Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Get Rid of Gout for Good


The most effective natural way to prevent gout is dietary modification. Studies suggest that by simply lowering blood sugar, gout risks can decrease up to 85%. Recent research has indicated that men who drink 1 to 2 sugary drinks per day are 85%more likely to develop gout than those who drank 1 sugary drink per month. The best way to lower sugar is to eliminate HFCS from the diet, which includes replacing all soft drinks and sugary beverages with 10-12 glasses of water per day. Increasing hydration and water consumption will help flush uric acid in the body. Additionally, adding more exercise promotes increased circulation and stabilizes insulin levels. Research has also shown that exercise helps to increase your immune system and can decrease risk factors for diabetes.


Alcohol can be a large contributor to gout since it elevates insulin and uric acid levels and causes dehydration. Avoiding red wine and alcohol for gout sufferers is imperative. Although red wine has many benefits, for gout sufferers the negative effects strongly outweigh the positives making it imperative to eliminate it altogether.


Two fantastic ways to counteract and prevent gout is to consume Persian cherry juice, “tart cherries”, and celery seed. Persian cherry juice is very pure, low in sugar, and contains up to 50-60 cherries per ounce. “Tart cherries” contain powerful phytochemicals called anthocyanins and bioflavanoids which help prevent arthritis and gout and can be found in most whole food stores. Celery seed helps clear toxins and uric acid crystals from the body, and is an exceptional anti-inflammatory. Celery seed also helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Both can be found in your local organic food store. Strawberries and nutmeg have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties useful for preventing gout.

In Summary
Gout can be a painful and debilitating condition, but there are simple, healthy ways to prevent and relieve these symptoms.
Be sure to:
Increase
• Exercise
• Intake of Persian cherry juice, tart cherries, celery seed, strawberries
• Water consumption (10-12 glasses per day)
Decrease
• High fructose corn syrup, fructose
• Sodas, sugary drinks, desserts, breads, other sugary foods
• Consumption of beer, red wine, other alcoholic beverages
• Foods rich in purine content (red meats, sardines, anchovies, yeast)