Gout And Nutrition

                

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Gout is a disease that is due to an inborn disorder of the uric acid metabolism and is also referred to as metabolic arthritis. When you suffer from this disease monosodium urate crystals are deposited on the articular cartilage of joints and in tissues such as the tendons. Then also causes an inflammatory reaction to the tissue and the deposits get larger and burst through the skin to form sinuses discharging a white material.

The bloodstream usually carries only a tiny amount of uric acid but if there is an increased concentration then crystals are deposited on the cartilage and tissues that surround the joints. If you have high levels of uric acid in your bloodstream it can also result in uric kidney stones.

The common effects of gout include the sudden pain, swelling, redness, warmness, stiffness in the joint, and sometimes a low fever may persist. Those suffering from gout are in pain because of the crystals inside the joint that cause pain whenever the area is moved, as well as the inflammation of the tissues around the joint which tends to cause swelling and soreness.

Gout commonly affects the big toe but can affect other area such as the joints in the ankle, heel, knee, wrist, instep, fingers, and spine. There have been instances where gout appears in the joints of the small toes which have become immobile because of an impact injury which leads to poor circulation and gout.

Hyperuricemia is a uric acid level higher than 420 ?mol/L in males and 380 ?mol/L in females. High uric acid levels don't always lead to gout. If it is suspected that you are suffering from gout the serum urate test should be repeated once the attack has subsided.

To get an accurate diagnosis of gout you must have a light microscopy of joint fluid aspirated from the joint to show intracellular monosodium urate crystal in synovial fluid polymorph nuclear leukocytes. Only a well trained specialist can distinguish the difference from other crystals.

If you aren't able to get immediate medical attention there are a few things that can provide temporary relief to the pain and swelling commonly associated with gout. NSAIDS including ibuprofen can be used to reduce the pain and inflammation, but stay away from aspirin as it has been known to have adverse affects. You can also apply Preparation H ointment to the affected skin to reduce swelling.

You can also apply ice to the affected area for 20-30 minutes multiple times throughout the day. Some may think that uric acid crystallization is increased with low temperatures but a recent study proved that those who use ice packs experienced a relief in pain without negative effects.

Article by Sven Ullmann, who runs Deserved Health - information on health for you and your family. Read more about gout and nutrition. Get our health newsletter.

 

Herbal Remedies for Gout

                

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Millions of Americans suffer through gout, and the number keeps growing every year. An estimated two million Americans know the pain in the joints and the swelling of the extremities only too well. For many of these patients, medication is expensive. However, thanks to an increased interest in home remedies, there are now herbal remedies one can use to ease the pain.

Gout pains

Gout is caused by the deposition of monosodium urate, or uric acid, crystals in the joints of the body. Usually, this crystallization occurs in the outer extremities, specifically in the feet. Studies have shown that since there is less blood circulation in the feet, the purging of the uric acid crystals is less efficient in these parts of the body. Also, the feet are colder and uric acid crystals are more easily deposited in lower temperatures. Gout occurs as a result of the body's inability to cleanse the system of uric acid, and it happens more often to men than women.

Diet has a lot to do with getting gout. People whose diets consist mostly of junk food, shellfish, and organ meats run a higher risk of getting gout as compared to people who eat balanced meals regularly. It goes without saying that obese people are more at risk. Also, beer drinkers are more likely to get gout than wine drinkers.

How to control gout naturally

Many different natural remedies are available to those seeking a cheaper, more organic alternative. One example is the use of chickweed. Make tea out of one tablespoon of chickweed and one cup of boiling water. Allow it to sit for four hours then take a fourth of a cup four times a day. Be sure to filter out the chickweed before drinking it.

If you prefer ointments as immediate relief for gout, mix together one tablespoon of hops and one tablespoon of fresh unsalted butter. Use this mixture as an ointment and rub onto affected areas.

