10 Home Remedies For Gout
Gout is a fairly common problem that affects people across the planet. It is caused by an excess of uric acid, which then transforms into tiny crystals in the joints. These tiny needle-like crystals dig into the soft tissues of the joints, causing inflammation and often considerable pain.
The excess uric acid is often a result of eating a diet that contains a lot of seafood, red meats, and organs. As such, avoiding these foods in your diet can help to overcome gout.
There are also various remedies that can help to at least reduce the severity of the symptoms. Here’s a look at just a few remedies that can help to treat your gout.
Home Remedy #1: Bananas
Bananas are one of the best natural snacks available. They come ready to eat so you don’t need to spend any time preparing them. They are also packed full of nutrition and help to give you an energy boost just when you need it most. They can also be very effective in helping to treat gout.
Bananas are a very good source of potassium. This mineral is very useful to us in a number of ways, including the ability to help treat gout. The potassium helps to break down uric acid crystals and convert them back into a liquid. Once in liquid form, it can then be flushed out of the body.
Home Remedy #2: Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is basically charcoal that has been heated to very high temperatures. This has the effect of making it super-absorbent and this can be very useful for our bodies. It is sometimes used in medical facilities to help absorb toxins and poisons and is readily available in pharmacies.
Activated charcoal’s absorbent properties make it suitable for treating gout because it is able to absorb uric acid. To use it as a remedy for gout, first make a paste with some water and half a cup of water. Then, soak the gout-infected body part in the tub with the paste and added water.
Home Remedy #3: Cold Water
Sometimes, the simplest solutions are also the most effective. If you are suffering from gout then the solution to your problem might come straight from the tap. Just some cold water can help to relieve you of your symptoms considerably. It is effective, free, and easy to use.
One method is to make a foot bath using cold water and then let the affected area soak. You could also try using an ice-pack, but be careful to ensure the ice does not come into direct contact with the skin. The cold temperature will be able to help reduce swelling and also ease some of the pain.
Home Remedy #4: Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is a chemical compound that consists of sulfur, magnesium, and oxygen. It is often very welcome when it comes to bath time because using it helps to ease aching muscles and relieve stress. It is easy and safe to use as well as being affordable and easy to obtain.
Epsom salt’s high magnesium content helps to lower blood pressure and improve heart health overall. Relieving the blood pressure in the affected area can go a long way to reducing the pain. You can use it to bathe the area of the body that is affected, or you could also use it to make your bath more enjoyable while also helping to relieve symptoms of gout.
Home Remedy #5: Cramp Bark
Cramp bark, also known as Viburnum opulus, is a plant that grows naturally in North America. It has long been used by Native Americans to help cure various ailments, including cramps, spasms, mumps, fluid retention, and even eye disorders. Native Americans would also sometimes smoke the plant as a substitute for tobacco.
Cramp bark has also been shown to help reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood, and this will help to relieve you of gout. It could also help more directly by being able to relieve swelling and, therefore, ease pain. Cramp bark is fairly easy to find and comes available as an extract and in other forms.
Home Remedy #6: Apple Cider Vinegar
In healthy living circles, there are various foods and other substances that you are likely to encounter and one of them is apple cider vinegar. Made from apples, it is a kind of vinegar that is thought to provide various health benefits and is also sometimes used to treat certain ailments.
One popular use for apple cider vinegar is to help relieve the symptoms of gout. It has been shown to be able to help reduce inflammation and this can help to ease the pain that often comes with gout. It is often consumed with water, and you can also try adding other ingredients to enhance the flavor.
Home Remedy #7: Sodium Bicarbonate
Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, appears to be nothing special. The plain white powder, however, can actually be very useful in a number of ways. It has chemical properties that cause reactions when it comes into contact with other chemicals, and these reactions can be very useful to us.
One benefit that is likely to be of interest to people with gout is that it can reduce levels of uric acid in the body. To use it as a remedy, drink a glass of water that has had half a teaspoon of baking soda stirred into it. Do this four times a day for two weeks and your gout symptoms should hopefully subside.
Home Remedy #8: Apples
Apples are very good for us as they are packed full of important vitamins and minerals. They are also delicious and very convenient, making for an ideal snack when you are on the go. They also contain compounds that offer various health benefits and they can also be used to help treat gout.
Apples contain a compound known as malic acid. This compound helps to neutralize uric acid, therefore making it effective at treating gout. An apple after each meal can go a long way to overcoming your gout problem. Regardless, an apple after meals is always a good idea because of the many other benefits it provides.
Home Remedy #9: Nettles
We would generally prefer to keep clear of nettles. They have tiny barbs on their leaves that can penetrate the skin and deliver a small dose of a mild venom that can cause an unpleasant, itchy rash. Despite this, they can still be useful to us in a variety of different ways.
Nettles actually help to flush the body of toxins, including uric acid. This is partly because of its diuretic properties, which means it stimulates the kidneys into producing more urine, which is then passed from the body. Nettles can also help to both break up and prevent uric acid crystals, which are responsible for gout.
Home Remedy #10: Ginger
Ginger has been used as a treatment for ailments for hundreds, even thousands, of years. It was probably the Chinese that first started using it as it was noticed that the root has anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it very effective in helping to reduce the amount of pain that is caused by gout.
One way to use ginger as a remedy is to take a cup of boiling water and mix half a teaspoon of ginger root powder into it. Drink this once a day and your symptoms could soon begin to subside. You can also try mixing ginger root with water to make a paste and then apply this to the affected area for around 30 minutes.
