Gout
This disorder is very common among middle age men and less often in women. If it happened to women, it would most likely happen in women after menopause. It is often said that gout runs in the family. But it is only logical that it runs in the family as gout comes about largely because of a person's diet. A family generally has the same tastes for certain kinds of food. Rich food served at the family dinner table are often the culprit for gout. Untreated, gout attacks last longer, occur more frequently and may start to affect other joints. Severe gout can lead to joints damage and deformity. In most cases, gout is not treated. Read on, try the natural remedy and change your lifestyle to cease gout attacks. Read more thoroughly about gout or pseudogout. Gout attacks usually happen without warning. Excruciating pain can occur suddenly in one or more joints, very often at night. The joint becomes inflamed, swollen, feels warm, and is extremely sensitive to touch. A severe attack may cause high fever, chills, and rapid heartbeats. If left untreated, these can go on for a few days. Symptoms may then gradually disappear, functionality returns to normal, and there will be no symptom until the next attack. After repeated attacks and if not cared for, joint motion slowly becomes progressively restricted. Hard crystal lumps begin to form in or near joints, under the skin around joints, even in the kidney and other organs. People with diabetes and/or high blood pressure who also have gout, may have poor kidney function that reduces the excretion of uric acid. This makes the gout condition worse and may lead to tissue/joint damage.
Causes of Gout Gout happens either
because the liver produces a higher level of uric acid, or because of a
high intake of rich food, more than it can be eliminated through
urination. Our body transforms
substances in food called purine into uric acid, increasing the level of
uric acid. Too much uric acid in the blood causes the urate
crystals to be formed and deposited in joints. Regular alcohol
consumption is another culprit. Not only does alcohol increase the
production of uric acid, it also interferes with its elimination by the
kidneys. A combination of alcohol with high protein food is one of the
best way for gout development. Diet/Lifestyle Suggestions Gout sufferers should
avoid foods high in purine, like anchovies, asparagus, herring, red
meat, meat gravies and broths, mushrooms, mussels, all organ meats,
sardines. Another group of foods to
avoid are the bean products including soya milk, bean curds, bean
sprouts, bean paste, (and our local favorite, 'tau foo fah'),
etc. These vegetarian favorites have fairly high amount of purine
content. If you are a normal
healthy person, eat these foods in moderation. Excessive soy or
bean products consumption will have your big toe tingling in no time.
Read what can
happen and
what to expect, when you improve your diet and lifestyle, in
an effort to fight gout.
Take plenty of fruits and vegetables
(except those mentioned below) and avoid alcohol like a plague! Fruits and vegetables to
avoid if you have gout: strawberry, durian (another local favorite!),
tomato, tomato products, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, rhubarb and
peas.
Recommended Recipes for Gout
Plum Cabbage is effective in cleansing the
toxins in our body. Anthocyanin, the phytonutrient that gives fruits the
rich red-blue hue, are also powerful anti-oxidants that are effective in
combating gout. Raw cabbage juice is very unpalatable
and may cause gas in stomach. Use only one leaf of cabbage, 2 or 3
plums (depending on size) and a handful of blueberries. Add a few
drops of lime for taste.
Wheatgrass
Ginger Celery has been shown to
significantly reduce arthritic and gout pains. Juice it together
with the most nutritive greens, wheatgrass and alfalfa sprouts.
These make good blood purifier and can help eliminate excessive uric
acid. Cut a quarter inch slice
of ginger with the skin cleaned or scraped off. Toss it into the juicer
together with your alfalfa or wheatgrass. Add a teaspoon of either
spirulina or chlorella powder.
Beets and bitter gourds are amazing liver and kidney cleansers. They detoxify the liver and kidney, improve their function and protect them from excessive alcohol consumption and other toxins. Juice one small or half a medium-sized beet root, greens and all. Add a quarter bitter gourd, cut length-wise. This juice is very potent and should not be taken too frequently, especially if you are not accustomed to beet. Take it only once, or twice a week at the most. Warning: Even though this recipe is healthful, it is also very unpalatable. Do not attempt this combination if you are very new to drinking vegetable juice. Or, you may add a little honey to make it more drinkable.
|
