Question
I recently came under attack of gout, classic symptoms, I also discoverd several causes all of which pertained to me. now I am fighting back, and am wondering what herbs I can use to help me? I was also concerned with protein intake, is milk a good source when suffering from gout? cheeses etc? I am a weightlifter and don't want to live on oatmeal forever....any advice you can give me is hugely appreciated, thank you.

Answer
Hello Robert -

First you must intake a lot of water to help flush your kidneys. Gout if left untreated (conventionally or naturally) can lead to kidney disorders such as stones. Water will help fully flush the system and will allow the kindneys to come back to their natural watery and supple state.

Milk is fine, avoid all of the following: red meats, internal organs (liver), yeast, oily fish and shellfish. Although these foods are high in protein they will worsen your condition and if eaten in excess after the bout of gout has passed it will cause the uric acid to form again and will bring on the gout.

The best remedy, hands down for gout is Cherry Juice or 1/2 pound of fresh or canned unsweetened cherries. Natural cherry juice works the best, you can purchase this forom your local health food store. Make sure it is the natural, unsweetened brand and if it is the concentrate variety follow the directions with proper amounts of water to dilute the juice. Any dark red, blue berries will prevent and reduce inflammation of the joints and will aid with circulation which is necessary to help the uric acid crystals that builds up in the synovial joints. If cherry juice is not your flavor, try Blueberry juice - it will work the same way. Hawhtorne berry is very bitter but will increase circulation as well as aid in inflammation.

You may also want to consider a daily supplement of 400-800 iu of Vitamin E and 125-250mg of Quercetin with Bromelain, 3 (three) times a day between meals to ease the pain and help with further gout flare ups.

If inflammation pain is a primary concern, the herb Devil's Claw will reduce inflammation and will greatly decrease the pain. Devil's Claw has cortisone like effects but will not harm the body. I do however, not recommend this for long term use, only when pain is present.

I formulate a special tea blend callee "Gout Bout". This special blend will aid as a diuretic to help prevent kidney stones and help in flare-ups of gout. The herbs in the blend allow the kidneys to become recharged and will aid the body is good internal organ circulation. My father-in-law suffered from reoccuring gout and has taken this tea with success. The tea can be added to cherry juice for double effective action and is safe for daily use.

There is no cure for gout and it is not certain as to how individuals get it but proper diet is usually the best cure. Avoid the foods I mentioned above and you should find future relief form gout flare-ups.

I hope this information has helped you.

If you would like information on natural and herbal remedies for human and animal concerns please contact me at [email protected] and I will be happy to assist you. I also offer a catalogue of specially formulated herbal remedies (like the Gout Bout Tea I mentioned above) which I can send to you as well. All of my products are available online at www.localharvest.org.

Thank you and best wishes - please contact me anytime if you have further questions and concerns.

Sincerely,
Sharon Hubbs, AHG
Certified Natural Health Consultant & Herbalist