"The Gout Solution" by Paul Thomas

Paul Thomas, an author who does medical research on gout, recently sent me a preview copy of his eBook, The Gout Solution. I was very impressed by the way Mr. Thomas presented his information in a very logical, easy to understand format. Everything is made perfectly clear and the conclusions he draws flow logically and are easy to follow. It is, by far, the best book on gout I've seen in a long time. The other thing that impressed me is that his research is up-to-date. I've written posts, shared from Dr. Mercola's website, on the connection between high fructose corn syrup and insulin resistance as they relate to the build-up of uric acid in the blood stream. New research is proving that the answer to controlling your gout isn't reducing the amount of purines in your diet, but monitoring the HFCS and carbohydrates you consume, as well as keeping your blood sugar under control. Mr. Thomas addresses this new research fully and explains it so that it makes sense. He also includes some very good recipes that help you start changing the way you eat. Please watch the video that Mr. Thomas has prepared which explains The Gout Solution fully. You won't be disappointed.

Gout Natural Remedies - Turmeric for Gout

Here's an article I wrote earlier this month for Scribd. Turmeric is such an important remedy for treating gout, I wanted to repeat it here so you wouldn't miss out on this information. ---Renee

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric (curcuma langa), a native of tropical South Asia, is a spice obtained from the root of a perennial plant, and is a member of the Ginger family. It is one of the main ingredients for curry in India. In fact, India is the largest producer and user of Turmeric. Other uses are as a colorant in American Mustard,  cheese, and butter. Turmeric has been used for over 4,000 years to treat illnesses, and  for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for treating arthritis.   Many cultures have used Turmeric as a gout natural remedy because of it's anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties.

How does it help gout?

Gout is a form of arthritis, called "gouty arthritis" and is closely related to rheumatoid arthritis. An ingredient in Turmeric called curcumin is the active ingredient that aids in gout pain relief, inflammation, and swelling. Here are some of the things curcumin can do:

• Curcumin inhibits the production of prostaglandins which are related to pain.
• It is a potent anti-inflammatory and offers natural gout pain relief.
• It is a powerful antioxidant and reduces the inflammatory enzyme called COX-2.  The inflammation that occurs when our white blood cells filght the monosodium oxate crystals is what leads to an attack of gout.
• A 2006 study UA College of Medicine stated that curcumin works as an anti-arthritic, and completely inhibited the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in laboratory mice.
• In another study at the University of Arizona, symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis were created in lab mice. They were treated with curcumin which was found to be an effective treatment in preventing joint inflammation and reducing joint swelling.
• Curcumin causes the body's adrenal gland to produce more of the body's own cortisone, a powerful reliever of inflammation and pain, two of the worst symptoms during a gout attack.

How can I take Turmeric?

Turmeric can be purchased in health food stores online such as GNC, department stores such as WalMart and, of course, Amazon always has great prices. It is available as a fluid extract, capsules, or a tincture. A lot of blends include Bromelain which aids in absorption and also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Be sure buy a product with high levels of curcuminoids. The powder can also be used in your cooking. A half teaspoon added to an egg white omelette colors it nicely and you don't even miss the egg yolks. A pinch added to egg salad also renders a nice color. Of course, most curry recipe use Turmeric. You can easily find recipes online and start incorporating Turmeric into your diet.

Two Recipes for Delicious Tea

These recipes are my favorites.  I drink one or the other each day.   One uses Turmeric alone and the other uses Turmeric and Ginger. Both are good for detoxification and they taste wonderful. Both recipes follow the same procedure, so I've only listed the instructions after the second recipe.

Recipe #1

2 cups of water 1/2 teaspoon powder Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon powdered Ginger 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup or Honey Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Recipe #2

4 cups of water 1 Tablespoon of powdered Turmeric Lemon (optional) Honey (optional)

Instructions for both recipes:

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and add the Turmeric (and Ginger).
3. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Strain the tea with a mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
5. Add the Honey or Maple Syrup and lemon.
6. Stir and enjoy!

Precautions:

The only people who shouldn't use Turmeric are people with gallstones, people with bile duct obstruction, people taking a blood thinner such as coumadin, people taking drugs to reduce stomach acid, and pregnant women.

