How to Prevent and Manage Gout With Natural Remedies
Gout is a common, chronic health condition affecting millions of people worldwide. It causes inflammation in one or more joints when excess uric acid crystals form in their bodies and form deposits known as “gout crystals”.
Uric acid is usually flushed away by your kidneys via urine, but when it accumulates it causes a chain of events in which inflammation ensues causing red, swollen, and hot joints.
Avoid Purine-Rich Foods
Gout is caused by excessively high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream, and forms crystals around joints causing irritation, inflammation and pain.
Diet is one of the best ways to manage and prevent gout, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and low-fat dairy products.
Consume less red and processed meats; opt for healthier poultry, pork and beef products instead, which have less purines.
If you do decide to consume meat, ensure your protein sources are varied by selecting lean cuts of pork and lamb; organ meats like liver, kidney and sweetbreads should generally be avoided.
Avoid seafood high in purines such as anchovies, sardines and trout to limit gout flare-up risk. These foods are known to contain more purines than other fish and could increase risk.
Purines may impede with uric acid excretion and contribute to increased levels of uric acid production in the body, such as those found in certain forms of alcohol like beer. Purines have also been shown to hinder proper body cleansing processes by trapping excess waste products within your system, leading to greater accumulation of uric acid deposits over time.
Additionally, in addition to limiting purine-rich foods, it is also beneficial to drink plenty of water throughout the day. This helps flush away excess uric acid and can decrease inflammation. Clear fluids such as juice or broth make an excellent way to stay hydrated and flush away excess uric acid from your system.
Drink Lemon Water
Lemon water is a healthy beverage that can help you remain hydrated throughout your day by replenishing lost fluids from your body.
Vitamin C, for instance, can help ward off colds and other illnesses while also improving skin quality. Furthermore, eating yogurt regularly will increase its benefits to both body and mind.
Lemon water has also been proven to significantly decrease blood uric acid levels – an integral factor for managing and preventing gout.
Researchers studying lemon water found it can lower uric acid levels by up to 25%, providing potential relief if you suffer from gout. This finding could prove especially valuable if gout runs in your family history.
Lemon water can help lower blood pressure and enhance immunity due to its rich abundance of antioxidants and flavonoids.
Lemon can also help soothe and relieve digestive discomfort like heartburn. Lemons contain an organic compound known as limonene that coats your esophagus to neutralize stomach acid production and promote overall digestive wellness.
Lemon water may help prevent kidney stones by raising urine citrate levels. Nephrolithiasis or renal calculi are hard deposits of minerals and salts found within your kidneys that form over time, eventually becoming stonelike deposits that form hard.
Eat Apples
Apples are an incredibly nutritious fruit that can help ease gout pain and inflammation. Packed full of anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals – Apples also lower risk factors associated with conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even thrombotic strokes.
Apple juice is an ideal addition to a diet for managing gout; just be sure that you purchase 100% pure apple juice without added sugars. In addition, sweetened applesauce or processed foods that may contain added sugars should also be avoided.
Fructose can also trigger flare-ups of gout, increasing your risk for this condition. Fructose is often found in prepackaged and processed food items; thus it is best to read their ingredients list prior to purchasing these foods.
Apples should also be part of your gout diet because they contain low levels of purines that help lower uric acid levels in your body. A single apple contains approximately 14 mg of purines – making them perfect for those suffering from gout.
Apples provide optimal health benefits when eaten regularly before each meal; doing so will reduce hunger levels and ultimately result in eating fewer calories overall.
Other fruits that can help fight gout include strawberries and blueberries. Both provide antioxidants which may reduce uric acid formation while alleviating its symptoms. Although they can be enjoyed anytime of the day, just be mindful to consume in moderation for maximum impact.
Drink Nettle Tea
Nettle tea is an herbal beverage packed with essential nutrients that can provide many health benefits. Notable among these include relieving allergies and inflammation as well as helping lower the risk of diabetes, improve bone health and boost cardiovascular wellness.
Ascorbic acid can help lower blood pressure and control high cholesterol levels, and is also a fantastic source of vitamin C and iron.
Nettle tea can help to flush excess uric acid out of your body and alleviate its cause – which in turn alleviates any associated discomfort. Therefore, drinking this beverage regularly to get maximum relief.
Make nettle tea by mixing it with boiling water and steeping for several minutes, until desired strength has been reached. As it can be bitter in taste, many prefer adding honey or cinnamon as flavor enhancers for an improved experience.
Nettle tea has long been recognized for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Additionally, studies have demonstrated its ability to alleviate joint pain for osteoarthritis patients while working alongside nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to allow them to decrease overall medication amounts taken.
Nettle tea offers more than these advantages; it can also enhance your immune system and protect the heart by offering antioxidant benefits that help fight off harmful free radicals. Furthermore, its antioxidative properties may prevent chronic illnesses or cancer causing oxidative stress to arise in your body.
Eat Cherry Fruits
Cherries are packed with vitamin C and fiber, boasting anti-inflammatory benefits as well as being an excellent source of anthocyanins – proven to lower risks associated with diabetes and heart disease.
Cherry juice may help lower uric acid levels, helping you ease gout attacks and other symptoms associated with it. But only consume cherry products as part of a natural supplement regimen or under medical guidance.
Cherry fruit differs from many fruits in that it does not contain high levels of sugar or calories, yet still provides essential vitamins and antioxidants which may help prevent flare-ups of gout flare-ups.
Cherries are low in fat and high in dietary fiber, helping you feel full for longer. Furthermore, cherries also regulate your blood sugar levels, helping you manage weight and prevent gout attacks.
One cup of fresh cherries provides 26 percent of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C and over two grams of fiber – not to mention antioxidants and phytochemicals!
Cherries’ antioxidants have been demonstrated to lower plasma concentrations of eight biomarkers linked to inflammation-related diseases, including C-reactive protein (CRP), which has long been recognized as an indicator of cardiovascular risk and other illnesses.
Cherry phenolic compounds act as free radical terminator, helping to limit inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as minimize formation of uric acid crystals in joints.
Exercise
Exercise regularly for many reasons, but those living with gout should find this practice especially valuable. Exercise can reduce uric acid levels, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation and promote weight loss as well as strengthening muscles.
People living with gout have discovered that moderate intensity exercises are also useful for controlling their symptoms and avoiding future flare-ups. Studies show that light to moderate-intensity workouts have an anti-inflammatory effect and can lower uric acid levels by increasing ATP turnover rate.
Spiro Koulouris, a certified fitness instructor and yoga teacher, advises those experiencing gout to perform low impact exercises that emphasize stretching exercises as part of their regular workout regimes. Stretching can maintain joint flexibility which will prevent future crystal deposition by keeping joints flexible – something stretching can do. “Stretching can prevent future deposition of uric acid crystals.” he states.
However, during an acute gout attack it is advised to rest the affected joint and refrain from exercising to ease pain and allow your body to heal properly. This will also allow time for any medications needed to relieve symptoms to take their full course.
Once a flare has subsided, patients can return to their regular exercise schedule gradually by starting with lower-impact aerobic activities such as walking or cycling and gradually building up until they feel ready to resume a full workout regime.
As well as working out regularly, a healthy diet can also be incredibly helpful for those suffering from gout. Limiting foods high in purines, abstaining from alcohol consumption and drinking plenty of water are all ways you can manage uric acid levels more effectively.