5 Suggestions for Gout

Gout is an arthritic disease that can affect any joint in the body, but seems especially prone to "taking a bite out" of one's big toe.  The toe will swell, become red, and hurt like blue blazes; even making walking difficult.  Typically, the condition resolves on its own in a few days, but misery is in store while it lasts.

Gout is caused by an accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joint.  Uric acid is a waste product generated by certain biochemical reactions in the body that involve nitrogen-containing chemicals (e.g. proteins).  It's excretion is through the kidneys.  Impaired kidney function and/or excessive uric acid generation will create the condition.

So here are 5 natural suggestions for addressing the cause.

1.  Reduce purine containing foods.  Purine is a common nitrogen-containing constituent in certain foods.  Foods with high purine content are: Anchovies, Kidneys, Liver, Oysters, Sardines, Shellfish and seafood, Sweetbreads, and Turkey.

2.  Decrease iron intake, increase copper intake.  Copper inhibits an enzyme that makes uric acid, while iron increases its activity.  2 mg of copper a day is sufficient.  Since excessive copper can decrease zinc stores, the best copper supplement is one that includes zinc.  Since gout tends to strike men and menopausal women, unless there is a problem with anemia, there is no reason why either of these two groups need to be taking any iron in vitamins at all; so check your multivitamin and get iron-free ones. 

3.  Taking omega-3 oils - e.g. flax oil, fish oils -- have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body.

4.  Improve kidney excretion by drinking a lot of water -- at least 1/3 of your body weight in fluid ounces.  Adding a supplement like AC Carbamide (Standard Process) can improve ammonia handling, further reducing the nitrogen load on the body.

5.  Eliminate sugar and fructose.  Some of the same enzymes that reduce uric acid also process fructose.  If your diet is high in fructose, the enzymes get used up in processing it, leaving little chemical work that can be done on the uric acid.  Table sugar is half fructose.  So one must eliminate all sugar as well as fructose.  

So, try these suggestions out on your gout and see if you get some improvement.

NatureWords for your health!