Gout Relief

                

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You wake up in the middle of the night with pain screaming at you from your big toe. Even the weight of the blanket on it is unbearable. You look at it and see that the joint is swollen and red, and walking seems impossible. Does this mean that you have gout? Chances are, yes.

Luckily, gout which is a form of acute arthritis, is readily treatable by home remedies, diet changes, and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Here is a list of a few of them.

Do-it-yourself: Home remedies for gout sufferers

Many herbs, roots, and flowers have been known to effectively treat gout. They can either melt the uric acid that has already formed in the soft tissue, reduce the pain and swelling when used as an ointment, or prevent excessive buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream, thereby preventing further gout attacks.

If the idea of drinking herbal tea appeals to you, try putting a tablespoon of chickweed in a cup of boiling water. Strain out the chickweed and take a fourth of the cup of the tea four times a day until the swelling subsides. If you want immediate relief in ointment form, try mixing a tablespoon of hops with a tablespoon of fresh unsalted butter. Rub this mixture on the affected area for immediate relief.

Gout-out diets

Since an imbalanced diet is one of the known causes of gout, it is imperative for gout sufferers to change the way they eat. Shellfish, red and organ meats (such as sausage and liver), spinach, and cauliflower can all lead to high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream.

Most people with gout resort to eating a great deal of fruits, other vegetables, limited amounts of seafood and chicken (usually grilled as excessive oil can also cause gout attacks), and drinking plenty of water in order to purge the body of uric acid. This treatment, though simple, can go a long way towards preventing those middle-of-the-night gout attacks.

Anti-Gout medication: Take two of these and call me in the morning

For those who want a more scientific approach to their gout remedy, store-bought drugs are readily available. The drug allopurinol, for example, has been used to great effect in reducing blood uric acid levels. Colchicine is also another drug used for this purpose.

For extremely severe cases, doctors may opt to inject the joint with a powerful corticosteroid which quickly breaks down the uric acid crystals surrounding the joint. However, this method of treatment is limited as excessive use could wear down the bone and tissue surrounding the affected area.

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The Impact Of Environmental Factors On Gout

                

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The American College of Rheumatology has revealed the impact of environmental factors like humidity and heat on Gout affected organisms. Patients suffering from Gout attacks must know how these actions on their disease in order to be able to prevent further acute Gout attacks.

Gout or hyperuricemia is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the body?s joints as a result of an increased seric level of the uric acid. This acid is the waste substance in the breakdown of purines found in beer, fish, mushrooms and beans. The local symptoms of Gout are redness and swelling of the affected joint, pain, heat and starkness. Gout may also produce general symptoms like fever, chills, tachycardia and general sickness.

Dehydration caused by heat and humidity are known to be triggers of the Gout acute and recurrent attacks. Most common Gout debuts at the top of the big toe.

A scientific study was made on a number of 200 subjects with at least one Gout attack in the medical history of the past year. Patients were asked to complete an on-line Questionnaire on a specialty web-site and refer to the risk factors they have submitted to two days before the Gout attack. The same questions needed to be answered by the patients over a two day control period. The physicians supervising the test collected information the local temperature, barometric pressure, humidity and precipitations in the area where every subscribed patient lives.

The clime data of the hazard and control period were compared taking into consideration also possible alcohol consumption, diuretic use or high purine intake for every patient. High temperature and high rates of humidity proved to increase the risk of recurrent Gout attacks. The hyperuricemia acute attacks doubled when the medium temperature increased from 0-53 degree Fahrenheit to 87-105 degrees. An assembling rate of reoccurrence was found to be generated by an increased of the air humidity. Atmospheric pressure and precipitations proved to have no actual influence on the Gout attacks.

After the demonstration of the impact the two weather factors have on the recurrent attacks, physicians advised their patients to ingest high amounts f water during warm and humid periods, to stimulate the elimination of uric acid through the kidneys.

The main causes of Gout have proven to be genetic, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. A strong influence seemed to have the environment factors heat and humidity. About 1 in 100 persons develop Gout; 6-7% of elder men are affected by it and the number of women suffering from Gout increases after menopause.

For more resources regarding Gout or even gout treatments please visit this web page http://www.gout-info-center.com/gout-treatments.htm

What You Must Know About Gout And Arthritis

                

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A number of 4 million Gout patients live in the USA today and about 3 million and a half are men as women only develop Gout after menopause. It is generally known that high purines food like fish, mushrooms, beans, animal protein and seafood must be avoided to prevent Gout attacks. Alcohol, especially beer and also dairy products are believed to be implied in the variations of the seric uric acid. But no actual sustained clinical studies were made on how diet can influence the occurrence of Gout.

