Gout is a painful and debilitating condition, and if you suffer from it you are sure to be on the lookout for any new and effective remedies surfacing today. If you or someone you know suffers from gout this article is intended to review the current gout remedies, and to see if research is providing us with any new information to help with gout.
When you look at current gout remedies, they really fall under one main remedy, that is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet, as gout is an inflammatory condition just as arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are.
1. Include these anti-inflammatory foods in your diet plan:
Water - This one is free! It's extremely important to drink 8 cups of water a day. This will help your body flush out excess uric acid and will reduce swelling and pain.
Black Cherry Juice - One of the most effective home gout remedies. Look for concentrated and unsweetened black cherry juice. This can usually be found in a health food store or online. It's recommended that gout sufferers drink several tablespoons of the concentrate juice daily during flare-ups.
Blueberries - Blueberries are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Strawberries - A handful of strawberries every day will quickly reduce swelling and pain as strawberries neutralize uric acid.
Fresh Cherries - These can usually only be found seasonally, but a handful of fresh cherries every day between meals can relieve the symptoms of gout quickly.
Baking Soda - Take half a teaspoon of baking soda daily with meals. This can raise blood pH levels over time.
Apple Cider Vinegar - Even though vinegar is acidic, apple cider vinegar has an alkaline effect on the body.
Celery Seeds - Celery seeds help your body eliminate uric acid from the blood. They also contain anti-inflammatory compounds. Celery seeds have a diuretic effect, so it's important to drink lots of water. Also they should not be used by pregnant women or those with kidney disease.
Potassium - Eat foods high in potassium such as baked potato with the skin, cooked spinach, avocados, bananas, skim milk, or dried prunes. You can also take a potassium supplement, however food-based potassium seems to work faster. Potassium helps your body eliminate uric acid crystals so it is very important that you get enough potassium.
2. Reduce inflammatory foods in your diet:
Reduce or eliminate meats and dairy, substituting legumes, nuts and whole grain proteins for meat
Reduce or eliminate dairy products, substituting almond or rice milk, nut cheese and soy or coconut milk based products
Reduce or eliminate sugars. It is best to stay away from chemical substitutes as much as possible, optiing for the herb Stevia, or a touch of maple syrup or agave instead. Staying away from soda and beer is also highly recommended.
New medical research continues to support the traditional anti-inflammatory diet, noted here, which is gaining ground in the scientific community since it benefits many medical conditions outside of gout, as well. Dr. Andrew Weil, a renowned holistic medical doctor is a major advocate, and recently came up with the Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid and diet.
If you feel that the anti-inflammatory diet is too restricting, it is highly recommended that you at least follow it during a flare-up, being careful to stay away from all animal proteins, soft drinks, beer, oily fish like herring, sardines, and salmon, and all fried foods as well as aspirin, as they deplete vitamin E, which in turn causes a rise in uric acid. While adhering to these gout remedies will help you manage your gout symptoms, it's also important that you reduce your risk of gout attacks in the future.
The best way to limit or eliminate the painful gout condition is still to follow the anti-inflammatory diet as much as possible, reducing the uric acid in your body, creating a healthier weight level, and preventing future gout attacks. You don't have to follow it perfectly to realize excellent results, just taking it day by day and doing your best will give you great health benefits.
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