Gout, Natural Treatments/ Massage/Celery seeds/cherries

[Guest guest]

when one gets an attack of Gout; esp. in the big toe; massage the

whole foot calves to stimulate blood flow to the feet; this clears

out the Uric Acid; Eat Celery Seeds; cherry juice concentrate;fruit; a

, surpriseshan2

wrote:

>

>

> Gout, Natural Treatments

> _http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/treat11.php_

> (http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/treat11.php)

> _Source 1_ (http://www.medicinenet.com/gout/page5.htm)

> Alcohol is known to have diuretic effects which can contribute to

> dehydration and precipitate acute gout attacks.

> Alcohol can also affect uric acid metabolism and cause

hyperuricemia. It

> causes gout by impeding (slowing down) the excretion of uric acid

from the

> kidneys as well as by causing dehydration, which precipitates the

crystals in the

> joints.

> __

>

> _Source 2_ (http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/gout.htm)

> Gout is one of the most painful rheumatic diseases. It results

from deposits

> of needle-like crystals of uric acid in connective tissue, in the

joint

> space between two bones, or in both.

> These deposits lead to inflammatory arthritis, which causes

swelling,

> redness, heat, pain, and stiffness in the joints. The term

arthritis refers to more

> than 100 different rheumatic diseases that affect the joints,

muscles, and

> bones, as well as other tissues and structures. Gout accounts for

> approximately 5 percent of all cases of arthritis.

> Signs and Symptoms of Gout

> * Hyperuricemia (high level of uric acid in the blood)

> * Presence of uric acid crystals in joint fluid

> * More than one attack of acute arthritis

> * Arthritis that develops in 1 day, producing a swollen,

red, and warm

> joint

> * Attack of arthritis in only one joint, usually the toe,

ankle, or

> knee

> Pseudogout is sometimes confused with gout because it produces

similar

> symptoms of inflammation. However, in this condition, also called

> chondrocalcinosis, deposits are made up of calcium phosphate

crystals, not uric acid.

> Therefore, pseudogout is treated somewhat differently and is not

reviewed in this

> booklet.

> Uric acid is a substance that results from the breakdown of

purines, which

> are part of all human tissue and are found in many foods.

Normally, uric acid

> is dissolved in the blood and passed through the kidneys into the

urine,

> where it is eliminated.

> If the body increases its production of uric acid or if the

kidneys do not

> eliminate enough uric acid from the body, levels of it build up in

the blood

> (a condition called hyperuricemia). Hyperuricemia also may result

when a

> person eats too many high-purine foods, such as liver, dried beans

and peas,

> anchovies, and gravies.

> Hyperuricemia is not a disease, and by itself it is not dangerous.

However,

> if excess uric acid crystals form as a result of hyperuricemia,

gout can

> develop. The excess crystals build up in the joint spaces, causing

inflammation.

> Deposits of uric acid, called tophi (singular: tophus), can appear

as lumps

> under the skin around the joints and at the rim of the ear. In

addition, uric

> acid crystals can collect in the kidneys and cause kidney stones.

> For many people, gout initially affects the joints in the big toe.

Sometime

> during the course of the disease, gout will affect the big toe in

about 75

> percent of patients. It also can affect the instep, ankles, heels,

knees,

> wrists, fingers, and elbows. The disease can progress through four

stages:

> Asymptomatic (without symptoms) hyperuricemia--In this stage, a

person has

> elevated levels of uric acid in the blood but no other symptoms. A

person in

> this stage does not usually require treatment.

> Acute gout, or acute gouty arthritis--In this stage, hyperuricemia

has

> caused the deposit of uric acid crystals in joint spaces. This

leads to a sudden

> onset of intense pain and swelling in the joints, which also may

be warm and

> very tender.

> An acute attack commonly occurs at night and can be triggered by

stressful

> events, alcohol or drugs, or the presence of another illness.

Early attacks

> usually subside within 3 to 10 days, even without treatment, and

the next

> attack may not occur for months or even years. Over time, however,

attacks can

> last longer and occur more frequently.

