Gout is a type of arthritis which is characterized by sharp shooting pains in the joints often affecting the big toe but also other joints as well and can last for a short time or days. The pain is caused by a build up of sodium urate crystals in the cartilage and tendons of your joints and can be extremely painful. Gout is persistent and can come in attacks, months or years apart. It typically starts and one joint but over the years can affect many joints and is accompanied by swelling and redness in the area.

While no one knows why a particular person may get gout, it is caused by too much uric acid in the body. if you eat a diet consisting of a lot of foods that are high in purines and chances are your body will produce too much uric acid. Therefore, one natural way to fight go is to avoid foods high in purines. these foods include red meats, liver, sardines, kidney, gravy, game meats, muscles, anchovies, sweetbreads, asparagus, shrimp, scallops, mackerel, hearing, beans, spinach and yeast.

Another dietary change that you can make to help treat gout is to avoid drinking alcohol. a study at Mass General Hospital showed that men who denied alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to get gout. beer was the worst offender in verse could be raised even by drinking as little as 10 g per day.

Cherries and cherry juice are delicious natural way to treat gout. Cherries contain flavenoids which help to reduce the high uric acid levels that lead to gout. it seems that canned cherries worked just as good as fresh and sweet works just as good as the sour. eating as few as 10 carries the day has been found to work but if you don't like cherries you might try a tablespoon of Cherry juice concentrate.

Other natural ways to alleviate go include putting a poultice on the affected area. Some people say that a poultice of leeks helps but a charcoal poultice can work wonders too. To make a poultice you need activated powdered charcoal and ground flax seeds - mix about a quarter cup charcoal with a tablespoon of the flax seeds add in a little warm water and mix until it makes the paste. Apply to the joint and change every couple of hours. The charcoal helps to draw toxins away from the body and can also be used as a bath or simply eaten!

Perhaps the best natural remedy for gout is to simply change your lifestyle a bit. Avoid foods that are high in purines like those listed above and limit alcohol intake. It is also important to make sure that you drink plenty of water and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Changing your dietary habits will not only help prevent attacks of gout but it will also add to your overall health and you may soon find yourself with the added bonus of extra energy, less illness, and a little bit of weight loss!