Gout is an example of those sicknesses around which there has grown fables and half-truths and it’s not surprising then that gout home remedies have themselves too become the raw material of wrong information.
Once considered the illness of aristocrats and rich old men, gout has since thrown off that guise and is now recognized as an arthritic illness of the joints that may affect anybody with no regard for social background.
Essentially gout is due to a build up of uric acid in the tissues round the joints. Uric acid is the waste product from the purines found in some foods and this acid goes on to form crystals that are deposited round the tissues and joints. It is these crystals that cause the intense discomfort, generally in the huge toe, the gout sufferer endures.
Most of the gout home remedies then are focused around minimizing the effect of a gout attack and then controlling the frequency of attacks.
Keeping a tight watch on the diet is a great foundation on which to base all gout home remedies. A fat-free, low cholesterol diet is key and should be introduced once gout has been diagnosed. That implies avoiding sweet foods and ready-made foods. But above all eliminating from the diet those foods rich in purines is a good way forward. These sorts of foods are usually but not exclusively : red meats, seafood, yeast based foods and liver and kidney meats.
Alcohol, especially yeasty lagers should also be reduced or maybe cut out of a gout sufferers diet. The reason is because lager inspires the body to supply uric acid which for anybody looking to control and scale back their attacks of gout, isn’t something that is desirable.
Cherries are just about seen as the champ fighters of gout and many a gout sufferer is entreated to incorporate cherries into their usual diets as they so efficiently reduce the levels of uric acid that causes the unpleasant crystals to form beneath the influenced joints.
Using an ice pack to the inflamed joint is also one of the gout home remedies which has been proved to work and give ease to the gout sufferer. The ice pack will help to cut back the swelling and can even be wrapped up in a towel round the influenced joint for lengthened relief. In the same way, the influenced joint can be held under a running cold tap for two mins as this has been shown to give some ease.
Overall what’s been proved to be a winning home remedy for gout is to keep the body weight down to a healthy level, cut out those foods listed, keep well hydrated and take as much regular exercise as is at all possible.
