Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, in excruciating pain
from a throbbing big toe. Bingo! It’s a gout attack.
Gout is a painful disease that is caused by deposits of uric acid crystals
in the bloodstream, ending up in the joints of the body. It is characterized by pain, swelling, redness, and heat/inflammation.
Gout is also a form of arthritis, or inflammation of the joints.
Although it is most common in men, women can suffer from gout also.
Drinking lots of alcohol and eating rich foods contribute to the disease.
How does gout happen? The body produces too much uric acid,
or does not excrete it with the urine. The kidneys may not be able to eliminate it. So it builds up and forms crystals in bloodstream. Those crystals attack the joints.
Causes of crystal formation include drinking too much alcohol,
taking medications that may increase the uric acid concentration,
eating foods that are high in purines (liver, peas, beans) and being overweight.
Experts say that while alcohol is a key factor, metabolism has more to do with it, so weight is important to take into consideration.
Gout is in fact a recurring disease. People who have gout may have a
few very painful attacks in one or two joints, usually the big toe, foot, ankle,
or knee joints. The attack can last a few days or as long as several weeks,
and then the symptoms can totally disappear, not to return for months or years.
If left untreated, it can lead to more serious forms of arthritis.
Water can help with gout in many ways. Since water can serve as a
joint lubricant, one who is at risk for gout should be sure to drink plenty of clean filtered water.
Frequent alcohol intake leaves people dehydrated. Beer is the worst type of alcohol to drink in terms of getting gout, as in contains more purines than any other alcoholic beverage. Dehydration can also lead to kidney infections, stones and even failure.
Drinking pure water can flush the body of these harmful toxins.
Drinking more clean water can also help someone overweight lose excess weight.
On a final note, lead poisoning can also be attributed to causing gout.
It is a great idea to get water checked for unsafe levels of this toxic metal.
A quart of good clean pure water every day will do wonders for your health.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt if you exercise/perspire a lot.
Kay is a natural health advocate. She believes that clear pure water is the foundation of a healthy mind and body. Please visit this website to investigate the water filtration system she and her family use to maintain excellent health.