One of the most common symptoms of Gout is a sudden onset of pain and soreness of the joints. The most common joint affected is the big toe along with the other joints which are susceptible too. In Naturopathy, diet plays a vital role in the cure of Gout.
One of the main cause of Gout is a purine rich diet. According to the principles of Naturopathy, toxins accumulated in the body cause diseases and in this particular condition some of the foods when consumed in excess aggravate Gout.
Naturopathy for Gout
A high fats or cholesterol rich diet could aggravate the gout condition. Foods like red meat, mackerel, oyster and sardines must be avoided. An ideal gout diet is low in cholesterol, fat and proteins. Also, fat molecules of food items like beef, lamb, pork and veal take a lot of energy to break down during the metabolic process. As a result uric acid, a by-product, is formed and accumulates in the joints of the body. One of the easy targets for this is the big toe, which is why initial stages of Gout symptoms are seen there.
Dairy products like ice cream, milk, butter, cream and cheese are rich in purines. Some vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, peas and asparagus are rich in purines as well. These food items may or may not have a direct effect in aggravating the Gout condition but can be shortlisted as potential causes.
As a basic first step of Diet Therapy, juice fasting can be undertaken as a primary detoxification process. Drinking water by itself is one of the best diet therapy. You are advised to drink lots of water during the fasting. Adequate amount of mental rest and physical rest is also recommended during the fasting therapy. To further facilitate the detoxification process treatments like mud therapy, enema or colon hydrotherapy can also be undertaken under the supervision of a qualified Naturopath. After fasting therapy one can follow a raw foods diet and subsequently a low purine diet to get most beneficial results.
Dairy products should be substituted by soya products. Tofu recipes are found to be beneficial in the treatment of Gout. Cereals, cornbread and rice are also beneficial in Gout treatment as they are low in purines. Vegetables should be consumed either raw, cooked or as ingredients in your soup. Generally all fruits are good in Gout treatment. Berries, Acai and Noni in particular,give better results during treatment. Eggs, peanut butter, custard, olive etc can also be consumed in limited quantities.
Beer and alcohol should be avoided as they are a huge load to the kidneys. Heavy alcohol intake has a direct connection to causing uric acid formation – as the kidneys are not able to filter them during the metabolic process. Thus it is advised that any type of alcohol be strictly avoided. As alcohol is prepared by fermentation there is a direct link with the formation of uric acids and the formation of crystals and lactic acid.
Limit the use of salt in your cooking. Try, instead other spices and herbs to enhance the taste and flavour of the diet. Instead of deep frying, bake your foods instead. Garlic is one ingredient you should try and use more in your food. It is known to lower uric acid levels in the blood and also lowers cholesterol.
Just by following a few simple yet effective Naturopathy options along with Diet considerations can bring huge relief from Gout and will go a long way in getting rid of the disease completely. However it is best to practice Naturopathy under guidance from a qualified Naturopath or expert – till the time you get the confidence to do it on your own.
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