This post is intended to show you the remedies for gout that have helped me in the past. It must be noted, that not all treatments help each and every person. For instance, cherries work great for me, but for my friend they don't seem to work at all.
Herbal Gout Remedies
I have used several herbal remedies for gout in the past. These would include yucca root, celery seed extract, turmeric, and bilberry. None of these treatments got rid of my pain quickly, but slowly over time they did help ease the painful symptoms. Yucca root is supposed to work by easing joint swelling which is one of the main causes of pain during a gout attack.
Turmeric works by helping to block the pain nerve endings that send signals to the brain telling you that you have pain. In studies they believe it is the curcumin in the turmeric that provides the body with this benefit. It will help provide gout pain relief, but don't expect it to fix the underlying cause of the disease.
Yucca root is considered good for gout because of pain relief. You can buy it as a supplement in natural health stores.
Bilberry is known as the European blueberry. It is smaller than a blueberry but is very potent. Europeans have used it for gout for a very long time. Bilberry actually has more anthocyanins than blueberry. Anthocyanins are important because they help protect from cell damage that can be caused by the uric acid crystals. Anthocyanins also increase the blood that is pumped through your joints. This is important because the extra blood flow helps clean out your joints keeping them healthier.
Celery seed extract is good for gout because is helps increase urine output which can help you flush out your uric acid. Turmeric works by also helping reduce inflammation. Studies have shown that the compounds in the turmeric helped eliminate arthritis, gout is a form of arthritis, in mice.
Another herbal gout remedy I've used is nettle leaf. Otherwise known as stinging nettle, this has been known to help with lowering uric acid levels. In Europe, people have used this plant for centuries to help with this disease.
Alfalfa is the latest herb I've tried that I personally have found helps me tremendously with gout. I ran out of cherry juice and received a bottle of alfalfa from a friend. I had never tried alfalfa before, but he stated it was very good for joints. It also is supposed to help remove toxins from the body. He got it from a company called Shaklee which has been in the nutrition business for decades. What I thought was impressive was that Shaklee has their products tested by outside companies for purity and effectiveness and if their peer review does not pass their standards, they do not sell the product.
Shaklee gets their alfalfa from 25 feet under the surface so that it still contains all the minerals since much of the earths minerals at the surface are depleted. I have gone a month now and have not had an attack and have not had any cherry juice. This is amazing to me, as I have not had any other methods work for me as well as the alfalfa. I actually think it works a little bit better than cherries as I have not had nearly as many twinges either.
Natural Remedies for Gout
One of my favorite natural treatments for gout I already briefly mentioned. That is cherries. Using cherries for gout pain is a great way to help alleviate your symptoms. Before I found alfalfa, it was the number one remedy that I used to help me get rid of my pain and help prevent an attack.
One of the other natural cures for gout I often eat is blueberries. I really like to add them to a smoothie along with other good gout foods such as bananas (they contain potassium), because then I get the added benefit of getting the nutrition from both and smoothies are always fun to drink.
Other natural gout remedies I've used are bananas, watermelon, papaya, and pineapple. Bananas are great for gout because of potassium. Potassium is an excellent gout remedy due to it's ability to help the body process uric acid more effectively. The USRDA for potassium is 3500mg so it will take quite a few potassium foods to get you to what you should have. Try to get as much out of food as you can, but if you find you are still short that amount, speak with your doctor about a potassium supplement. It is important to speak with your doctor, because too much potassium can be deadly. It affects your heart rhythm and too much or too little can cause heart arrythmias. Again, if you wish to treat gout naturally speak with your doctor about the best option to supplement potassium.
Watermelon, as well as bananas consist of vitamin C which is also important for helping to cure gout. Studies showed that 500mg a day of vitamin C reduced uric acid levels by 50% when people reached that level consistently over a 6-8 week period. Not to mention that watermelon has a very high water content and water is great for helping to dissolve excess uric acid so your kidneys can eliminate it more efficiently.
Papaya is one of the new wonder gout remedies for me. It not only has quite a bit of potassium (around 5%), it also has over 100% of your daily allowance for vitamin C! You should definitely make this part of your diet for gout.
While some of these things won't help everyone, I believe they have helped me. My gout attacks are almost non existent now, and I am not on prescription medication. I actually stopped taking medication around 4-5 years ago. Give these a try, but make sure you consult with your physician before weaning yourself off your medications.
Until later,
Medic
While some of these things won't help everyone, I believe they have helped me. My gout attacks are almost non existent now, and I am not on prescription medication. I actually stopped taking medication around 4-5 years ago. Give these a try, but make sure you consult with your physician before weaning yourself off your medications.
Until later,
Medic
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