Finally, for those who like a little kick to homemade medication, try mixing two tablespoons of lilac blooms and seven hundred milliliters of vodka together to ease gout pain. Allow the mixture to sit for a week then take fifty drops three times a day before meals.

Gout provides detailed information on Causes Of Gout, Foods That Cause Gout, Gout, Gout Home Remedy and more. Gout is affiliated with Laser Printers

Gout FAQs

                

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Over two million Americans are afflicted with the mind-numbing ache in the joints known as gout, and more continue to be added to their number every year. Here are the frequently asked questions and answers regarding gout.

Q: What is gout?

A: Simply put, gout is the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints caused by the body's inability to cleanse itself of uric acid. This retained acid then hardens in the joints, causing very severe pain and swelling. According to some patients, the pain is like having shards of glass embedded in the joint of your big toe.

Q: How do I get it?

A: You can get it several ways. The first factor has to do with diet. A high-protein diet promotes the build up of uric acid in the body. If the body is unable to rid itself of uric acid, then gout will set in. If your diet is rich in shellfish and organ meats, then you are more at risk of getting gout than a vegetarian. Even different cuts of meat within the same animal have different uric acid levels. Chicken legs are higher in uric acid than the chicken breast, for example. Also, beer drinkers are more prone to gout than wine drinkers.

Another potential risk indicator is your family medical history. You are more predisposed to it if either of your parents has gout, especially if your grandparents have it as well. Their genes could be weak against ridding the body of uric acid and they may have passed this weakness on to you.

Other potential risk indicators are weight, age, and gender. Gout attacks overweight people more often than people who are in good shape, and is more likely to occur in men in their forties or fifties than in women.

Q: How do I prevent it?

A: The best defense against gout is a healthy diet. Try to lay off the junk food, and limit your intake of shellfish, liver, and kidney. Eat a balanced diet of lean meat, vegetables, and fruits. Drinking plenty of water helps to rid your system of excessive buildup of uric acid.

It is also a good idea to know your family's medical history. Find out if your parents have gout so you can determine if you are more at risk or not.

In general, it is a good idea to get regular exercise, especially if you want to prevent gout. Some of the uric acid buildup is released in the process of sweating during strenuous activity.

Q: What do I do if I already have it?

A: Ben Franklin had it. Thomas Jefferson and Henry VIII also had it, but it did not prevent them from leading successful lives. It should not prevent you from doing the same either.

If you already have gout, then you should definitely follow the precautions discussed above and continue to have regular,consultations with your doctor. There are many remedies, both pharmaceutical and herbal, that are effective and safe for gout. One simple herbal remedy is boiling a teaspoon of chickweed in a cup of boiling water. Strain out the floating chickweed and take this tea four times a day to prevent the onset of gout attacks. Among pharmaceutical remedies, the generic drug anturane has done wonders for people suffering from this condition.

Gout provides detailed information on Causes Of Gout, Foods That Cause Gout, Gout, Gout Home Remedy and more. Gout is affiliated with Laser Printers.

Reasons To Love Your Gout Prevention Diet

                

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The most basic point of any good gout prevention diet is to reduce gout symptoms. This is achieved by lowering the levels of purine rich foods in the diet as these often trigger gout by raising the amount of uric acid in the blood, which in turn makes the pain worse.

Though a doctor can help with the quest for a good gout prevention diet, there are some things a person can learn on their own. The problem with this type of diet is that it eliminates many of the foods that men typically love to eat, and gout is something that occurs almost exclusively among the male population. A gout dies doesn?t have to mean the end of good eating however, but it might mean learning to love some new foods and finding new ways to enjoy time tested favorites.

One great thing about concocting a gout friendly diet is that medications help more than ever, and the diet does not have to be quite as restrictive as they used to be. However, that does not mean a person can eat whatever they want, whenever they want, without risking a flare up.

The diet will help, and when medication is taken as directed, someone with gout might enjoy long periods of ?remission? before they have to deal with the pain and flare ups that are associated with this condition.

