9 Home Remedies for Gout

Gout is a kind of arthritis that can cause sudden stiffness, swelling, intense tenderness, and burning pain in a joint. The most common place for this pain to occur is the big toe. The area will continue to hurt and swell unless the gout is treated. Gout is most common in men and, over time, it can cause serious harm to joints and tendons. Gout can also effect the ears and small joints on the ankles, knees, hands and wrists.

Gout is caused by an overly high concentration of uric acid in the bloodstream. High levels of uric acid aren’t generally harmful or dangerous and most people with too much uric acid in their blood do not get gout. The conditions is much more likely to develop in those who drink too much alcohol, are overweight, or eat too much meat and fish with high levels of chemicals called “purines.” Gout develops when high levels of uric acid in your blood forms hard crystals in your joints.

We’ll get more into the nitty gritty of foods and home remedies that can help you naturally relieve symptoms and even eliminate gout but first, let’s be clear about the worst food offenders. Here is the short list of foods to avoid:

• Excess sugar – sugar feeds yeast in the body
• Processed grains – grains turn into sugar
• Alcohol
• Processed meat – low grade meat products are full of unhealthy antibiotics and hormones

Replace these harmful food items with plenty of fruits, vegetables and organic meats. Gout is linked to additional health problems such as diabetes, kidney stones and hypertension. Treating it is the only way to stay healthy. In addition to medical treatment, you can promote healing and symptom relief by following these simple home remedies.

9 Home Remedies for Gout

1. Fish Oil – Over time, fish oil reduces your risk of gout. Gout is a kind of arthritis; fish oil has been proven an effective arthritis treatment and is, by extension, an effective treatment for gout. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil naturally reduce inflammation in the body.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar – Is there anything that apple cider vinegar can’t treat? It is used to ease headaches and treat acid stomach and the acidity of apple cider vinegar also helps sooth the symptoms of gout and other forms of arthritis. Take apple cider vinegar with a small amount of honey to relieve acute pain while boosting your body’s anti-inflammatory capabilities.

3. Magnesium – Magnesium is an alkaline mineral that has proven effective at treating gout. Alkaline minerals naturally reduce uric acid formation in the body. Studies have shown magnesium to be particularly effective at treating acute cases of gout. Furthermore, if you have deficient levels of magnesium then you might be more susceptible to gout. You can easily address this mineral deficiency by taking a magnesium supplement or adding magnesium rich foods such as spinach, swiss chard, and pumpkin seeds to your diet.

3. Black Cherry Juice – Cherry juice extract or black cherry juice is one of the best home remedies for gout. Cherries actually provide a number of health benefits. A study involving over 600 patients showed that after only 2 days of taking cherry extract, it was linked with a 35% lower risk of gout attacks in those suffering with the condition. Patients with gout are often prescribed allopurinol, a medication for gout and kidney stones. When patients combined cherry extract with allopurinol use, the chances of a gout attack was reduced by 75%. Like celery juice, cherry juice naturally reduces uric acid buildup and inflammation in the body.

4. Ginger root – Ginger root is a well-known anti-inflammatory agent. Its properties can be highly beneficial in relieving pain caused by swelling of the joints. There are a number of ways to incorporate ginger root into your diet such as steeping it in boiling water to make a tea, adding it to smoothies, or dicing it to incorporate into a stir-fry.

5. Nettles – Stinging nettles might sound a little intimidating, but they contain powerful anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. You can buy nettle tea and bypass the “stinging” altogether. The anti-inflammatory properties of nettles have been validated by researchers who published their findings in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, confirming the efficacy of nettles as an anti-inflammatory herb. Whether you use nettles as a tea or supplement, it will help you to eliminate gout.

6. Celery Seed Extract – Celery juice and celery seed extract is a highly effective treatment for gout which has been shown to reduce uric acid buildup in the body. Most people don’t realize that celery is dense in nutritional content with over a dozen different types of antioxidants including phenolic acids like ferulic acid and caffeic acid as well as flavanols like quercetin. Because of its rich nutritional content, celery is an effective treatment for many inflammatory conditions such as joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome, skin disorders, kidney and liver infections, and urinary tract infections. Fortunately, celery is as easy as it is medicinal. You can eat it raw, juice it, add it to green smoothies, or buy celery seed extract.

7. Lemon Juice – One way to ease the pain caused by a buildup of uric acid in the body is to neutralize the excess uric acid by alkalizing the body with fresh lemon juice and baking soda. Lemon juice isn’t the only fruit that can help you. Any fruit that is high in vitamin C will help to strengthen body tissues.

8. Proteolytic Enzymes – You can also treat gout using proteolytic enzymes. One of the best ones to treat gout is called bromelain. It is a digestive enzyme found in pineapple cores that can reduce inflammation and uric acid in the body.

9. Epsom Salt – Unlike the home remedies previously discussed, Epsom salt is not to be consumed. But it is a useful element for home treatment when it comes to arthritis in general and gout in particular. Epsom salt has a high concentration of magnesium that can help to lower blood pressure and promote heart health. Simply soak the affected joint in an Epsom salt bath to relieve pain and swelling.