How much should I take?

Here are some recommended dosages I found online.  If you're taking one of the supplements, such as the capsules, take 400-600 mg three times a day; for the fluid extract, take 30-90 drops each day; for the tincture, take 15-30 drops four times each day.

The Impact of Fructose on Uric Acid Levels

The following post is from Dr. Joseph Mercola and is based on an interview he had on May 18, 2010 with Dr. Richard J Johnson. I consider it a very serious subject and wanted you to have this information. . . Renée Dr. Richard Johnson is the chief of the division of kidney disease and hypertension at the University of Colorado, and author of  The Sugar Fix, one of the best books on the market on the dangers of fructose. As one of the physicians on the cutting edge of sugar metabolism research today, his focus is on how the overabundance of sugar in the American diet -- particularly fructose -- is causing obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and a number of other health problems. Sources:  Video Transcript

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Fructose has become one of my newest health passions for a number of reasons. It is really not well understood how pervasive a negative influence this sugar has on people’s health, but even more importantly, it is something that we can easily change, by influencing  the food industry to replace it with something healthier. One of the leading researchers in this field is Richard Johnson, MD who the chief of the division of kidney disease and hypertension at the University of Colorado.   I’ve previously interviewed Dr. Johnson about his research into the health dangers of fructose, specifically how fructose causes high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Here, we continue this discussion, and Dr. Johnson also shares new details of the research he’s been involved with since the last interview. An interesting aside is that at the end of this interview, I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that I had written some of the articles on fructose that he reviewed when he first decided to researched this topic. It really gave me great joy to know that all the hard work and effort I have put in over the years really is making a difference, not only getting people healthy, but also motivating high integrity scientists to do the right thing. Additionally, Dr. Johnson actually endorses Splenda in his book, The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick, which was written prior to us getting to know each other, but I recently sent him my book Sweet Deception: Why Splenda, NutraSweet, and the FDA May Be Hazardous to Your Health, which outlines the many dangers of artificial sweeteners. He’s a true physician and was eager to review the material and update his knowledge on the subject. There aren’t many doctors out there with this type of integrity. I really like Dr. Johnson and believe he’s an authentically well-intentioned good guy. It is not often that a health researcher can open up my eyes to a completely novel and new risk factor for health, as he did with uric acid and fructose, and I will always be grateful to him for that and for his willingness to enlighten us in these interviews.

Uric Acid as a Marker for Fructose Toxicity

One of the surprising facts discussed in our first interview was how detrimental the impact of fructose is on your uric acid levels. It appears as though that process is essential to the damage that fructose causes, and it’s actually an excellent marker for toxicity from fructose. According to the latest research in this area, the safest range of uric acid is between 3 and 5.5 milligrams per deciliter, and there appears to be a steady relationship between uric acid levels and blood pressure and cardiovascular risk, even down to the range of 3 to 4 mg/dl. Dr. Johnson suggests that the ideal uric acid level is probably around 4 mg/dl for men and 3.5 mg/dl for women. This is actually the only major biochemical marker that I need to optimize at this point in my life, which  most likely suggests that I am particularly sensitive to fructose intake and that it’s best for me to keep my levels as low as possible. This is most likely due to genetics and would explain why most of my paternal relatives have, or have died from, diabetes. That side of the family is most likely particularly sensitive to fructose. So I would STRONGLY encourage everyone to have their uric acid level checked to find out how sensitive you are to fructose. (I’ll discuss this strategy further, later in this article.) As you know, two-thirds of the US population is overweight, and most of these people likely have uric acid levels well above 5.5. Some may even be closer to 10 or above. Dr. Johnson has developed a program to help people optimize their uric acid levels, and the key step in this program is complete elimination of fructose.

Results of the Latest Clinical Trial

“We’ve just finished a clinical trial where we gave a low fructose diet to overweight and obese adults from Mexico City.” Dr. Johnson says. “We tried two different low fructose diets, but first, before we go into that, we think that the effects of fructose are independent of its energy intake. So that although sugar -- which contains fructose and high fructose corn syrup -- although there is a caloric component, we think that the effects of fructose are not specifically related to the calories but rather to its mechanism, of which uric acid is driving part. … [Uric acid levels] being too high seems to really increase the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure, kidney disease and obesity. And in fact, there are more and more papers coming out showing that connection.”

