Gout is a very painful disease caused by an accumulation of uric acid.

It is more often found in men, although it affects a woman also.

Uric acid is a metabolic by-product of protein breakdown.

The increase in its level is responsible for purines, which are mostly produced by our body, but they can also be part of the food and beverages that we consume daily.

Purines do not absorb, which is why they are normally dispersed by digestive enzymes and excreted in the urine. When we observe too much uric acid and the enzymes do not manage to break it, then it starts to accumulate in the tissues and bloodstream. Eventually, it settles in the form of crystals- resembling needles.

Acute uric acid crystals get into the tissues surrounding the joints and then penetrate their gills.

This results in extremely severe pain, which is usually associated with swelling and redness that lasts for many weeks.

Gout attacks most often the joint at the base of the big toe, but sometimes also appears around the ankle, thumb, lobe and even ear lobe.

Patients with gout might observe a higher risk of nephrolithiasis.

People with insulin resistance are more at risk of gout. Unfortunately, the resistance of cells to this hormone is associated with high blood glucose, which in turn contributes to the increase of the total level of insulin and uric acid in the body.

Besides bad eating habits and insulin resistance, the reason for increasing the level of uric acid in the body may be a multiplying of Candida.

Best treatment:

• vegetable diet and healthy fats (avocados, coconuts and coconut oil, raw butter, olives and olive oil, Omega 3 – krill oil )

  Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids are three of the most important nutrients your body needs to maintain optimal health!

• fruit diet (prunes, strawberries, blueberries, cherries)
• potassium-rich foods (broccoli, swiss chard, brussels sprouts, papayas…)

This mineral and electrolyte provides support to gout patients, as potassium citrate, a type of potassium found in fruits and vegetables, may help neutralize uric acid found in your urine and encourage your body to excrete this acid.

• limit the amount of protein (red meat !)
• limit the amount of high-purine food (red meat, shellfish, anchovies, herrings, asparagus, beans, lentils, spinach, peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, and others)

Purine is a substance naturally found in your body’s cells and in foods. When you eat foods with purine, the body breaks it down and forms uric acid. Excessively high uric acid levels can lead to gout and, consequently, joint pain and damage.

• limit the amount of processed foods

Apart from high-fructose corn syrup, different preservatives and additives are added to processed foods, making them nutritionally deficient and setting many people up for the risk of various diseases, with gout being one of them.

• limitation of refined carbohydrates
• reduce / removal of saturated fat
• removal of alcohol consumption

Alcoholic drinks are a strong risk factor for gout, since these increase your blood uric acid levels and, consequently, your risk of a gout attack. Drinking too much wine can also raise your blood sugar levels, considered to be a major risk factor for diabetes.

• drinking lots of water!
• eating nuts and seeds ( macadamia and pecans), dietary fiber
• unsaturated fatty acids ( linseed ), reducing inflammation
• cayenne pepper ( pain reducer)
• apple cider (homemade best): 1 tbs of apple cider mix in a glass of water, drink (x 2 /day); foot bath for 30 min ( proportion 4:1); wet clean gauze in non-diluted apple cider and apply on affected areas
• baking soda: 1/2 tsp of baking soda mix in a glass of water, drink ( x 2 /day). Maximum 3-4 tsp (teaspoon) per day. Don’t use it if you suffer from high blood pressure.

Supplementation:

• increase supplementation of Vitamin C ! ( lowering chances of gout)
• removal of body toxicity ( supplementing chlorella, spirulina)
• celery seed extract ( anti-inflammatory )
• cherry extract ( anti-inflammatory)
• nettle root ( removes uric acid from the kidneys)
• ginger ( this root crop not only boosts your immune system but has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties too. Eat it fresh or drop  in tea or hot water.
• turmeric ( curcum): adding to tea or hot water
• fresh lemon juice mixed in a glass of water- best first thing in the morning. Great combination: fresh lemon juice, and fresh ginger in hot water. Repeat many times during the day.
• EPA & DHA fish oil – Omega 3!

OMEGA 3 is extremely helpful for people who have gout or other types of arthritis because these are known anti-inflammatories that may help combat joint pain.

• dandelion ( cleaning kidneys)
• bromelain (has a natural anti-inflammatory effect ) derived from pineapple stems, bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties. Eat fresh pineapple or take a bromelain supplement
• MSM ( organic sulfur) fantastic remedy for joint problems; also reduces burning sensation and skin itchiness in gout condition
• Boswellia an herb also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” boswellic acid in this herb may help lessen pain brought about by gout and/or other similar conditions. Continuous boswellia use may assist in reducing joint stiffness, inhibiting cartilage loss, promoting better mobility and improving overall joint health
• EPSOM Salt: great and fast ”supplementation of magnesium” – used in the bath ( 1 cup of EPSOM Salt + 1 cup of baking soda = fill the bath first with the water, then add the ingredients). Bath for 30-45 min. Feel the difference!

Aromatherapy & Alternative Medicine:

• lymphatic drainage massage using juniper berry oil (helps to break down toxic deposits and excrete them from the body
• therapeutic Herbs such as ginger, rosemary, turmeric, cinnamon and ashwagandha may work well in reducing gout-caused pain because they are potent anti-inflammatories.
• reflexology ( paying attention to the kidneys area)
• hydrotherapy
• acupuncture / acupressure
• moringa seed oil
• arnica oil/ balm ( reduce pain, excellent for bruising)

Homeopathy:

Choose the product that suits you the best.

• arnica montana ( pain reliever)
• belladonna (relieves fast-growing, intense, pulsing pain and burning; use it when the joint is red and discomfort builds up when moving)
• ledum palustre (it is a remedy for aching knees and feet, effective when you feel a painful pulsation, which resolves under the touch of ice or when placing a cooling compress)
• pulsatilla pratensis (relieves the migrated pain inside the joint, which resolves under simple touch or when placing a cold compress)

Supplements for Gout available in our clinic:

   AID BALANCE

   VITAMIN  C