Dealing With Gout

Gout can occur very quickly and is very painful. You cold be walking down the street without a care in the world, and the next minute you're in excruciating pain. Your first instinct may be to take aspirin to relieve that pain, but that is a very bad idea. Aspirin slows down the excretion of unic acid which will only make the condition worse. You are much better off taking ibuprofen which is also an anti-inflammatory painkiller, but it does not aggravate the condition like aspirin. Try to drink lots of water as this will help to dissolve the uric acid crystals.

When an acute attack occurs, you need to stay off your feet as much as possible and keep the affected joint elevated. If you can stand the pain, apply an ice pack for about 20 minutes as the cold will dull the pain and bring down the swelling. Don't apply the ice directly to the skin, wrap it up in a cloth. Use the ice pack three times per day for about three days.

\"Fish Liver Oil\"

You may have heard of the cherry remedy, which is an old folk remedy for gout. Cherries contain compounds that help to neutralize the uric acid in your blood. Cherries are also a good source of anti-inflammatory compounds. There are no complicated recipes with the cherry remedy, simply eat about 20 cherries when you feel an attack of gout coming on. If you cannot find them fresh, then go for the canned option. They can be fresh or dried, it does not make a difference. Recent studies suggest that 20 cherries is equivalent to 1 aspirin when it comes to relieving pain. If you don't like cherries, strawberries and raspberries have a similar effect but you are going to have to eat a lot more.

Fish oil and flax seed oil can help to relieve the inflammation in the joints as they contain a rich anti-inflammatory agent. The recommended dose of flax seed oil is 1 -3g a day. It is best to rather buy the oil rather than the capsules as you would have to consume about 12 capsules to get the same result from 1 tablespoon of oil. The recommended dose for fish oil is 6000mg a day. Make sure that you do not take fish liver oil or cod liver oil at this dosage as you will be taking in too much vitamin A and D. Always speak to a medical practitioner before you start taking supplements, especially if you are on medication or have other medical conditions.

There are a number of foods that you should avoid if you suffer from gout. High protein foods and foods that contain chemical compounds known as purines can raise the level of uric acid in the body. Avoid meat based gravy, liver, kidneys and sweetbreads. Shellfish such as mussels should also be avoided. Also stay away from anchovies, sardines and herring, fired foods, refined carbohydrates such as white flour, oatmeal, yeast containing foods like beer and baked goods. Certain vegetables should also be avoided such as asparagus, peas, beans, spinach and cauliflower.

If you symptoms persist or get worse, then please go and see your doctor.

Dealing With Gout

Sarah is a freelance writer for a number of publications and blogs on the internet. She writes for a wide range of subjects including health and nutrition. You can find her latest website reviews at Double Curtain Rods and Wood Curtain Rods