Gout is an acute form of arthritis. A disturbance of metabolism where there is an increased amount of uric acid, resulting in deposits of uric acid crystals around joints, especially fingers and toes. Uric acid is a breakdown product of nucleic acid and found in all living tissue. Excess amounts are usually excreted in the urine but any hold up may cause crystals to be formed. Untreated it effects the arteries. The incidence of this condition is 20 times more common in men than women.
Men who drink two or more sugary soft drinks a day have an 85 percent higher risk of gout than those who drink less than one a month, according to U.S. and Canadian researchers in the British Medical Journal last month.
Gout has been increasing steadily in the UK in recent years, and the researchers believe it is linked to a rise in soft drink consumption over the same period.
During the 12-year study, 46,000 men aged 40 and over were asked questions about their diet.
The risk of developing gout significantly increased among men who drank five to six servings of sugary soft drinks a week. Fruit juice and fructose-rich fruits such as tropical fruits, oranges, mangos etc. also increased the risk.
Gout causes painful, swollen joints, usually in your lower limbs, caused when uric acid crystallizes out of your blood into your joints. Fructose is known to inhibit the excretion of uric acid, which may help to explain the study’s findings
Gout is a condition that is increasing in Ireland, and although gout is commonly blamed on eating too many high-purine foods, such as organ meats and some seafood, there is clearly another dietary culprit: a high fructose diet. This is a diet high in sugar which contains fructose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) found in soft drinks, alcohol and fruit juices.
Fructose contains no beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals or accessory micronutrients for you, and actually leeches them from your body. Unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your heart's use of vital minerals such as magnesium, copper and chromium.
Fructose also reduces the affinity of insulin for its receptor, which is the principle characteristic of type 2 diabetes. Further, HFCS has been implicated in elevated blood cholesterol levels, and it has been found to inhibit the action of white blood cells in your immune system.
Meanwhile, fructose is not metabolized the same as other sugars. Instead of being converted to glucose, which your body uses, it is removed by your liver. But, because it is metabolized by your liver, fructose does not cause your pancreas to release insulin the way it normally does. So fructose converts to fat more than any other sugar, which may be one of the factors driving the current obesity epidemic.
Gout can be extremely painful but there are some natural solutions that can help.
Find out your metabolic type. Your metabolic type is the type of metabolism we each individually have which influences the right foods are for your own body. This will tell you what foods your body needs to thrive, including whether or not you should be eating high-purine foods or not. One can find out their metabolic type at the following website www.healthexcel.com
Avoid drinking soft drinks, fruit juice and other sweet beverages. Fruit juices are also often loaded with fructose, and if you still believe that this is an acceptable form of sugar, think again. Instead, drink plenty of pure water, as the fluids will help to remove uric acid from your body.
Limit the alcohol you drink (or eliminate it altogether). Alcohol may raise the levels of uric acid in your blood.
Exercise. Being overweight increases your risk of gout, and regular exercise will help you to maintain a healthy weight.
Eat lots of cherries and berries. Cherries and berries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both of these compounds slow down the enzymes Cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -- 2, which helps to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout in your body
Herbal medicines. Herbs can work great for treating this condition. Treatment is focussed on enhancing the excretion of uric acid from the body, reducing pain , reducing inflammation and balancing PH. Celery seed, Devils claw and Prickly ash are great here. Nettle leaf tea is a great adjunct to any treatment for Gout and over time with largely enhance improvement of the condition.
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