Treatment for gout – High alkaline diet

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June 17, 2013 by danfisher87

I was having a conversation with my Dad on Fathers Day about his gout which has returned to his knee and is causing him great pain.

He said the catalyst for the return of the gout had been drinking cider the night before, however the underlying reason he has gout was purely down to genetics. Having never experienced gout for myself I don’t know the amount of pain he was in but he’s assured me it was a mass amount and any further suggestions from me that would make the pain subside would be greatly received.

Firstly I had to look at what gout is and the causes. Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is a waste product made in the body every day and excreted mainly via the kidneys. It forms when the body breaks down chemicals in the cells known as purines.

If you produce too much uric acid or excrete too little when you urinate, the uric acid builds up and may cause tiny crystals to form in and around joints. These hard, needle-shaped crystals build up slowly over several years. You will not know this is happening, but you’ll know when you have it as it’s supposed to feel like ground up glass in the effected joints.

Currently my Dad takes tablets for his gout relief but these are just temporary relief and I believe that through some reduce and replace tactics and diet correction we can help his gout to disappear altogether.

Now that I am aware that gout is caused by uric acid then my theory is a high alkaline diet could neutralise the uric acid in the body therefore cutting the risk of these acid crystals accumulating in the joints. Because uric acid is directly responsible for gout, neutralising the acid in the body should help treat gout flare ups and prevent gout attacks by balancing the body’s PH levels.

Now we have to work out what foods are good for an Alkaline diet. I’ve complied a list, although it is no way extensive just a select few which are widely available in the UK.

• Watermelon

• Cherries

• Parsley

• Grapes

• Mango

• Cayenne Pepper

• Kale

• Berries

• Ripe Bananas

• Cabbage

• Garlic

• Brussels sprouts

• Cucumbers

• Almonds

Alkaline Diet For Gout Considerations

There is no doubt that gout pain can be pretty tough to handle. But choosing an alkaline diet for many is a very safe an effective way to stop gout in in it’s tracks. These small changes can go a long way in helping you avoid those awful gout attacks.

Here’s also some food that’s high in purines, the majority of shell fish, and meat contains a moderate amount of purines, however I wouldn’t recommend cutting them out altogether.

• Hearts

• Herring

• Mussels

• Yeast

• Sardines

• Sweetbreads