In one major health study made on different health workers such as dentists, pharmacists or pediatricians, a number of questions they had to answer about their medical condition revealed past Gout attacks in about 2500 of the total 50000 persons. The subjects found to have suffered further Gout attacks were removed from the study.

The food diet, weight, medications and medical conditions were recorded every two years to follow the medical evolution of the subjects. All the ones suspected from Gout were transferred to further testing.

The subjects were divided into study groups according to the amounts of meat, seafood, purine rich vegetables, dairy products and animal protein they ingested. In the next 12 years, 730 new cases of Gout appeared in subjects aged 55-64. Groups with higher consumption of meat and seafood seemed to have double numbers of Gout cases than the lower quintile groups. These products proved to have a major role in the development of Gout.

The groups with a high amount of daily consume in dairy products showed a 50% decrease of new occurred Gout cases than the group with a low dairy use. Subjects that drank at least two milk glasses per day or ate at least a serving of yogurt halved their risk of getting Gout.

The groups consuming high fat dairies, rich purine vegetables and total proteins were proved to have no real involvement to changing the risk of Gout development. Body weight and alcohol consumption did not affect the occurrence of Gout attacks.

The study proved the old medical presumption that meat and seafood products rich in purines strongly increase the risk of Gout. But other factors like alcohol or genetics are also implicated in the occurrence of Gout attacks. Dairy products seem helpful to prevent hyperuricemia as they stimulate the elimination of uric acid into urine. High protein vegetables have a minor protective effect towards Gout as it stimulates the uric acid excretion.

In conclusion, persons with cases of Gout in their families must avoid meat and seafood products and try to consume as many dairy products as they can.

For more resources regarding Gout or even foods that cause gout please visit this web page http://www.gout-info-center.com/foods-that-cause-gout.htm

Discovering Low Purine Diets for Gout Symptom Relief

                

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Developing low purine diets for gout sufferers can be a breeze if you follow some of the tips in this article.

So, if you have been told you have gout, or you are just curious on the matter, then you should first understand why you should adopt a low purine diet.

The body is an amazing system, and it can cope with many of the things we throw at it. However, there are times when it starts to go out of balance and needs some help to nudge it "back on the rails". If you have gout, this is one of those times.

When in balance, the body can cope with the levels of uric acid produced, and the kidney's can eliminate waste uric acid in urine. However, if the body gets out of balance, and the uric acid levels are high in the body, then this can encourage uric acid crystals to collect in the spaces in the joints, and this causes pain, swelling and stiffness.

The body, through the natural process of breaking down purine, produces uric acid. Now, many people get confused about purine, as they assume it comes from just the food we eat. In fact, purine is naturally present in the tissue of our body, and normally, the metabolic process of breaking down purine into uric acid is not a problem, as the kidney can cope with the levels in the body.

The big issue arises when the body cannot remove the excess uric acid produced from the purine, and this usually indicates one of two things:
1. Too much food high in purine is being eaten.
2. There are some issues with the functions of the kidneys and they are not eliminating waste efficiently.

So, one of the best ways to reduce the levels of purine in the body, and so reduce uric acid, is to introduce a low purine diet.

Low purine diets are not complex or difficult, but there are some things that should be considered before starting out on one.

1. Avoid alcohol as much as possible, as alcohol can cause gout flare-ups
2. Drink 2-3 ltrs of water per day. This will dilute the uric acid in the body.
3. Eat a diet that is high in carbs, low in fat and low in protein.
4. Eat foods that have a moderate to low purine level, such as cereals, most vegetables, fruit, white bread, cheese and milk.
5. Avoid foods that are high in purine, such as meat, meat extracts, gravies, offal and shellfish.

More comprehensive information can be found in our free Cure Gout Now newsletter.

So, if you have painful joints, swelling and stiffness, include these guidelines when creating low purine diets for gout relief.

Grab your copy of Lisa McDowell's Gout Newsletter dedicated to treating Gout at natural gout cures where you'll find more information about low purine diets for gout relief.

Gout Symptoms and Solutions Uncovered

                

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Few people realize that gout is actually a form of arthritis and an extremely painful one at that. This is why so many sufferers are eager to understand the gout symptoms and solutions available to them.

The first symptom most gout sufferers have are usually unexpected and painful. The main symptoms include throbbing, hot, red and swollen joint. The joints most effected by these sudden gout flare-ups are the foot and ankle joints, and most commonly the big toe joint. A gout attack normally occurs at night and can make even the weight of a blanket on the effected joint unbearable.

