Gout, also called gouty arthritis, is caused by an accumulation of uric acid
in the blood. The disease usually appears in midlife and primarily in males. It
can be hereditary or the secondary to some other disease process. The main
symptom of gout is severe pain and swelling in joints, but gout usually effects
one joint at a time, then may move from one joint to affect another joint.
The kidneys filter uric acid out of the body. But with gout, the body makes
excess uric acid or the kidneys fail to function properly, failing to rid the
body of the uric acid and it begins to build up in the joints in the form of
uric acid crystals. This condition is very painful. The accumulation of these
crystals causes severe pain and swelling in the joint. A common site for gout
is the big toe joint. But gout can occur in an ankle, knee, elbow, wrist or
finger. Typically the onset occurs at night with excruciating pain, swelling
and inflammation. Rich food and alcohol may contribute to the rise in uric acid
and the increase in the severity of the symptoms
.
Luckily, there are several superfoods that are probably already a part of
your everyday diet that help alleviate the symptoms of gout.
The pectin and vitamin C in apples
can help alleviate gout. The vitamin C
helps strengthen the immune system and the pectin helps the joints remain
flexible.
Onions protect the circulatory
system and are a powerful antibiotic. They're good for urinary infections, and
their diuretic activity helps with arthritis, rheumatism and gout.
Beets are richer
than spinach in iron and other minerals, and the greens are helpful in cases of
gout since the iron helps oxygenate and purify the bloodstream.
It’s also important to drink plenty of water to help keep the kidneys
filtrating properly and to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Avoid foods that are high in purines, as they
account for approximately 50 percent of the uric acid produced in the
body. Organ meats like liver,
sweetbreads, brains, kidney, meat gravies, meat extracts, scallops, wild game,
mackerel, herring, anchovies and sardines and cauliflower are all high in
purines.
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