Gout is a fairly common rheumatic disease, affecting more than 950,000 people. It is a form of arthritis that causes intense pain in one or more joints of the body, especially the base of the big toe. Focus on the causes and symptoms of this disease as well as prevention means and natural treatments.
The causes and risk factors of gout:
Gout is mainly caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood, a problem known as hyperuricemia.
Uric acid is a kind of waste that the body has to eliminate through the urine. It comes from degradation of the purines that come from dead cells and food digestion.
Normally, uric acid is poorly present in the blood. When it is in large quantities and when the kidneys can not eliminate it, it increases in the blood.
Over time, excess uric acid will settle in the tissues and crystallize especially in the kidneys, the skin or in the joints, in which case we speak of gout.
Excess uric acid may be due to different factors such as:
Uric acid is a kind of waste that the body has to eliminate through the urine. It comes from degradation of the purines that come from dead cells and food digestion.
Normally, uric acid is poorly present in the blood. When it is in large quantities and when the kidneys can not eliminate it, it increases in the blood.
Over time, excess uric acid will settle in the tissues and crystallize especially in the kidneys, the skin or in the joints, in which case we speak of gout.
Excess uric acid may be due to different factors such as:
- Excessive alcohol consumption: Ethanol in alcoholic beverages can increase the secretion of uric acid
- Poor eating habits: a high consumption of protein fish, red meat ...
Gout can be considered as a male disease because it affects mainly men who have a naturally high level of uric acid, and manifests itself in them from the age of 35 years. In women, however, it appears after menopause.
This disease is also common in obese people with diabetes or hypertension or who have a family history.
Symptoms of gout:
Gout attacks usually occur at night and are calmed in the early morning. These symptoms are:
- Redness and swelling of affected joint
- Fever and Sweats
- Sharp and sudden pains
Treatments of gout:
The prescribed treatments depend on the cases: excess uric acid production or a failure of its removal by the kidneys. There is no curative treatment, the existing ones are designed to relieve pain and prevent recurrences.
In case of gout, it is also important to pay attention to its diet:
Remove certain beverages such as beer and strong alcohols rich in purines, as well as juices and sodas that contain a lot of fructose. The latter is metabolized to uric acid.
Limit the consumption of animal proteins, because they are rich in purines and avoid sausages, fried fat sauces as well as chocolate.
Drink between 1.5 to 2 l of water per day
Choose low-purine products such as eggs, vegetables, cereals ...
How to prevent gout and relieve seizures?
In addition, it is also possible to alleviate the seizures of gout and prevent it by natural tricks.
Baking soda :
Baking soda :
Baking soda is very effective in preventing gout attacks and alleviating its pain. This ingredient has the ability to decrease the amount of uric acid in the blood.
Mix ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of water and drink once a day, preferably in the evening because it is at this time of day that the body is more acidic.
The cider vinegar:
Cider vinegar is rich in malic acid, a substance that purifies the body and helps eliminate uric acid.
Dilute one tablespoon of cider vinegar in a large glass of water and consume the mixture before lunch and dinner.
Other ingredients to prevent and relieve gout:
Curcuma:
Thanks to the curcumin it contains, the turmeric can relieve the crises of drops by preventing the secretion of the prostaglandin responsible for pain. This ingredient also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and helps the adrenal glands to make more cortisone, which calms inflammation and pain.
Bromelain:
Due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, bromelain extracted from pineapple can help treat gout and relieve pain.