Examples Of Natural Remedies For Gout

Gout or gouty arthritis results from the build up of uric acid deposits in the joint or joints. Uric acid is one of the body’s waste products, which is produced when purines are metabolized. Purines occur naturally in the body but they are also found in certain foods like organ meats, mushrooms, anchovies and many seafoods.

Gout attacks can be extremely painful that is why many who suffer from this disease are desperate to try different remedies. Below are some common natural remedies for gout that you might want to consider:

Cherries are one of the most popular natural remedies for gout. Usually, the recommended amount of cherries that you should consume daily is from ½ cup to 1 pound. You can either eat the cherries or make cherry juice by putting them in a blender and adding a little water. Extracts of the fruits are also other alternatives you can consider. While cherries are quite well-known as natural remedies for gout, the truth is there is not much scientific evidence that they are indeed effective. Still, many people who suffer from gout swear by them.

Vitamin C also commonly appears in lists of natural remedies for gout. Compared to cherries, there are more studies done suggesting that higher Vitamin C intake, about 500 mg a day, helps in significantly lowering uric acid levels in the body. However, health experts agree that more research is needed to form a stronger conclusion.

Those with kidney diseases should first consult their health care providers prior to taking supplements of Vitamin C. However, people with the medical condition “hemochromatosis” should avoid taking vitamin C supplements because Vitamin C is known to increase the body’s absorption of certain forms of iron. Taking very high doses of Vitamin C in the range of 2,000 mg or higher on a daily basis may lead to digestive upset, diarrhea, and gas as well as affect how the body absorbs vitamin B12.

A major part of natural remedies for gout is the patient’s diet because even if uric acid is produced naturally in the body when purine is broken down, consuming certain purine-rich foods contributes to the body’s increased uric acid level. A US national survey of health and nutrition found out that high consumption of seafood and meat is directly linked with high levels of uric acid.

However, protein foods in general are not linked with high uric acid level. In fact, dairy products like milk and yogurt were found to lower the level of uric acids in the body particularly when the patient consumes milk at least once daily or one or more servings of yogurt every other day.

Trying natural remedies for gout are perfectly fine, they are in fact popular but before doing so, make sure to consult with your doctor and use them along with doctor-prescribed treatment and not as a substitute.