Meats are known to be higher in purines, and they should be avoided. However, you don?t have to do without them. The ones that are the biggest problems are the organ meats, and a lot of people don?t like them anyway. These include liver and kidney meats.

Other high levels of purines can be found in fish like herring, and mackerel, and some dry beans are also troublesome. Other meats are not as bad, but they still have higher numbers of purines. It is a good idea to limit meat, fish, and poultry foods to about six ounces a day.

When it comes to drinking alcohol your best bet is to drink in moderation, and you may feel the best when avoiding alcoholic beverages completely. Abstinence is essential when a gout attack is ongoing, as alcohol can slow the release of uric acid from the body.

Water is great for almost any health situation, and this is no exception. Drink as much as possible to feel as good as possible. Though many vegetables are good for the body, those with gout should avoid things like asparagus, mushrooms, lentils, peas, and many dark green varieties of veggies during flare ups. Eat these in moderation at other times. Processed foods and foods that are heavy in oils or that have been deep-fried are also not a good idea for gout sufferers.

Here are five tips to keep a gout diet fun:

1. Enjoy color: Keep your diet fun and interesting by keeping it colorful. Foods like tomatoes, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, fruit juices, tangerines, potatoes, oranges, and peppers.

2. Dairy: Dairy is great as long as you stick to the low-fat variety. Thankfully, most of these taste just as good as the normal varieties, and after a while you?ll probably develop a preference for low fat anyway.

3. Chocolate: One thing no one wants to hear when they have a special diet is that chocolate is out. The good news is that chocolate is just fine for someone with gout.

4. Fish: Though some types of fish are out, a person on a gout diet can still have tuna and salmon. Both of these are very versatile and can be enjoyed in many different ways.

5. Caffeine: A gout prevention diet does not have to exclude coffee and tea. Carbonated beverages are okay as well, but go for the sugar-free if recommended by a doctor. If caffeine turns out to be a problem for you opt for decaf instead.

Grab your free copy of Lisa McDowell's brand new Gout Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about gout recipe and for information on gout symptom please visit Cure Gout Now.

Dangerous Side Effects Of Gout Pain Relief Prescriptions

                

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Many gout sufferers find that they want to be on a prescription medication for maximum gout pain relief. The pain associated with this condition can be pretty severer.

Though a change in diet can help improve the symptoms, many have to have a medication on top of diet change in order to manage the pain. Because gout is usually found in the big toe, those with serious amounts of pain have a hard time walking. This can severely limit quality of life.

There are some great medications that can help with gout pain relief, but it is important to watch out for any side effects that may compromise health.

One of the most common gout drugs is Colchicine. This comes from the crocus plant. This is provides both a relief when there is an attack, and also has the potential to be a preventative medication as well.

This should be used in the first day of a gout attack, and works in a high percentage of those who suffer with this condition. The most common side effect is upset in the digestive tract.

However, when too much of this is taken, it can be lethal. It can cause bone marrow damage and anemia. This means the white count can get low, and infections can set in. A patient should have their blood cell counts monitored while on this medication. An overdose can be deadly, so this must be taken with care. Anyone with unusual side effects must get in to the emergency room as soon as possible.

Benemid is a drug that helps to remove the uric acid build up in the body that brings on gout attacks. It will not cure the condition, but it can help keep flare ups down to a minimum.

Some of the most common side effects are dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, upset stomach, frequent urination, and hair loss. These should be minor though, and if they become chronic, this should be brought to the attention of the prescribing doctor.

There are some signs that should be reported as soon as possible, as they may indicate something more serious is going on. Side effects such as bloody urine, sores in and around the mouth, rash, severe swelling, painful urination, flu-like symptoms, strange bleeding or bruises, and difficulty with breathing.

Prednisone is often used to reduce an attack. It might only be given for a few days, or a shot may be done directly into the inflamed and painful area. Many doctors prefer to taper this drug off slowly to avoid the flare up from coming back.

