In treating gout, follow an anti-gout diet
that is totally natural and healing.
Gout is a disorder that can occur throughout the body. It results from deposits of sodium urate crystals, which accumulate in joints because of high blood levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia).
The excess uric acid crystallizes over time and often form in cooler parts of the body, such as in joints like the ankle, knee, wrist and elbow. But it most often affects the joints in the feet, especially at the base of the big toe. It rarely affects the joints of the spine, hips or shoulders.
This disorder is very common among middle-aged men and less often in women. If it happened to women, it would most likely be with women after menopause.
It is often said that gout runs in the family. But it is only logical that it runs in the family as gout comes about largely because of a person’s diet. A family generally has the same tastes for certain kinds of food. Rich foods served at the family dinner table are often the culprit for gout.
Untreated, gout attacks last longer, occur more frequently and may start to affect other joints. Severe gout can lead to joints damage and deformity. In most cases, gout is not treated. Read on, try the natural remedy and change your lifestyle to cease gout attacks.
Symptoms of Gout
Gout attacks usually happen without warning. Excruciating pain can occur suddenly in one or more joints, very often at night. The joint becomes inflamed, swollen, feels warm, and is extremely sensitive to touch.
A severe attack may cause high fever, chills, and rapid heartbeats. If left untreated, these can go on for a few days. Symptoms may then gradually disappear, functionality returns to normal, and there will be no symptom until the next attack.
After repeated attacks and if not cared for, joint motion slowly becomes progressively restricted. Hard crystal lumps begin to form in or near joints, under the skin around joints, even in the kidneys and other organs.
People with diabetes and/or high blood pressure who also have gout, may have poor kidney function that reduces the excretion of uric acid. This makes the gout condition worse and may lead to tissue/joint damage.
Causes of Gout
Gout happens either because the liver produces a higher level of uric acid, or because of a high intake of rich foods (all kinds of meat protein), more than it can be eliminated through urination.
Our body transforms substances in food called purine into uric acid, increasing the level of uric acid. Too much uric acid in the blood causes the urate crystals to be formed and deposited in joints.
Regular alcohol consumption is another culprit. Not only does alcohol increase the production of uric acid, it also interferes with its elimination by the kidneys. A combination of alcohol with high protein food is one of the most common cause for gout development.
Gout sufferers should avoid foods that are acid-forming, like processed/refined foods, flour and sugar products (e.g. cakes, pastries, biscuits), dairy products, oily or fried foods, soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco.
Other foods high in purine are like anchovies, asparagus, herring, red meat, meat gravies and broths, mushrooms, mussels, all organ meats, sardines.
Another group of foods to avoid are the bean products including soya milk, bean curds, bean sprouts, bean paste, (and our local favorite, ‘tau foo fah’), etc. These vegetarian favorites have fairly high amount of purine content. Eat them in moderation. Excessive soy or bean products consumption will have your big toe tingling in no time.
Coupled with your dietary change, consider exercising regularly (at least 3 times x 30 minutes a week) and drinking plenty of water (8 to 10 glasses a day). Most gout sufferers are overweight. As they lose weight, the urate levels will also reduce and subsequently attacks may reduce.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, drink LOTS of water, and avoid alcohol like a plague!
Fruits and vegetables to avoid if you have gout: strawberry, durian (another local favorite!), tomato, tomato products, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, rhubarb and peas.
|Recommended Healing Foods to Prevent Gout|
You can and should eat lots of vegetables but it’s nothing like drinking green vegetable juices. Green juices are so effective in cleansing out the toxins in our body, thus reducing inflammation.
Cabbage and celery have been shown to significantly reduce arthritic and gout pains. Juice them regularly with green leafy vegetables like kale and see less recurrence of your gout attack.
Beets and bitter gourds are amazing liver and kidney cleansers. They detoxify the liver and kidneys, improve their functions and protect them from excessive alcohol consumption and other toxins.
Pineapple, papaya and cucumber are excellent anti-inflammatory foods which should be included in your diet if you’re suffering from gout.
Some Suggested Combos (measurement for one portion):
- 2 carrots + 2 green apples + 2 ribs celery
- 2 carrots + 2 green apples + 3-4 leaves kale + ¼ lemon slice + thumb-size ginger
- 2 carrots + 2 ribs celery + 2 leaves cabbage + thumb-size ginger
- 2 green apples + 2 ribs celery + 1 small cucumber + ¼ lemon slice
- 3 green apples + 1 small cucumber + 1 small bitter gourd + ¼ lemon slice
- 2 carrots + 1 small cucumber + 1 medium-sized beetroot + ¼ lemon slice
- 1 medium-sized beetroot + ½ small pineapple + 1 small cucumber + ¼lemon slice
- 4 ribs of celery + ½ small pineapple + thumb-size ginger
- 1 oz wheatgrass juice neat with a squeeze of lemon
- Lemongrass-ginger tea