Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the body cannot adequately eliminate the uric acid that builds up in the system, causing crystallized uric acid to form in the joints. A form of arthritis, gout can take months or years to build up to critical mass, at which time is becomes extremely painful, with inflammation developing in the joint of the big toe, as well as the joints of the ankles, hips, knees, fingers, heels, thumbs and inset of the feet.

Most doctors will use prescription medicines as the treatment for gout. A medicine called colchicine will help reduce inflammation, swelling and pain caused by sudden gout attacks. The medicine works by decreasing the uric acid crystals built up in the joint. However, the medicine does not reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood stream. Most often the pain usually goes away in about twelve hours of starting the treatment for gout, and is completely relieved by 48 hours. Taking the medicines colchicine, or allopurinol, usually prevents future attacks.

Gout occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Certain individuals are more prone to get gout, including males over the age of 30, people who have a history of gout running in the family, individuals who are overweight, those who consume more than two alcoholic drinks daily or two carbonated beverages sweetened with sugar, cigarette smokers, those who regularly use diuretic medications and those who include abundant amounts of red meat, poultry, yeast and seafood in their daily diets.

Purine rich foods are not the only factor that can contribute to a person developing gout. Obesity causes the body to produce more uric acid. Keep as close as possible to your ideal body weight to further reduce your risk.

One popular solution for the symptoms of gout is to eat fifteen to twenty cherries a day. Fresh cherries are best, but canned cherries work too. Cherries have an enzyme that neutralizes uric acid and are high in anthocyanins, which have high antioxidant properties as well as anti-inflammatory action. For the best results, drink plenty of water while eating the cherries. The water will keep your urine diluted, which will help your body excrete uric acid and prevent crystals from forming.

There have been concerted efforts in recent times to harmonize natural herbs and plants extracts in order to get rid of the cause of gout, achieve instant relief and permanently cure gout. These efforts gave birth to Goutezol, a produxt now in the market. It is arguably the best cure for gout.

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