With the first episode the symptoms usually last between 5 and 10 days, gradually disappearing, leaving the joint 'back to normal'. However, once you've had one gout attack another will usually follow, anywhere between 6 months and 2 years.

So, what causes this sudden joint inflammation and pain?

Well, it's a result of excess uric acid being deposited by the body into the joints and soft tissues surrounding the joints.

Uric acid is formed during the breakdown and processing of purine, a compound that is naturally found in your body and also in the food that we eat. As the body metabolizes purine it forms uric acid as a waste product that is eliminated via the kidneys in our urine.

When there is too much uric acid being produced or the body can't dispose of quickly enough, the uric acid stays in the blood stream and is deposited in 'convenient' places, like the joints in crystal form. It is these crystals that cause gout symptoms to flare up.

When a gout attack happens the pain can be pretty intense which sends most people running (or perhaps limping) to the doctor. Commonly NSAID's will be prescribed. These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that target the swelling in the joint, although they don't do anything about reducing the uric acid levels. Make sure you ask your doctor about the potential side effects of these.

If the gout attack is very severe a corticosteriod drug may be prescribed instead. Steroids are very effective at bringing pain under control swiftly, however the side effects can be just as dramatic. Make sure you understand the risks involved if prescribed these drugs.

Once you have the pain from the initial attack under control it's time to look at why you had the gout flare-up in the first place.

Some medical conditions can lead to the development of gout, such as untreated hypertension, diabetes, being obese or having high cholesterol. Medications too can increase your risk of developing gout. Low-dose aspirin can increase uric acid levels and some hypertension medications too.

Gout can be hereditary, so take a good look at your family history and be sure to tell you doctor if a close relative suffers with gout. Being a man also increases your risk for developing gout as men have naturally higher levels of uric acid compared to women. This is why when women do get gout, it's usually after the menopause when their estrogen levels are reduced.

Finally gout can be down to your lifestyle choices. Too much alcohol is a common reason for developing gout as is eating a diet high in purine, i.e. lots of red meat, gravies, shellfish and dried legumes.

There are some medications that your doctor can prescribe that reduce the level of uric acid produced by your body. However a healthier way, and what that is more natural, is to make some easy lifestyle changes that allow your body to regain its balance.
1. Follow a low purine diet - swap high protein foods for a more carbohydrate based diet.
2. Lose weight if your overweight, as this can reduce uric acid production. It is best to lose weight steadily rather than do a crash diet as this can temporarily raise uric acid levels, increasing your risk for gout.
3. Limit alcohol or avoid it altogether if you can. Men should limit consumption to two drinks a day, and women one drink a day.
4. Drink lots of water as this helps to dilute the uric acid in your blood and allows the kidneys to eliminate the excess more easily.

If you need more information on natural gout symptoms and solutions you can find out more on our website.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up now for a free newsletter & discover the various gout symptoms and solutions. Find out why exercise as an effective natural cure for gout.

Does a Low Uric Acid Diet Stop Gout Attacks?

                

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A gout attack van be one of the most painful episodes that a person has to endure. They can come on unexpectedly, usually at night, and can leave the effected joint, red, swollen and the sufferer in absolute agony. So can a low uric diet stop gout attacks from striking?

If gout runs in your family or you have had a gout attack in the past, you are at risk of experiencing an attack or having a reoccurrence.

As anyone who has had the misfortune of suffering through a gout attack will tell you, the pain is extreme and can be pretty debilitating, often leaving you housebound and off work.

So, what can you do to avoid a gout flare-up? The easiest approach is to look at and adjust your diet to a low uric acid diet.

As the old saying goes; prevention is better than a cure ? so making changes as soon as you realize you are at risk is very important.

The problem is that gout is caused by a build up of uric acid in the blood stream. When a specific saturation point is reached excess uric acid is deposited in the spaces and connective tissue of the joints. These deposits crystallize and the sharp, jagged crystals are the source of the swollen, painful joints.

Gout normally strikes in the big toe or one of the other foot or ankle joints, although it can effect any of the joints in the body. The reason for commonly affecting the feet is because they are the furthest points away from the heart and uric acid crystallizes in cooler temperatures.

Uric acid is formed naturally when the body processes purine, which is found in the tissues of our body and also in many of the foods we eat in a western diet - particularly animal protein.

