Got Gout? Ginger Will Help You Out!
Ginger – packed full of health benefits especially gastrointestinal symptoms, motion sickness, and seasickness – with it reducing the symptoms of nausea, dizziness and vomiting.
For gout sufferers it is the strong anti-inflammatory compounds – called gingerols and shogaols – that are of benefit. Many clinical studies have proven that when consumed regularly, they have helped with mobility, pain and swelling in those with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
A 2011 study found that ginger acted like a strong anti-inflammatory and lowered the symptoms of gout in mice just as well as gout medication used as the comparator.
Receiving gingers benefits
You can begin by adding ginger in your cooking or eat a small piece (or more if you like it) of raw ginger daily.
Consume it in the form of a tea by adding half a teaspoon of ginger root in a cup of boiling water and mix it with a teaspoon of raw honey to make it more tasty. You can replace raw honey with some lemon juice, you can also add turmeric and/or apple cider vinegar – find a mix that your taste buds like
Sliced or grated in curries, stews and salad dressings
As a paste mixed with water and applied topically on the affected area after a gout attack. Or soaking a small towel in boiled ginger and then apply it as a compress on the affected joint. The ginger increases the circulation to the area relieving inflammation and improving circulation to remove the crystals in the joint
Speak to a healthcare practitioner before using ginger to ensure it is not contraindicated with any medications you may be taking.
Don’t rely on ginger alone to treat your gout. Other things you can do that may improve your gout symptoms include losing extra weight, following a low-purine diet, limiting alcohol, icing the affected joints and taking medications that reduce inflammation and lower uric acid.
- Other natural gout treatments:
Pineapple
Pineapples are known to contain bromelain, an enzyme that has anti-inflammatory properties. So supplementing pineapple to the diet may relieve gout pain.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an effective anti-inflammatory and it has been recommended by experts that people having gout problems should include turmeric in their daily diet.
Cherry juice
Eating cherries not just lowers the uric acid levels but also reduces the chances of developing gout. Studies conducted in United States and Italy reported cherry juice to be beneficial for treating gout.
Bananas
Bananas are alkaline in nature and high in potassium. It is one of the best foods for preventing gout as the high contents of potassium help to fight the symptoms of gout. The potassium helps to break down the crystals formed by uric acid and rapidly excretes them out of the body.
Low-fat dairy products
According to a studies, an excessive use of low-fat dairy products, such as low fat yogurts and milk, reduced the chances of developing gout problems by 50% in men. Experts suggest that 16 to 24 oz of fluids is an adequate amount to cure the disease.
Watercress
Watercress has been found very useful for kidneys and also helps remove excessive amount of uric acid from the body.
Though the major treatment elements of gout are medicine and changes in diet, but changes in lifestyle are also recommended in order to maintain body weight. Also avoid alcoholic drinks and drink plenty of water as it has been found to cure the initial symptoms of gout by excreting away the excessive amount of uric acid from the body.
Browse our Natural Chemist Gout Category for a wide range of products that can help alleviate gout symptoms and reduce uric acid levels.
https://www.naturalchemist.com.au/gout/
Our Naturopath's favourite supplements for managing out include:
Nature's Sunshine Gout Fighter Plus 60t