affects them. Having others in our family who suffer from gout increases a person’s risk.
What Causes Gout?
The distinguishing characteristic of gout is high concentrations of uric acid in the bloodstream. Uric acid comes from eating foods that are high in purines. Purines are a subclass of proteins that are present in high quantities in human tissues and foods like sardines, anchovies, mushrooms, asparagus, lentils, legumes, dried peas, organ meats, (liver, kidneys, brains, sweetbreads), and meat extracts. There are also supplements and drugs that can raise one’s uric acid levels; some of these are niacin (vitamin B3), excess vitamin C, and salicylates (the active component of aspirin). Prescription drugs that can cause this include levodopa (for Parkinson’s disease), cyclosporine (to prevent rejection of transplanted organs), and diuretics that are prescribed for high blood pressure, edema, or cardiovascular disease. Acidic conditions of the blood caused by infections or surgery can also cause gout, as can exposure to lead.
Gout and Diet
Though there is no cure for gout, there is much that you can do to minimize flare-ups. The first place to start, as always, is to make lifestyle changes. I would recommend changes to diet first of all. Changing to an anti-inflammatory diet and following these guidelines would be highly beneficial.
Avoid foods that are high in purines, such as organ meats, sardines, anchovies, lentils, peas, beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, and spinach.
Eliminate all sources of caffeine from your diet….more here