Natural remedies are something that we find to be incredibly important here, and we believe that they can be used in a wide variety of ways. Gout, which is something that many of us have heard of, but many of us don’t know a lot about and don’t really know how to take care of, is something that is best dealt with in a natural manner.

In this article, we’re going to explore what gout is and how you can better take care of it using a number of different natural therapies and remedies.

What is Gout?

Gout is a specific type of arthritis; but, instead of dealing with the joints primarily, it happens in areas that you may not expect – the hand joints, wrists, ankles, knees, and even the ears can all be affected by the pain that gout brings about.

Much of the pain is acute, which makes it that much more difficult to fend off and deal with. Swelling is another issue that comes with gout, and usually the places that are affected by the disorder end up being very tender to the touch.

Gout is a very odd disorder, but it is often linked to a number of different chronic health problems, including kidney stones, hypertension, and even diabetes.

Since these are linked to it, we have discovered that uric acid, which is produced by the kidneys, is usually a cause – the issue isn’t with the acid itself, but that there is an immense amount of it. There are other issues that may be involved as well, including excessive alcohol use and genetics.

Because there are so many chronic issues connected with gout, it’s important that you get treatment for it as soon as possible if you suspect that it may be an issue that you’re dealing with.

The fact that it is often linked to other chronic issues means that you should get a full physical and determine if you have any of the other problems that we listed here.

As with any condition, you want to make sure that you do not try to self-diagnose. It is always better to talk to a doctor or another specialist and have them determine exactly what it is that you’re dealing with and how you should go about treating the problem.

Why Use Natural Therapies for Gout?

In our article on arthritis, we talked about why natural therapies are important for it. In short, you want to make sure that you are getting appropriate, healthy, and effective treatment that is actually going to make a difference when it comes to taking care of the symptoms.

As with arthritis, there is proof that a lot of these health issues are better dealt with when taken care of using natural methods, so you can feel confident that you are getting healthy.

You also should know that you don’t want to put a lot of chemicals in your body – and by using natural therapies to deal with your gout, you’re preventing that issue from happening as well.

What Are Some Natural Therapies for Gout?

So, now that we know about why getting natural treatment for your gout is so important, it’s time to explore what sorts of treatments are even out there for you to choose from.

This list is just the beginning of all natural treatments and remedies that you can use in order to reduce the pain and stiffness that often comes with gout and, on top of that, we give you some ideas as to how and why you should try these specific ideas out. Let’s take a closer look at all of the different options that we have here.

Adding Specific Foods

Apple cider vinegar, which is utilized to treat ulcers and chronic headaches, additionally helps treat gout and joint inflammation. The acid in this vinegar will help fend off the intense pain that often comes with gout and other types of arthritis pain.

It also helps with a variety of other issues, including hypertension and cholesterol, so you may want to consider using it as a regular part of your diet. Have a glass that is one part apple cider vinegar, one part water and drink it before you eat a meal to help reduce the amount of cholesterol that sticks around too.

You can likewise add honey to the mixture above in order to support the body’s need to relax in order for the gout pain to reduce. Honey is also useful because it helps to take away the sour and bitter tastes that you often find when you’re drinking the vinegar. You can also add honey to the mixtures that we’re going to talk about below, which are ginger mixtures.

The calming properties of ginger root can be extremely useful in soothing pain and irritation. Ginger is used in so many health contexts that most people who try all natural medicines often have it as a staple in their homes. So, even if you don’t see a difference when you try ginger, you may see a difference for things in your life other than gout, so make sure that you keep it around and ready to go when you need to use it.

There are various ways for you to use ginger and ginger rootto treat gout. Here are just a few of the most common ways that people will utilize ginger in order to start to see a difference in gout and gout symptoms.

Some people will put powder from ginger root in a mixture of warm water, fenugreek powder, and turmeric in order to prevent pain. They will drink this once or twice a day, depending on how severe the gout is and how much prevention that they are trying to do.

Add ginger to your regular cooking routine in order to add some spice and reduce the pain that you’re feeling. Ginger doesn’t work in everything, so make sure that you look up recipes that are going to meet your needs and that will taste delicious at the same time – there’s no need to eat bad tasting food in order to feel healthy.

Eat a small amount of crude ginger root on a daily basis in order to get all of the benefits from it (this is for those who don’t mind the kick that ginger has). Many people won’t try this because of how strong ginger is, so that is up to you.

Ginger tea is an exceedingly popular alternative for many who are looking to add ginger to their diet for the treatment of gout. Half of a teaspoon of the root with some tea is all that you need in order to see a difference – just add it to the tea that you normally drink.

You can make a topical solution of powdered ginger root and water. Mix it up until it makes a topical solution that is the consistency of a paste. Then, put the mixture on the region that is hurting and let it sit for about an hour so that it can soak into the area. Do it once a day to see the best results.

Fruits, whether sweet or bitter, can likewise be exceptionally useful in treating gout because of their cell reinforcement properties. Some fruits additionally contain anthocyanins, which can lessen irritation and also help with gout flare-ups.

