Selected Gout Home Remedies by Dr. Elix
If you have ever experienced a gout attack before, you know just how painful it can be. Luckily, there are few gout home remedies which help ease the pain and other signs of gout quickly.
Let’s discover what these natural remedies are and how you should use them to get rid of gout.
What is gout?
Gout is a common, painful form of arthritis, that causes sudden, severe joint pain. It results from a high uric acid level in the blood. Uric acid is formed when chemicals called purines are broken down by the body. Uric acid is normally removed from the body with urine, but this does not always happen. At times, uric acid can build up and form urate crystals, which can cause pain and swelling of joints.
Some people stand at a higher risk of developing gout than others. Gout most commonly attacks your big toe or heel at first.
A gout attack feels discomforting and lasts for a few days. After a while, the gout crystals can form growths around affected joints, known as tophi. If left untreated, gout may lead to complications, such as osteoarthritis, bone erosion and kidney stones.
Gout home remedies: Quickest ways to get rid of gout signs?
Gout is a troubling disease, but the good news is that it can be treated with a combination of natural remedies, diet and lifestyle changes, medications and topical treatments, which work within a matter of minutes.
It is important to know that treating gout requires preparing yourself to eat healthy, avoiding some foods and drinks, exercising regularly and following your doctor’s advice.
So, what exactly can you do to fight gout attacks and relieve pain at home?
Dr. Elix’s Fast-Acting Gout Pain Relief
Dr. Elix Gout Pain Relief Topical Treatment is proved to be effective to treat gout attacks and chronic gout. This natural gout remedy provides:
- Fast and long-lasting gout pain relief in just 7 to 15 minutes
- Removal of joint-deposited uric acid crystals
- Healing of injured tissues.
Through these effects, Dr. Elix gout pain relief treatment improves significantly the life quality of gout patients and protects them from further complications.
Avoid rich purine foods and drinks
There are certain foods and drinks that we consume in our daily lives, not knowing that they may trigger gout attacks and make gout worse. These foods and drinks are especially rich in purines. So, the more purines that you take into your body, the more uric acid is created, resulting in gout. Foods and drinks that should be avoided include:
- Sweetened drinks, such as sodas, fruit juices, high-fructose corn syrup and other sweet drinks can increase uric acid in the body and trigger a gout attack
- Alcoholic drinks, especially beer and liquor. The Arthritis Foundation says that drinking more than two liquor drinks or two beers per day increases the risk for gout.
- Meats, including red meat (such as beef, lamb meat, and pork), organ meats (such as brain, liver, kidney) and turkey meat.
- Seafood, such as shellfish and fish (trout, haddock, cod, sardines)
- Other foods, e.g., tomatoes, yeast, gravy and various meat sauces.
Water: staying hydrated is key
Drinking more water has countless advantages for your body and general well-being.
Drinking water can help your kidneys remove excess fluids, reducing swelling caused by gout. Water represents the best replacement for sweetened drinks and sodas. Studies show that is important to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to achieve adequate hydration. During flare-ups, it is advised to drink twice as much as you normally would, which means 16 glasses of water a day.
If you are wondering about your hydration level, check you urine color! A light-colored or clear urine is a good indicator of proper hydration.
If you suffer from heart or kidney disease, consult your doctor before you start increasing your daily fluid intake.
Cherries and cherry juice
Cherries and cherry juice have been used as a natural remedy for gout for a long time. They can reduce swelling caused by gout, thanks to the anthocyanins, anti-inflammatory substances they contain.
By drinking eight ounces of tart cherry juice every day for a period of eight weeks, you can significantly reduce uric acid levels in the body.
Apples
It is believed that apples contain a substance called malic acid, which reduces uric acid in the body. However, this claim is not fully supported by studies, as apples also contain fructose, a known trigger of gout. It is suggested to have one apple a day, so as to not increase sugar levels in the body.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin C. Potassium can help convert uric acid crystals to liquid, which the body can get rid of through urine. Vitamin C, on the other hand, helps reduce uric acid levels in the body and is recommended to be part of every gout diet. Eating one or two bananas a day has a positive effect in preventing gout.
Vegetables: onion, cucumber, potato
Onion has a high level of flavonoids, which are substances that block the activity of an enzyme involved in creating uric acid, called xanthine oxidase (XO). This helps decrease the level of uric acid in the body.
Potatoes are very low in purines. Because of this fact, they are highly recommended as a great addition to the diet for gout patients.