Infections are one of the more serious side effects of this drug. A patient should keep a close eye out for signs that indicate there may be an infection somewhere in the body. Less common and less serious side effects are trouble with falling and staying asleep, heartburn due to increased stomach acid production, and an increase in hunger.

Many of these medications will be paired with NSAIDS when appropriate. If a patient is taking any of these drugs, they should ask their doctor before they take anything else. Most of these are not safe for pregnant or nursing mothers. They may cause birth defects and other problems.

Probably one of the smartest moves a person taking prescriptions for gout pain relief can do is to ask their doctor what to look for and what they should avoid.

Grab your free copy of Lisa McDowell's brand new Gout Newsletter - Overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you discover more about rid of gout

The Missing Link Between Gout And Alcohol Consumption

                

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Although there are many factors that can contribute to a build up of uric acid within your system, alcohol consumption appears to be a leading factor in gout development. However, this doesn?t mean that people who drink alcohol modestly on a regular basis will develop gout. Furthermore, research has discovered that different types of alcoholic beverages have different impacts on uric acid levels.

For hundreds of years, medical researchers have suspected that gout is linked to specific lifestyles such as diets high in red meat, salt and alcohol, combined with little to no exercise. This type of lifestyle, which many people in Western countries tend to adopt as they become older and closer to middle age, is very much like the lifestyle that was once led by English kings. In fact, gout is often called ?the disease of kings?.

Today, researchers that have conducted studies on men in relation to alcohol consumption and its link to gout, have found that men who drank excessive amounts of certain forms of alcohol ? especially beer ? greatly increased their risk for developing gout.

What has been discovered is alcohol may not only affect the production of uric acid, but also its removal from the body. It appears that when alcohol is changed into lactic acid, it decreases the quantity of uric acid that the kidneys are able to remove from the body. The reason is because uric acid has to compete with the lactic acid in order to be removed by the kidneys.

In addition, researchers have found that certain types of alcohol have less risk of causing gout than others. Of all the alcohols studied, it appears that Beer poses the highest risk of gout, while moderate consumption of wine or spirits has little to no increased risk of gout.

What?s so risky about beer? Some researchers believe that beer has a non-alcoholic ingredient that makes the increase of gout even higher than other alcoholic beverages. Beer is apparently the only alcoholic beverage to include purines, and an excessive amount of purines in the system can lead to higher production of uric acid. Conversely, other researchers do not believe it is the purines in the drink that increase the risk of gout. These researchers don?t believe that having too many purines in the diet increase the risk of gout. Their reasoning is based on a study that was conducted on vegetarians from Taiwan who indulged in a diet that was high in purines. The study revealed that theses individuals actually had a lower risk of developing gout.

So, if it?s not the purines in beer then what is it? Some experts have a hunch that excessive beer drinkers have a higher risk in contracting gout due to their lifestyle. For instance, a person who drinks wine usually has their alcoholic beverage with a meal, or with healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables, crackers and cheese. A beer drinker, on the other hand, will often indulge in eating salty and fatty snacks such as peanuts and chips, while they sit and watch TV on the couch hour after hour. Thus, enthusiastic beer drinkers are likely to have a more sedentary lifestyle.

Regardless of the alcohol beverage you enjoy, you can dramatically reduce your risk of developing gout by drinking modestly (IE a glass of wine or beer per day). Overindulging in alcohol on occasion isn?t going to have a dramatic effect on your chances of getting gout, but regular overindulgence may eventually lead to a serious pain in the big toe.

For more information about Gout diets take a look at Cure Gout Now.

How to Eliminate Gout Pain During the Holiday Season

                

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The holidays are some of the most enjoyable time of the year. We reconnect with distant relatives and make new friends. We enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere at the office and at home we usually find time to slow-down and reflect upon all of the events of the previous year.

We also get an opportunity to attend numerous holiday parties. Many of these events have great tasting food and drink. However, with all of these temptations we need to remember that a change in diet can cause a painful gout attack. So it makes sense to understand what types of food should be avoided to help manage gout during the holidays.