For gout patients, cherries can be particularly beneficial. Eating 15 to 20 of either sweet or sour cherries is suggested. For better results, start off the day by drinking a glass of black cherry juice. You can likewise mix in a couple of finely minced garlic cloves to enhance the flavor and start to see how much of a difference that it makes when it comes to your gout symptoms.

Garlic is another great thing for you to use, and like ginger, you can just add it into the things that you normally eat and drink in order to get the best results from your gout treatment. It may make your breath smell oddly, but it is worth that when you start to feel your joints loosen up – garlic is especially good when you’re feeling stiff when you get up in the morning.

Soaking in Epsom Salt

Epsom salt is another helpful element for home treatment of gout and different types of joint inflammation. The large amount of magnesium that Epsom salt has in it will help with reducing your blood pressure and it can also help your heart to be healthier in general.

Splashing the part of the body that is feeling pain in an Epsom salt mixture (warm water preferred in the mixture) helps to unwind hurting muscles and eases the pain that you may feel while you’re fighting off the symptoms that are associated with your gout.

Another thing that you can do with Epsom salt is use it in a hot bath. You want to get a nice hot bath and throw some of the salt into the tub with the hot water. Sit and soak in the water until you no longer have any heat in the water.

Some people say that you should do this once a week, but if you have severe gout that is making it difficult for you to get around and do your normal activities, you may even want to consider doing it a few times a week. Talk to your doctor to see what they suggest in terms of frequency when it comes to taking these Epsom salt baths/soaks.

Foods to Avoid

Now, when you’re looking at treatment, you also want to make sure that you’re not eating the foods that can end up making your condition that much worse. Here is a quick list of some of the foods that you should probably avoid when you’re looking to deal with your gout in a natural, effective manner.

Don’t eat meat that has a lot of the uric acid in it. If you eat too much of these meats, you will start to deal with kidney stones and your gout will be that much worse. Sardines, anchovies, and organ meats are the ones that you are going to want to keep an eye on when you’re trying to figure out what you should eat.

Some doctors say that you should avoid certain vegetables that have uric acid as well, including mushrooms, cauliflower, spinach, peas, beans, lentils, and various other vegetables. That being said, research is still out that says that there may not be a connection with those vegetables and gout pain. Talk to your doctor to see their opinion about the situation before changing your diet drastically.

Do not drink or eat caffeine at all. It increases the amount of stress that your body feels and it will cause your body to be more tense and irritated. If you can, don’t drink coffee or espresso, and limit the amount of chocolate that you’re putting into your body on a regular basis as well.

Alcohol is not good for those with gout, so you should drink as little of it as you possibly can. Alcohol makes the body dehydrated, which can make the pain from your gout much worse than it would have been. It also hurts the urinary tract, which can often be irritated by gout.

Other Natural Remedies to Consider

Do you drink the 8 glasses of water that are recommended for your daily consumption? If not, consider drinking that much. If you have gout and do drink that much, consider drinking more in a day. Drinking water helps you to have more energy, it lubricates the joints, and it helps to clear out that uric acid from your body.

Since uric acid is the main thing that causes gout to be as bad as it is, it’s important that you get enough water so that it goes away effectively. It also helps to reduce kidney stones, which as we talked about above, are often linked with how much people get gout.

Another thing that you want to consider is losing weight, if you happen to be overweight. As with any type of joint or muscle problem, it’s not healthy for your body to be overweight.

It adds additional pressure to what you’re doing and it can make it even harder for you to move around, even if you are healthy otherwise. Consider doing low-impact exercise, like swimming or water aerobics, in order to be gentle on your joints while dropping pounds and staying flexible.

Lifestyle changes are important when you’re trying to deal with your gout, and so you don’t want to forget about them when you’re dealing with natural treatment.

Your doctor can point you in the right direction when it comes to your natural remedy choices, and they can also keep track of what you’re doing and whether or not it is working. Your overall lifestyle changes will help with all aspects of your health, no matter what issues you may have, so take that into consideration.

Conclusion

Gout can be a very stressful condition and, if you’re dealing with it on top of other chronic issues, you will find that you struggle with your daily living activities. That being said, it is always a good idea to make sure that you try the natural form(s) of therapy first.

There are so many different options out there when it comes to your treatment that it won’t take a lot of time or effort to be able to find what ones work for you and your needs. The list that we have here is just a starting point that you should try, and there are many more that you may find when you start doing your research.

All in all, no matter what therapy you decide to use, you will want to talk to your doctor about your treatment plan first. They can help you to figure out what the best course of action is for your particular needs and, on top of that, they can also help you see whether or not it is the right decision for you to try these natural therapies.

By working with your doctor, you can also prevent potential issues with the medications that you are currently on and, on top of that, you will also ensure that you remain healthy and that there is actually progress related to the treatment plan that you have chosen to follow.

Talk to your doctor today about the natural treatment options that you have in order to get the best overall results for your gout.

References:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00368/Gout.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/01/19/five-steps-to-overcoming-gout-naturally.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/gout-attacks-at-home