When we have a diet that is high in purine-rich foods our uric acid levels can go up, which leaving the kidney with a harder job to eliminate the excess uric acid in a timely fashion.

The excess uric acid floats around in our bloodstream until it becomes saturated. At this point uric acid crystals are deposited in the joints.

There are two ways of tackling these high levels of uric acid, either speed up the kidney processes so that uric acid is processed and expelled quickly or reduce the amount of uric acid produced. An effective way to do this is by following a low uric acid diet.

Getting to grips with a low uric acid diet doesn't have to be hard. It boils down to these factors: Avoid foods high in purine and substitute these with foods with a low purine content.

The basic guidelines for this sort of diet is to avoid red meat, processed meat, shellfish and yeast extracts. Instead your diet should consist of gout friendly foods such as, cereals, some green vegetables, fruits and fruit juices, corn and tomatoes.

For a fuller list of foods to eat and avoid please sign up for our free newsletter, details at the end of the article.

By eating foods with a low purine content and avoiding those foods high in purine you will start to reduce the amount of uric acid in the body and allow the kidneys to get on top of their processing tasks.

Sticking to the low uric acid diet, avoiding alcohol and drinking lots of water can offer you the prevention necessary to avoid a further gout attack.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up for a free newsletter & discover how a low uric acid diet can be effective as a natural cure for gout.

Chlorinated Water - A Cause For Gout

                

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Chlorinated water may develop risks. It was proved that consuming chlorinated water lead to excessive free radical formation that leads to aging acceleration and increases vulnerability to genetic mutation. It may also lead to cancer or it may cause difficulty metabolizing cholesterol. Hardening of arteries can also be promoted by consuming chlorinated water.

A warm shower or a bath in a tub filled with chlorinated water leads to inhales of chloroform. More than that the hot water opens the pores and skin starts acting like a sponge. It is said that in about 10 minutes of a shower in this type of water it is inhaled more chlorine than by drinking eight glasses of the same water. It is also believed to have different effects that are surely not benefic. Specialists say that it can weaken immunity and can irritate the eyes, the sinuses, the throat, the skin and lungs but it can also make the hair and scalp dry, worsening dandruff.

It is also believed that chlorinated water excess free radicals might create dangerous toxins for the human body. More exactly it may lead to liver malfunctions, weakening of the immune system and pre-arteriosclerotic changes in arteries. Excess free radicals are also linked to alternation of cellular DNA. Chlorine also destroys antioxidant vitamin E which is needed to prevent the excess of neutralize radicals for cardiac and anti-cancer protection.

A study that analyzed thousands of cancer deaths in the northern countries of America found that chlorinated water increases the risk of gastrointestinal cancer by 50 to 100 percent during a person?s lifetime.

Later on in order to sustain the previous study another one comes and counts the number of bladder cancer and rectal cancer caused by chlorinated water. From a grand total of more than 10000 cases it was estimated that chlorine accounted for 9 percent of the bladder cancer cases and 18 percent of rectal cancers. Chlorine water is also associated with a high risk of combined cancers. It is proved that chlorine water can cause allergic symptoms ranging from skin rash to intestinal symptoms to arthritis, headaches and much more.

Because it destroys protective acidophilus chlorine is associated with gout symptoms. As it is known chlorine combines with organic impurities in the water to make trihalomethanes or chloramines.

Recent studies discovered a new problem related to chlorinated water. It is a byproduct called MX. Specialists observed in laboratories that MX causes genetic mutations and initiates cancer in laboratory animals. All these problems related to chlorinated water are also related to liver health, cholesterol, insulin resistance, gout or digestive problems.

For more information about foods that cause gout please review http://www.gout-info-center.com/ or even http://www.gout-info-center.com/causes-of-gout.htm

Can Reflexology Get Rid of Gout?

                

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Hydrotherapy is a treatment that can help you get rid of gout, but is not the only alternative remedy out there. Reflexology is a treatment that is often used to treat gout, and has worked effectively for some sufferers.

What is reflexology? Reflexology, also known as zone therapy, is an alternative treatment that involves the stimulation of specific points on the feet, hands and ears, for the purpose of promoting positive healing effects on other parts of the body. Reflexology may also be used to improve overall health. Although reflexology can be performed on the hands or ears, it is primarily administered to the feet, which is the method that would be used to get rid of gout.

A reflexologist believes that the foot is made up of various reflex zones that correspond to all of the other energy zones in the body. The theory is that applying pressure through massage to the ?gritty? or ?tight? points of one?s foot will stimulate the body energy connected to the foot point encouraging self-healing. Reflexology only seeks to cure imbalances in body energy and is not used to cure or diagnose medical conditions.

