Nourish - Gout: Natural Remedies | Part 3
Welcome to part 3 of this blog series on Gout. Today’s blog post is covering natural remedies to help ease symptoms of a gout attack.
Many of these same natural remedies can also be used to help prevent the reoccurrence of gout attacks, which brings me to my next point.
In general, treating gout can be split up into several groups. You have diet and lifestyle choices to help prevent gout as well as to treat it should it be happening at that moment in time. You also have herbal treatments for symptoms of joint pain and inflammation as well as natural remedies to help prevent the reoccurrence of gout.
There are many ways to treat and lessen the symptoms of gout using both conventional and herbal medicines. That being said, it is important to understand that there’s no one magic pill to stop it in its tracks. Gout needs to be tackled from many angles, including diet, lifestyle and using herbal allies to help prevent it or lessen existing symptoms.
I covered diet and lifestyle advice in my previous blog posts on gout. If you missed parts 1 and 2, check them out here:
Due to a lack of scientific studies, there’s no 100% scientifically proven natural remedy I can say will definitely cure your pain. However, I can guide you towards some natural remedies used traditionally for it and those that have shown some great results outside of the labs.
Try out these natural remedies for gout relief to help reduce your pain and ease your symptoms
No. 1 – Drink Plenty of Water
One of the best gout allies available to us is in fact, water!
Uric acid passes through your body via your urine and will be flushed out. Furthermore, water also keeps you hydrated which is incredibly important when talking about gout. When you don’t drink enough water, those prone to gout may actually increase the build-up of uric acid in their body. Water helps to keep uric acid levels in check.
As always, remember to drink 1.5-2 litres of water a day, depending on your activities. Naturally, this requirement will be higher if you are exercising or sweating a great deal.
And on the subject of water, cold water helps to reduce swelling. If you are suffering from a flare-up, soak the affected area in cold water for pain relief.
No. 2 – Take Anti-inflammatory Herbs
If an attack has unfortunately taken its hold of you, then the first thing you will want to do is relieve the pain and inflammation. Herbs that help reduce inflammation and pain include turmeric, Devil’s Claw, Celery Seed Extract, Nettle, Dandelion and Ginger to name a few.
Devil’s Claw
Devil’s Claw is a strong anti-inflammatory herb shown to ease swelling and pain in joints. The tubers are used medicinally and are a traditional remedy for joint pain. It will be music to your ears to hear that this herb offers painkilling properties that work wonderfully for gout sufferers. Bonus point, it’s easy to take. We stock A.Vogel Devil’s Claw Atrosan Tablets and all you need is one tablet twice daily immediately after food. The dose can be increased to two tablets twice daily if relief is not obtained after 3 to 5 days.
Arnica
Arnica is another glorious herb which has hundreds of years of usage behind it as a powerful anti-inflammatory herb when used externally. In terms of treating gout, try the licensed herbal remedy Atrogel arnica gel. Simply apply to the affected joint and your symptoms will likely reduce and offer some relief.
Cherries
Cherries contain two powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. It’s these properties that are thought to help provide pain relief from gout. They help to reduce inflammation and might lower the risk of a gout attack. Additionally, cherries are thought to lower uric acid levels.
Of course, eating cherries regularly is one way to get them into you, but tart cherry juice and supplements are further ways.
We stock:
Turmeric
When it comes to pain relief, turmeric is right up there for herbal relief. It offers significant anti-inflammatory qualities, as well as pain-relieving properties. This makes it a great herb for all matter of painful ailments, and that includes bone and joint health.
We stock a huge variety of turmeric products, including:
- Pukka Wholistic Turmeric
- Wild Nutrition Turmaforte Full Spectrum Turmeric
- Solgar Full Spectrum Curcumin 185X (Turmeric) Softgels
- Turmeric Powder
I have a whole blog post dedicated to this herb, so please have a read over it if you’re interested.
Bromelain
Bromelain is a herbal extract of digestive-enhancing enzymes, derived from the stem of pineapple. It helps to dissolve uric acid crystals and brings relief to inflamed joints.
Other anti-inflammatory herbs include, but are not limited to, ginger, cinnamon, rosemary and even ashwagandha. They may all work well in reducing pain caused by gout thanks to their potent anti-inflammatory properties.
No. 3 – Consume More Natural Diuretic Herbs
Some herbs such as dandelion and nettle are wonderful remedies to support the function of the liver and kidneys, helping them to flush out toxins, such as uric acid, from the body.
Nettle
Nettle, in addition to being a strong diuretic, is high in minerals. Not only does this help your kidneys function well but it also improves your capacity to counterbalance uric acid in the bloodstream. You can easily drink this herbal brew throughout the day. Pukka have a great tea called Cleanse that I would highly recommend. This also contains the glorious Dandelion, a wonderful herb to help the liver and kidneys.
We also sell A Vogel Urtica Stinging Nettle tincture.
Solidago
Another herbal ally would be Solidago, aka Golden Rod. We stock A Vogel Solidago which is a fresh plant preparation made from goldenrod herb, birch leaf herb, restharrow herb and horsetail mother tincture. This tincture helps to support the kidneys by removing impurities from the body and is commonly used to stimulate urination. This tincture is widely used as a kidney tonic due to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. (On a side note, this is a good choice if you also get urinary tract infections.)
One final worth briefly mentioning is Milk Thistle. This herb is very much a friend of the liver, helping to cleanse the body.
No. 4 – Eat Potassium Rich Foods
The mineral potassium is another great natural remedy for gout sufferers. This mineral and electrolyte provides support to gout patients, since it may help neutralise uric acid in your urine and encourage its excretion from the body.
Potassium citrate is found in a multitude of fruits and vegetables. Some examples would be avocados, bananas, leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, mushrooms, pumpkin, dates and raisins.
No. 5 – Try Omega 3
The omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are another option for gout because they have anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, omega 3 supplements are often a key component in a diet and supplement plan for many forms of arthritis. These anti-inflammatory properties mean that they may help combat the joint pain associated with arthritis. And that includes gout.
We stock a wide array of essential fatty acids, but here are just some that we love:
- Minami Nutrition Morepa Smart Fats
- Cleanmarine Krill Oil
If you’re a vegetarian or vegan you can still benefit from an omega-3 supplement, thanks to the option of algae oil. - Testa Algae Omega
One last point
Aside from natural remedies, in the event of an attack, there are a few things you can do to make yourself feel a little more comfortable:
- Rest – rest as much as you can
- Raise the affected limb – try to raise the affected limb using a cushion for example and make any necessary precautions to prevent further discomfort. Even the weight of a duvet can be excruciating, so using some kind of frame over the affected area may help.
- Soak the affected joint in warm or cold water to ease the pain away
- Apply a cooling pack to the affected joint to keep it as cool as possible. If using ice or frozen peas, remember to never place ice directly next to your skin. Furthermore, do not use apply the ice pack for more than 20 minutes at a time. Remove, then let your skin return to its normal temperature before applying another ice pack.
And that’s it for natural remedies to help ease symptoms of a gout attack.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the blog series on Gout here:
Emily Nöth
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*Please note that while we are knowledgeable about our products and nutrition, this blog should never be a substitute for medical advice and attention.
Please remember that you should always obtain the all-clear from your doctor before starting any new supplement plan or diet if you’re on any medication