> Interval or intercritical gout--This is the period between acute

attacks. In

> this stage, a person does not have any symptoms and has normal

joint

> function.

> Chronic tophaceous gout--This is the most disabling stage of gout

and

> usually develops over a long period, such as 10 years.

> In this stage, the disease has caused permanent damage to the

affected

> joints and sometimes to the kidneys. With proper treatment, most

people with gout

> do not progress to this advanced stage.

> What Causes Gout?

> A number of risk factors are related to the development of

hyperuricemia and

> gout:

> * Gender and age are related to the risk of developing gout;

it is

> more common in men than in women and more common in adults than in

children.

>

> * Being overweight increases the risk of developing

hyperuricemia and

> gout because there is more tissue available for turnover or

breakdown, which

> leads to excess uric acid production.

>

> * Drinking too much alcohol can lead to hyperuricemia

because it

> interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body.

>

> * Eating too many foods rich in purines can cause or

aggravate gout in

> some people.

>

> * Exposure to lead in the environment can cause gout.

>

> __

> _Source 3_ (http://www.youngagain.com/)

> Gout is a form of arthritis that develops when there is a build up

of uric

> acid in the blood. When the uric acid levels get high enough, it

collects in

> the joints. The joint that is usually first and most severely

affected is the

> big toe joint.

> As this uric acid collects in the toe joint, it forms crystals in

the shape

> of a needle. These needle like crystals cause a stabbing pain,

sometimes

> excruciating pain, plus swelling. The affected toe is like an

inside out pin

> cushion. OUCH!!!

> Gout is closely related to the foods you eat. The natural approach

to Gout

> would be to change your diet and increase your fluid intake.

> There are foods that cause an increase in uric acid and they

should be

> greatly curtailed from the diet. These foods are:

> * anchovies,

> * asparagus,

> * herring,

> * meats & gravies,

> * mushrooms,

> * mussels,

> * sardines,

> * alcoholic beverages,

> * fried foods. They should also try to avoid rich cakes and

pies.

> Some studies have shown a vitamin deficiency of vitamin B5,

vitamin A, and

> vitamin E contribute to the disease process of Gout.

> Foods that can neutralize uric acid are celery and avocados, so

these can be

> eaten freely.

> It is necessary to increase water intake also as this will help

flush the

> uric acid out.

> Herbs that help to neutralize uric acid are alfalfa, burdock,

hyssop and

> juniper. Alfalfa is the strongest of these herbs and the first

choice.

> __

>

> _Article Source 4_ (http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/)

> Other Proposed Natural Treatments

> Aspartic Acid, Bromelain, Celery Juice, Cherry Juice, Devil's

Claw, Fish

> Oil, Folate (folic acid), Selenium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.

> Gout is an inflammatory condition that is caused by the deposit of

uric acid

> crystals in joints (most famously the big toe) as well as other

tissues.

> Typically, attacks of fierce pain, redness, swelling, and heat

punctuate

> pain-free intervals.

> Medical treatment consists of anti-inflammatory drugs for acute

attacks and

> of uric acid-lowering drugs for prevention.

> Proposed Treatments for Gout

> The following herbs and supplements are widely recommended for

gout, but

> they have not yet been scientifically proven effective.

> Folate

> Folate has been recommended as a preventive treatment for gout for

at least

> 20 years. Some clinicians report that it can be highly effective.

> However, what little scientific evidence we have on the method is

> contradictory.1,2,3 It has been suggested that a contaminant found

in folate,

> pterin-6-aldehyde, may actually be responsible for the positive

effects observed by

> some clinicians.

> For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the

full

> folate article.

> Devil's Claw

> The herb devil's claw is sometimes recommended as a pain-relieving

treatment

> for gout based on evidence for its effectiveness in various forms

of

> arthritis.4

> For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the

full

> devil's claw article.

> Celery Juice

> Celery juice is a folk remedy for gout that is said to be widely

used in

> Australia.

> Other Supplements

> On the basis of interesting reasoning, but no concrete evidence of

> effectiveness, fish oil, vitamin E, selenium, bromelain, vitamin A,

and aspartic acid

> have also been recommended for both prevention and treatment of

gout.