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GOUT GOUT LET IT ALL OUT
By Emma Wollof
Gout…What is it really all about?
Known as the Disease of kings, Gout was originally given this title after King Henry VIII due to his excessive and extreme lifestyle.
The word “Gout” comes from the Latin “Gutta” and an old French word “gote” meaning “a drop”. A few hundred years ago it was thought to be caused by drops of vicous humors that seeped blood into the joints of the foot…this is not actually that far from the truth.
I personally have become more and more interested in finding out about this so called disease as more and more of my friends and acquaintances are contracting the painful illness.
Most people associate Gout with drinking too much alcohol and eating rich fatty foods and people tend to be not be very sympathetic, saying things like “oh too much of the good life hey” or oh you need to stop drinking etc but this is not the case as I have found out after my boyfriend got the painful attack.
I want to know, what is Gout? What causes it? How do you get it? And most importantly, how do you get rid of it?
As many as 1 in 100 people will get Gout at some point in their life and this figure is bound to increase as already 5 in 100 men over the age of 65 already have Gout and people are living for longer.
Facts about Gout:
What is it?
Gout is a buildup of the uric acid levels in the blood, this causes crystallisation of the sodium urate to form in the connective tissue and articular cartilage and can lead to horrific pain and in some cases makes the sufferer unable to walk.
It is more common amongst men but can affect women more after the menopause.
What are the symptoms?
Gout attacks are usually acute and can come on without warning and suddenly. Most people experience more pain at night time, with excruciating pain in the joints, mostly in the ankles, hands, wrists, knees, feet or big toes. It can feel like a hot or warm sensation in the affected area, this is due to fluid buildup in the sacs that cushion tissue, it may become inflamed.
It can usually last for up to a week, if left untreated the pain will eventually go away after a week or two but will mean you will be in a lot of pain until it dies down.
Some sufferers contract itchy or peeling skin, this usually occurs as the gout spout is getting towards the end of its terror on your poor body. The affected area will be red inflamed and swollen where you are receiving the most pain. The skin can turn a red/purplish colour making the patient think they have an infection; some people will develop a temperature or fever. Your joints will become less flexible and harder to use.
What causes Gout?
When levels of uric acid buildup and become excessive in the blood it causes inflammation and is extremely painful when gout attacks happen.
The human body breaks down chemicals called Purine and it produces the uric acid, purines are not only found naturally in the boy but also in many foods like asparagus, organ meats i.e liver, kidneys etc, anchovies, herrings and mushrooms.
Most of the time the uric acid is naturally broken down by the body and is passed through as urine via the kidneys, if the body produces too much then the kidneys cannot excrete the acid therefore leading to crystals forming in the joints or surrounding areas, the crystals as they form look like needles hence the pain!!
The following listed below are known factors that can lead to an attack of Gout.
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Obesity
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Excessive consumption of alcohol mainly beer or lager
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A diet high in seafood, meat or meat organs
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A very low calorie diet
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Regular aspirin use
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Drinks high in fructose – a study at Boston university showed a test between women that drank high fructose drinks against women that drank fructose drinks once a month were more likely to contract gout
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Regular use of diuretic medicines (the treatment for high blood pressure, also known as water tablets)
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Nia Cin – Vitamin B3, make sure you start reading the label on food and drink products you purchase
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Medicines used for transplant patients such as cyclosporine
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Fast weight loss
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Chronic kidney disease
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Hypertension
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Psoriasis
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Tumors
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Hemolytic anemia
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Lead poisoning
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Hypothyroidism
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Surgery
Gout can be tested for by your doctor by doing either a blood test to measure the uric acid levels in the blood or by doing a joint fluid test where they inject a needle into the affected area to remove fluid to test for crystallisation.
You should go to see your doctor if you have a temperature as this could mean the joint is inflamed and could lead to infection.
Natural remedies
Most people believe cherries are the answer to all their gout problems, a new research shows that there are better solutions to hopefully make gout a gonna!
It was over 50 years ago a doctor by the name of Ludwig Blau announced a cure for gout by revealing that eating 8 cherries a day, he was wrong, yes cherries do alleviate the pain but they do not cure gout, in fact there is no cure for gout.
The most effective way to take control of gout to make sure you don’t get the dreaded attack in the middle of the night is simply a healthier lifestyle.
Most people control their gout with a healthy diet; this will also help with being overweight which is also a big cause of gout.
Just knowing what foods your body needs to treat gout like staying away or just even cutting back from high purine rich foods like red meats, alcohol, fish and beans.
Most gout sufferers are usually not aware they may be deficient in certain key vitamins, these are vital for helping the body flush the uric acid naturally through the urine.
Vitamins A, B5 and E are found in many fruits and vegetables. Drinking lots of water throughout the day helps flush the kidneys of impurities, you can also add vitamin C as this is an asorbic acid and helps flush the kidneys too.
Four natural remedies to help ease the pain and make gout a thing of the past.
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Apple cider vinegar – this versatile vinegar is used in remedies for headaches and stomach acid, it’s is also used to treat arthritis and gout is a form of arthritis. Mix 1 – 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink once daily. You can also try using organic apple cider vinegar and try adding a drop of honey. Have 1 in the morning and 1 at night time before bed, with the anti inflammatory properties in the honey and the acidic property of the apple cider vinegar will help relieve the acute pain
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Bananas – these are so effective for relieving gout, the potassium present in the bananas helps to convert the uric acid crystals to liquid which can then be flushed through the kidneys naturally. Bananas are also jam packed full of vitamin C which helps reduce swelling in the joints. Try adding 1 banana to a pot of yoghurt and this can also help with diarrhoea.
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Baking Soda – helps lower the uric acid levels in the blood. Mix ½ a teaspoon into a glass of water and drink 4 times a day (not advised if you suffer from high blood pressure)
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Ginger root – helps reduce inflammation. You can add ginger into your meals when cooking or try eating a small piece daily. You can also try putting ½ a teaspoon of ginger root to boiling water, bash the ginger up so it mixes well with the water and drink daily to ease and eventually stop inflammation in the joints.
So my conclusion is that if you suffer from gout and it makes you scream and shout!! Try living a healthier lifestyle, eat more fruits and vegetables and drink less alcohol.
Information was referenced by:
www.top10homeremedies.com/homeremedies/home-remedies-for-gout.html
This Article was written by Emma Wollof for Samui-Fitness.com