Gout, also characterized as gouty arthritis, describes a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in patients with excessive levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid buildup often collects and forms sharp crystals that collect in joints and lead to sudden and painful “gout attacks”. Symptoms of gout include painful joints, redness, swelling, joint tenderness and impaired joint mobility in some cases. Recommended medical treatments for gout may be prescribed by doctors, including a combination of colchicine, corticosteroids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs).

Yet, there are also several natural treatments to help keep gout at bay:

1. Tart cherries
Natural treatment for gout often features anti-inflammatory foods like cherries. In fact, studies research shows that regularly incorporating cherries into the daily diet may help reduce gout attacks by 35%. This is because cherries are loaded with anthocyanins, an anti-inflammatory plant compounds. Gout patients often consuming the fruit by drinking tart cherry juice, eating the whole fruit, or adding cherry extract supplements into their daily diets.

2. Lemon water
Sipping lemon water is great for many health benefits, including detoxification of the liver and kidneys, as well as for gout. In fact, numerous gout patients have found that preparing a morning tincture of water infused with the juice of 2 squeezed lemons can significantly improve uric acid levels. Lemon is a natural neutralizing fruit, which helps reduce uric acid within the blood.

3. Increase water intake
We’re constantly being reminded to drink enough water each day. However, for patients with gout this is even more important. Why? Because gout also strikes the kidneys, which is what causes uric acid crystals to collect and effect joints (often the big toe). Drinking enough H2O will greatly improve kidney function so uric acid levels are reduced.

4. Avoid trigger foods
With any health condition, certain foods may help control symptoms; while others exacerbate symptoms. With gout specific foods may worsen pain, inflammation, or frequency of gout attacks. Gout particularly responds to foods such as:

  • Refined sugar
  • Seafood
  • Alcohol
  • Red meat

With that in mind, gout patients often stick to a balanced diet rich in non-purine foods (with exacerbate gout symptoms and uric acid build up), such as beans and legumes, low-fat dairy, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains.