Natural Remedy for the Rich Man’s Disease

Gout is a common type of arthritis. Some clinicians refer to it as “the rich man’s disease.” Gout occurs when there is too much accumulation of a waste product of the body, called uric acid. Uric acid deposits, in gout, are found in increased amounts in the blood, joints, tissues, and urine. Gout is common in both women and women between the ages of forty and fifty.

How is uric acid formed?

There are some people who do not produce enough enzymes to digest the insoluble uric acid found in foods that are rich in a chemical called purine. Purine-studded foods include nuts and beans, soya, and other high protein foods, including meat. The enzyme uricase produces oxygen to break down uric acid into a soluble compound that can pass through the urine. However, genetically, some people do not produce the right amount of uricase to make the metabolism or breaking down possible.

It is thus logical to derive from the premise that uric acid does not like oxygen. The parts of the body that have least oxygen content are the target areas of uric acid. These are the joints of the hands and feet, including the knees, and the tip of the ear lobes.

The result: Uric acid is therefore retained in the body and because of this retention abnormal conditions develop, among which are kidney problems (including kidney stones). The most common is gouty arthritis.

How do I know if I have too much uric acid deposits in the body?

If you are suffering from some joint pains and swelling of the joints, the possibility that it is due gouty arthritis is likely high. The easiest way to find out is to have your serum (blood) uric acid checked. The normal level for blood uric acid is 3-8 mg/dl (179-476 mmol/L).

Aside from genetic factors, what other factors are related to gouty arthritis?

Gout is a byproduct of certain foods. Therefore, gout is diet-related. Improper diet increases the risk of developing gout. Gout is not only related to too much intake of rich food. It is also related to too much alcohol. Other factors that can lead to gout are obesity, crash dieting, overeating, stress, surgery, and injury to the joint. There are some medicines that can block purine-metabolizing enzymes.

Natural treatment and prevention

When an attack of gout strikes, eat only raw vegetables and fruits for two weeks. Combine with natural fruit juices. Cherries and strawberries neutralize uric acid. Also include some amount fiber foods, such as oatmeal. Consume plenty of water to push or drain uric acid from your kidneys and down to the urine. Eat no meat of any kind, including organ meats. Avoid alcohol.

Prevention: Always maintain a diet low in purines at all times: Meat, meat gravies and broths, mussels, sardines, and beans and nuts. Say ‘no’ to sugary foods.