Managing gout is a year-round concern for the millions who have experience the painful deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid that build up in joint space and connective tissue. These deposits can lead to swelling, heat, redness and arthritis. The proverbial swollen toe often characterizes a gout attack.

What causes gout and how can it be managed and prevented?

Gout is typically brought on by the inability of the body to eliminate excess uric acid. Uric acid is a result of the breakdown of purines. Purines are naturally found in the body and in many types of food. So with the temptation of party trays overflowing with food of every type, read on to learn how to manage gout pain during the holidays.

It is typically suggested that people with gout reduce their intake of high-purine foods. Here is a brief list of high-purine foods, foods in moderation and low-purine foods for your review. Although this is not an all-inclusive list, it can provide some insight into healthy eating during the holiday season:

High-purine foods: (foods that should be avoided for low-purine diets)

? Alcohol, including beer
? Seafood, including anchovies, herring, trout, mussels, scallops and ocean perch
? Coffee, tea, cola drinks
? Lamb, sausage, game meat

Foods in moderation: (foods that should consumed in moderation for low-purine diets)

? Mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, dried beans, artichokes, peas
? Peanuts, soy and soy products (tofu and soy sauce)
? Brown rice, whole wheat, malt, whole grain cereal

Low-purine foods (foods lowest in purines for low-purine diets)

? Tart cherries, fruits, berries
? Carrots, celery, eggplant, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes
? Non-caffeine sodas
? Cottage cheese, yogurt, dairy (fat free or low fat)

In addition to eating in moderation and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet during the holidays, many are searching for natural ways to manage gout year-round. Several low purine cookbooks are available with dozens of great tasting low-purine recipes.

Highly concentrated food products are another excellent way to manage gout pain all year long. For example, tart cherries supplements and cherry juice concentrate are an ideal way to manage gout attacks. Research on tart cherries indicate the natural antioxidants contained in this tiny red fruit can help dissolve the painful crystals that form in the joints. One outstanding product that delivers a highly concentrated dose of tart cherries is Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry supplements.

If you are interested in managing gout pain year-round with natural solutions consider a drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, drinking cherry juice concentrate and using Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules.

Russ Rudolph is avid writer on the topic of fitness and health.

Foods that May Induce the Symptoms of Gout

                

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Gout is a type of rheumatoid arthritis caused when purines found in foods that cause gout are broken down by the body into uric acid. This chemical is not harmful itself, and is usually filtered by the kidneys, but consumption of high amounts of foods that cause gout can cause elevated levels of uric acid, a condition called hyperuricemia. When the levels of uric acid in the blood get to be too high, sharp crystals of uric acid can accumulate between joints and cause the inflammation known as gout.

Generally, foods that cause gout are high in fat, and sufferers of gout are recommended to consume less than 30% of their calories from fat. Some foods that cause gout due to their high purine counts are fish, poultry, pork and beef. Other foods that cause gout more frequently are organ meats, such as kidney, heart, and liver, because they contain the highest concentration of purines. Some foods that cause gout do not actually contain meat, but are derivatives of meat, such as broths, fish roe, and bouillon.

In addition, foods that cause gout also include dairy products that are high in fat, such as whole milk, cheese, ice cream, and butter. Soy products can be used as a substitute for dairy products in these cases. Also, some foods that cause gout are vegetables, such as spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, peas, asparagus, lentils, and beans. Yeast is also a food that causes gout, and by extension beer is also a food that causes gout since it is made from yeast.

Poor kidney function can also be a contributing factor to gout, since the kidneys normally filter out uric acid from the blood stream. In addition to avoiding foods that cause gout, patients should drink plenty of water, and eat foods such as tofu, olive oil, and nuts to help reduce uric acid levels in the bloodstream. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may also ease symptoms of gout. In addition, anti-inflammatory medication combined with a weight loss plan and a diet low in foods that cause gout can alleviate symptoms.

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