Natural Gout Treatments

Gout can be a very painful condition, and natural gout treatments can help the body heal from gout safely and naturally. There are many natural substances out there known to help relieve the pain and inflammation of gout, reduce uric acid levels in the body, and help repair joints.

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the build-up of uric acid in the body. This results from eating a diet in high purine foods, and other risk factors that may put you at risk for getting gout. Risk factors include: family history of gout, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and beer consumption. Even having just one risk factor for gout means you may get it.

The symptoms of gout are; severe pain in one or more joints (it commonly affects the big toe), redness, heat, swelling of the affected area(s), difficulty moving joints, and sometimes fever. Men over 50 are most prone to gout, but women sometimes get it after menopause.

Natural Gout Treatments

Natural gout treatments involve making certain dietary and lifestyle changes to lower your risk of future gout attacks. Avoid high purine foods including; red meat, sardines, beer, and organ meats. Try to lose weight, get exercise every day, and increase your water intake from 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. This will help flush the uric acid out through your kidneys.

Many people try to use natural gout treatments over prescriptions because of the side-effects of medications. Doctors usually prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and corticosteroids to help reduce the inflammation in gout. These medications have side-effects that can cause; bleeding problems, bone loss, nausea, diarrhea, slow healing, and stomach ulcers. While in gout, sometimes anti-inflammatory medications are necessary, there are plenty of natural remedies that can be just as effective and good for your overall health. Here are a few of the good natural gout treatments:

Vitamin C – You can take a vitamin C supplement every day or try to drink one or more cups of citrus juice daily. The antioxidants in citrus can help breakdown uric acid and reduce the levels in your blood. Try to drink juices that contain no added sugar and use caution with juice if you are diabetic.

Cherries and Cherry Juice – Cherries contain natural anti-inflammatory properties that can be affective for any type of arthritis, including gout. You can eat a few handfuls of cherries each day or drink a cup of cherry juice.

Increase Fresh Fruits – Pineapples, grapes and cherries can all help the symptoms of gout. They also provide vitamins and fiber to help strengthen your immune system.

Apple Cider Vinegar – This one home remedy is receiving a lot of attention lately for many different conditions. Apple cider vinegar can help to balance the pH in the body. It can also help break down uric acid levels in the body. A tablespoon in water daily can help to cleanse your system.

There are many more natural gout treatments that can help you find relief quickly. Many are also safe enough to be used with traditional treatments, but always check with your doctor first.