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Stomping Out Gout Naturally

 

Gout is something that plagues more and more people every day, and it’s caused from uric acid buildup in the body.  Anyone who has experienced the excruciating pain of a gout attack knows that it is no laughing matter. Some sufferers have described the intense pain of a gout attack as similar to being burned by a flame. Others say it feels like they were skewered by a hot poker.

 

A gout attack, or “flare,” usually strikes suddenly, and generally at night. Mysteriously, it often targets the large joint of your big toe. Your skin becomes red, inflamed, and overly sensitive. Even the light pressure of a bed sheet can become unbearable. A fever may also be present.

 

Causes of Gout

 

Gout is said to be caused by lifestyle and eating choices that effect the integrity of your gut lining leading to leaky gut.   Today the staple American diet has shifted to one full of highly processed foods. Many of these highly processed foods contain high fructose corn syrup which is believed to be a leading contributor to gout.

 

In fact, a recent study showed that men who consumed two or more sugary drinks per day were 85% more likely to develop gout than those men who only consumed less than one sugary beverage a month. This high sugar intake increases the levels of uric acid in the body. High levels of sugar in the body lead to a number of serious health problems including gout.  It’s also been shown that half of all gout sufferers are obese or overweight.   And again, a high intake of sugar is shown to lead to obesity.

 

Another cause of gout is consuming too many high purine foods. These are organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus, and even mushrooms.  Eating less high purine foods is one way to try to ward off gout.

 

What Exactly Is Gout?

 

Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by painful, stiff and inflamed joints. The stiffness and swelling are a result of excess uric acid forming crystals in your joints, and the pain associated with this disease is caused by your body’s inflammatory response to the crystals.

 

Gout is essentially a breakdown of the metabolic process that controls the amount of uric acid in your blood. Gout can occur in any joint of your body, but most commonly occurs in your big toe.

 

With or without treatment gout symptoms will usually go away within three to 10 days, and the next attack may not occur for months, or even years, if at all. However, if more attacks occur, they tend to increase in frequency, become more severe, and last longer.  Over time, recurrent gout attacks can damage your joints and the surrounding areas.

 

It is important to treat your gout as soon as possible, before it begins damaging your body permanently. Natural treatments are kinder and gentler to your body than drugs, as well as being more effective overall.

 

Conventional Gout Treatment

 

There are pharmaceuticals that are used to treat gout but I urge you to use these as a last resort. Some of the pharmaceuticals used to treat gout are NSAIDs, Colchicine, corticosteroids, Corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone), Febuxostat, Aloprim, and Zyloprim.

 

Not only do many of these drugs not work for gout sufferers the side effects of these toxic pharmaceuticals are not worth the risk. This is especially true when diet and lifestyle changes can end or successfully help to manage gout.

Some of the side effects of these dangerous pharmaceuticals are the following

 

Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals Used to Treat Gout:

 

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Rash
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Drowsiness
  • Fluid retention
  • Shortness of breath
  • Kidney failure
  • Liver failure

 

When there are all natural alternatives available to you to fight off gout, I suggest you try these methods before you opt for pharmaceuticals and their dangerous side effects.  If you are already on Medication you need to implement food changes prior to going off medication and always make sure you check with your physician.

 

Natural Treatment for Gout:

 

Studies show that many of the dietary items we consume lead to gout as well as other health problems. Changing your diet and lifestyle may be the easy solution to beating gout. One of the first things to do is eliminate certain foods and beverages from your diet to beat gout.

 

  1. Eliminate or reduce sugar intake
    As many studies are now illustrating, gout is common in people with excessive sugar intake, especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS.) It’s wise to read the labels of all your food and drinks. If you find HFCS then eliminate that from your diet. In addition, look for sugar added under the guise of other common names for sugar; look for ‘ose’ at the end of words and these are probably types of sugar you don’t want to be consuming.
  2. Eliminate grains
    Grains in the body are converted to sugars so again you want to limit or avoid grains altogether. They are also very inflammatory to your body.
  3. Limit alcohol consumption
    Again, alcohol becomes sugar once ingested so eliminate this completely unless you have a healthy body already. Any substance that will be converted to one or another type of sugar by the body should be avoided at all costs. In order to get your uric acid levels down you must consistently avoid sugar in your diet.
  4. Eliminate soda and diet soda
    Soda and diet sodas are loaded with sweeteners either natural or artificial. It’s vital to eliminate them from your diet altogether if you want to be gout free. Remember the study I mentioned earlier in which just two to three sweet beverages a week increased men’s chance of getting gout by a whopping 85%.
  5. Consume cherries and strawberries daily
    In order to combat the inflammation, try adding fresh, organic cherries and strawberries to your diet. Cherries are rich in anthocyanins and bioflavonoids both which help to relieve and prevent arthritis. In addition, both are high in antioxidants which will help to fight off free radical damage.
  6. Exercise
    Since obesity is linked to gout, it’s a good idea to exercise regularly if you’re trying to relieve gout from your life. Include burst training and weight training to maximize your health benefits from exercise. Exercise should be a part of your life no matter if you have gout or not. Burst Training is the best way to get in shape and keep your body healthy.

 

 

At Forum Health Clarkstonwe treat gout successfully all the time.  We specialize in customized nutritional plans that are designed to address your underlying issues and target your specific needs.  Along with specific nutritional plan we can recommend nutraceuticals that will help you heal and prevent future flares of Gout.

 

Wishing you all the best

Forum Health Clarkston
248-625-5143

 

Resources:

Dr Josh Axe 6 ways to treat gout

Dr Mercola- Natural treatments of gout

Gout Education.org

Arthritis. Org

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