One of the questions that Dr. Johnson sought to answer in his latest trial was whether or not you need to reduce ALL fructose in your diet, or just reduce the fructose primarily in added sugars like high fructose corn syrup and table sugar. After comparing the two low fructose diets -- one that was strictly low fructose, and the other that had low fructose but allowed natural fruits – they discovered that both diets had remarkable effects in reducing metabolic syndrome. Both diets improved triglycerides, insulin resistance and blood pressure.

Revisiting Fruit Consumption

So it appears as though whole fruits, even though they contain fructose, may not be nearly as problematic as fructose from added sugars. One of the reasons for this is believed to be because whole fruits contain high amounts of natural antioxidants, as well as other synergistic compounds that may help counter the detrimental effects of fructose. The key here though is WHOLE fruits. Fruit juice typically contains very high concentrations of fructose, which will cause your insulin to spike and may counter the benefits of the antioxidants. Previous studies have already clearly demonstrated that drinking large amounts of juice dramatically increases your risk of obesity.

“When I originally wrote my book, I was concerned that if you eat large amounts even of natural fruits you could get into trouble,”Johnson says, “and I have had cases where people were eating very large amounts of natural fruits. When I cut it out or reduced it, they’ve had dramatic weight loss. So I’ve had a number of people like this who are eating almost a pure fruit diet, and I don’t think that that’s particularly good, but I think that the normal individual eating two to four natural fruits a day probably is going to be fine.”

I do remain convinced that many people, especially those that have insulin resistance, such as those with:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Overweight

should be particularly careful about limiting their fructose from fruit to 15 grams per day or less.  However the NEW appreciation is that if you have your uric acid level checked and have a level of 4 for men, or 3.5 for women, you probably are at a very low risk for fructose toxicity and can be  more liberal with these limits. The higher your uric acid though, the more you need to limit or even avoid fructose until your uric acid level normalizes.

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Limes 1 medium 0 Lemons 1 medium 0.6 Cranberries 1 cup 0.7 Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9 Prune 1 medium 1.2 Apricot 1 medium 1.3 Guava 2 medium 2.2 Date (Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6 Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8 Raspberries 1 cup 3.0 Clementine 1 medium 3.4 Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4 Blackberries 1 cup 3.5 Star fruit 1 medium 3.6 Cherries, sweet 10 3.8 Strawberries 1 cup 3.8 Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0 Pineapple 1 slice (3.5" x .75") 4.0 Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Boysenberries 1 cup 4.6 Tangerine/mandarin orange 1 medium 4.8 Nectarine 1 medium 5.4 Peach 1 medium 5.9 Orange (navel) 1 medium 6.1 Papaya 1/2 medium 6.3 Honeydew 1/8 of med. melon 6.7 Banana 1 medium 7.1 Blueberries 1 cup 7.4 Date (Medjool) 1 medium 7.7 Apple (composite) 1 medium 9.5 Persimmon 1 medium 10.6 Watermelon 1/16 med. melon 11.3 Pear 1 medium 11.8 Raisins 1/4 cup 12.3 Grapes, seedless (green or red) 1 cup 12.4 Mango 1/2 medium 16.2 Apricots, dried 1 cup 16.4 Figs, dried 1 cup 23.0

A Novel Idea -- Using Uric Acid as a Marker of Susceptibility to Fructose Damage

Going back to the issue of genetic variability, it seems that some people may be able to process fructose more efficiently, and the key to assess this susceptibility to fructose damage  lies in evaluating your uric acid levels. Dr. Johnson agrees that using uric acid levels as a marker to identify your susceptibility could be a reasonable approach. So, for example, if you’re passionate about fruit and typically eat large amounts of fruit, but have a uric acid level above 5 (or better yet, 4 if you’re a man, and 3.5 if you’re a woman), then you may want to consider lowering your fruit consumption until you’re able to optimize your uric acid levels.