How does reflexology work? A qualified practitioner massages designated points on the bare foot with their hands. No other drugs or tools are used. Reflexology treatment has been known to ?

? Improve posture
? Improve circulation
? Increase the nutrients and oxygen in cells
? Improve chemical function in the body
? Remove toxins from the body
? Calms nerve endings
? Encourage overall relaxation
? Reduce stress
? Encourage normal body functioning
? Encourage pain management

What benefits does reflexology offer gout sufferers? If a person needs to be rid of gout, reflexology can be used to help restore balance to the kidneys. The kidneys are the organs that are in charge of uric acid production. Therefore, if the body energy related to the kidneys is stimulated through the corresponding point in both feet (boot feet need to be involved as there are two kidneys), this could help the kidneys lower uric acid production.

Reflexology can also be used to break up uric acid crystal deposits that may be present in the foot.

Are their side effects? Side effects are not common. However, some people may experience nausea, headaches or sinus congestion after treatment. This side effect is commonly referred to as a ?healing crisis?, and reflexologists believe it is caused by the body releasing toxins. These side effects usually last no longer than 24 hours.

Precautions - Although reflexology may effectively get rid of gout in some sufferers, it is imperative that you know reflexology is a preventative gout treatment and should not be sought during an active case of gout. Think about it - considering the pain gout causes in the foot can be so intense that the weight of a bed sheet is unbearable, just imagine how your foot would feel during a deep massage. Ouch!

You should also consult your doctor before attempting reflexology treatment if you ?

? Have kidney stones
? Are a diabetic
? Have problems with blood pressure
? Have cancer
? Severe problems with circulation in the legs or feet
? Have Osteoarthritis in the foot or ankle
? Are pregnant

Reflexology can be an effective treatment for gout if performed properly by an experienced practitioner. Just make sure you consult your health care provider first to find out if this treatment is the best course of action for you to get rid of gout.

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.

Keep Away From the Foods That Cause Gout

                

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Gout is a form of arthritis that causes inflammation, pain, sourness and swelling of the joints, also reducing their mobility. It mostly it affects the joints of the lower body limbs, such as toes, heels, ankles and knees, but it can also affect the joints of the upper body. Gout sometimes affects skin and soft tissue like muscles and tendons, causing swelling and rigidity. There are many factors that contribute to the occurrence and the development of gout, such as genetic predisposition to the disease, renal insufficiency, inappropriate diet and lack of proper exercise. Among all these triggers of gout, the quantity and the type of food consumed seem to play a very important role.

In the past, gout was referred to as ?the disease of kings?, as it mostly affected rich people. The high incidence of gout among the rich, noble families in the past is explained by the fact that they had better access to expensive, exotic foods that in present are known to facilitate the development of the disease. Today, many people are still confronted with gout as a result of improper diet, unaware of the damage that some foods cause to the organism. Apart from foods that cause gout, another important factor in the development of the disease is obesity.

Gout is mainly caused by the crystallization of a substance called uric acid in the bloodstream, causing arteries to block. In normal quantities, uric acid is neutral to the organism. However, when in excess, it may cause a lot of damage. Uric acid is a residual product formed in the synthesis of purine. Purine is a substance that resides in fat meats, fish, some dairy products and vegetables. Foods that cause gout are rich in saturated fats and purines, therefore contributing to the excessive secretion of uric acid. Among the foods that cause gout, the most dangerous are considered to be red meats and some fish. Beef, pork, lamb and seafood should be avoided when suffering from gout. Furthermore, healthy people should control their intake of such foods in order to prevent the acquiring of gout. Other foods like chicken meat, low dairy, grains, green vegetables and fruits are well tolerated among people who suffer from gout.

In order to ameliorate the symptoms of gout, foods that cause gout should be excluded from the diet in favor of healthy food. Also, the consumption of alcohol should be reduced, as it increases the amount of uric acid produced by the organism. Smoking can aggravate the symptoms of gout too, slowing the natural process of healing and interfering in the right circulation of the blood.

By drinking plenty of water you will help the body in eliminating the excess of uric acid. It is strongly recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. Also, try to reduce the amount of saturated fats from your diet and eat more carbohydrate rich foods such as cereal, pasta and bread. Consume plenty of fruits, as they contain lots of important vitamins and minerals. Fruits like apples, oranges, nectarines and lemons should be a part of your daily menu.
More information about gout you can find in the content of these pages, also there is valuable information about food that causes gout.