Cucumbers are about 96% water. If consumed regularly, they can help the kidneys remove excess fluid and lower uric acid levels in yout body.
Lemon, turmeric and apple cider vinegar
Adding lemon to water has been suggested to be effective against gout by neutralizing uric acid, according to a study. It is recommended to squeeze two lemons into two liters of water and drink this mixture throughout the day.
Alternatively, turmeric and apple cider vinegar can also ease gout pain when mixed with water. You can add two teaspoons of turmeric and one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into warm water, squeeze half a lemon into it as well and drink two to three glasses per day.
Teas
- Nettle tea
Nettle tea is an herbal tea, which, according to a review has anti-inflammatory properties and can help fight gout. You may drink 2-3 cups per day, by mixing 1-2 teaspoons of dried nettle with boiling water. - Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus is a traditional herbal remedy, used widely to treat gout. It is available as tea, supplement or extract, and it is believed that it lowers uric acid levels.
Coffee
Studies have shown that people who drink more coffee have a lower risk of experiencing gout attacks. This claim, even though it is not confirmed, may be based on the intrinsic ability of coffee to lower uric acid levels in the body.
Celery
Celery seeds have been suggested as an effective gout home remedy. It is frequently used for urinary tract problems, but it may also lower uric acid levels, through luteolin, a compound found in its seeds.
Ginger root
Ginger is a commonly-used anti-inflammatory flowering plant, which may be used as natural remedy for gout relief. It also helps against nausea and vomiting.
You can include ginger in your diet while cooking, or by adding half a teaspoon of ginger root into hot water or tea.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a natural mineral found in the body. It helps decrease inflammation and may even contribute in decreasing uric acid levels in the body.
Salt
Epsom salts contain magnesium, which may reduce uric acid levels, as mentioned above. You can try to add 1-2 cups of Epsom salt in your bath water, and soak your joints or body in the water for pain relief.
Baking soda
Baking soda also reduces the level of uric acid in the blood, thus helping to fight gout. You can mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with a glass water and drink 2-4 glasses of this mixture per day for optimal benefits.
Read more on: Immediate Gout Pain Relief Best Option By Dr. Elix
Lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of gout attacks
1- Get adequate sleep
Maintaining a regular sleep schedule which includes at least 7 hours of sleep a night is not only helpful for joint pain, but also for your general well-being.
2- Rest your joints
Resting your joints means giving them time to recover and relieve pain. Elevate the affected regions, by putting a pillow or any other soft object underneath them.
3- Apply heat or cold to the affected joints
Cold reduces inflammation, pain and swelling caused by gout, while heat or warmth can relieve pain by increasing blood flow into the affected regions.
You can apply heat or cold by using cold or hot water, ice packs or compresses. Soaking in cold water is most often considered as the most effective method, whereas soaking in hot or warm water is suggested only when the inflammation is not very severe. The cold or hot compresses that you use should not directly touch your skin.
4- Exercise and try to maintain a healthy body weight
At least 30 minutes of exercise a day can be helpful to fight gout and maintain a healthy body weight. The state of having higher weight puts pressure on the affected joints and is an important risk factor for developing gout.
5- Manage stress levels
Stress is an important factor that contributes in making gout worse. Fighting stress is a key component toward improving overall health and fighting gout. We suggest these stress-reducing ideas for you to consider:
- Meditation, yoga, exercise
- Reading books, hobbies
- Spending time with the people you love
- Taking some time off work and obligations
Medications
Medications prescribed by your doctor complement the effect of the selected gout home remedies mentioned above.
Some gout medications are OTC (over-the-counter) medications and are used to ease the symptoms and signs of gout. These medications include NSAIDs (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs), corticosteroids, colchicine and topical medications.
Other medications are gout-specific, and should be used only after prescription by your doctor. They include xanthine oxidase inhibitors and uricosurics.
Takeaways
Gout is a common, painful form of inflammatory arthritis, that causes sudden, severe joint pain. The cause of gout is a high uric acid level in the body.
Gout can be treated with a combination of natural remedies, diet and lifestyle changes, medications and topical treatments.
Gout home remedies are effective in quickly easing the signs and symptoms associated with gout.
In order to fight gout at home use Dr. Elix gout pain relief topical treatment, and to lower uric acid levels in the body it is very important to stay hydrated, include low purine foods and drinks in your diet and avoid rich purines ones, exercise regularly and get adequate rest.
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