What Are Some All-Natural Cures for Gout?
Other than taking medication, people can alleviate gout by drinking few alcoholic beverages, consuming limited amounts of fructose, avoiding foods high in purines and exercising regularly to maintain or attain a healthy weight. Additionally, some studies show that drinking coffee, taking vitamin C and consuming cherries or cherry extract may lead to lower bodily uric acid levels, and therefore fewer gout attacks, explains Mayo Clinic.
Gout occurs when urate crystals form in the joints, causing pain and inflammation. High uric acid levels in the blood often cause these crystals to form. Normally, the kidneys filter uric acid from the body. However, if the body overproduces uric acid, or the kidneys remove too little of it, crystals may form. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down purates, which are naturally occurring compounds found in foods like red meat, organ meats, and seafoods. Additionally, alcoholic beverages, and beer especially, increase uric acid levels, as do drinks sweetened with fructose, according to Mayo Clinic.
Gout patients can reduce inflammation and pain by icing the joint several times daily, for about 20 to 30 minutes, states WebMD. Drinking water balances the body’s uric acid level. Studies show a relationship between cherries, lower uric acid levels and fewer gout attacks, according to Mayo Clinic. A link also exists between drinking regular or decaffeinated coffee and decreases in uric acid levels. Vitamin C may reduce the level of uric acid in the blood, but as of 2015, no studies show that the vitamin reduces the number or intensity of gout attacks.
Medications for gout include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchisine and corticosteroids. In more severe gout cases, doctors may prescribe medication that blocks the body from producing uric acid or that aids it in removing uric acid, notes Mayo Clinic.