“We have some evidence from our laboratory that uric acid actually regulates the sensitivity to fructose,” Johnson says. “So the higher your uric acid, the more sensitive you are to the effects of fructose. … So I agree with you. If you measure your serum uric acid and it’s very significantly high, you probably will get into more trouble with fruit juices and large amounts of fruit than other individuals would. That seems to be the take home message from our current research.”

It’s important to keep in mind, however, that not all fruit juices are created equal. Most commercial juices contain a minimal amount of actual fruit juice and are comprised mainly of added sugars like high fructose corn syrup and artificial or “natural” flavor additives. These kinds of juices have no redeeming value and are best avoided entirely. However, if you juice your own fruits, you may also want to keep in mind that different fruits contain varying amounts of fructose and antioxidants.

“For example, pear juice and apple juice is very, very low in vitamin C but very, very high in fructose,” Johnson says, “ and so those particular kinds of juices maybe worse than orange juice or grapefruit juice that have high amount of vitamin C. Now, apples contain other compounds like quercetin, which is an antioxidant that may block some of fructose’s effects. So, you know, the verdict is still out in terms of which juice is better and which juice is worse. But in general, apple juice and pear juice, I would be more concerned about those types of juices because they are very, very high in fructose and relatively low in antioxidants.”

Is Glucose a Safer Alternative Sweetener?

Although you cannot buy “glucose” commercially, it’s available under the name of “dextrose.” It’s relatively inexpensive, priced at about a dollar a pound. It’s not as sweet as table sugar or fructose, but it also doesn’t seem to cause the same health problems – at least for those who are not diabetic or insulin resistant. Dr. Johnson explains:

“It is absolutely true that if you take a laboratory animal and you feed it glucose or dextrose or starch, it will not get into trouble. It will stay skinny. It will stay healthy.  Rice diets are high in starch and historically have been associated with being lean. In contrast, if you give sugar or fructose to an animal, they’ll rapidly develop features of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and so forth. And you can pair-feed animals, so one animal gets exactly the same number of calories as the other one, but it’s only the sucrose- or sugar- or fructose-fed animals that develop the features of metabolic syndrome. This makes one believe that starches safe, and this is in fact what I wrote in the book. Now, as we’ve done more studies, (obviously if you’re a diabetic, glucose is not good because in diabetes you cannot handle glucose metabolism)… one of the things that we’re just discovering in the laboratory -- actually it’s been known but we’re trying to figure out how important it is -- people who are diabetic, and people who are severely insulin resistant… can make fructose from the glucose through a pathway called “the polyol pathway.” We are now studying it and we do think that there is an endogenous fructose pathway. We don’t know how important it is yet, but we do know that you can make fructose from glucose, especially if you’re diabetic or if you’re severely insulin resistant. Since a lot of people who are very, very overweight and are trying to lose weight, some of them can be insulin resistant. This does throw a new twist into the story… We’re trying to figure out the impact of this. But certainly if you’re not insulin resistant, dextrose or starch is going to be good.”

According to Dr. Johnson’s data, which he claims is “unequivocal,” starch and dextrose (glucose) does NOT cause obesity or diabetes, whereas fructose does. Interestingly, animal studies have discovered that if an animal eats lots of fructose, over time they become diabetic. Part of this process, however, is that once they become insulin resistant, they activate the polyol pathway and begin to make fructose from other sources of food as well! This is quite remarkable, and a strong testament to the need to severely limit your fructose intake. It’s also offers an explanation for how and why the obesity epidemic has flourished the way it has since the introduction of HFCS into most of our processed foods.

“It’s a little bit more complicated than we had originally thought,” Johnson says, “but the bottom line is: If you’re trying to avoid gaining weight; if you’re trying to avoid becoming obese or diabetic, the best thing you can do is to cut back on foods that raise uric acid, particularly sugar, fructose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). That’s by far the best approach. Starch in general appears to be safe unless you’re severely insulin resistant, in which case perhaps isn’t quite as safe as we had originally thought.”

Defining Insulin Resistance

Ideally you’ll want to have a fasting insulin level below 2. In addition, Dr. Johnson recommends using a simple glucose test to check your fasting glucose.

“The fasting glucose, under 100, suggests that you’re not insulin resistant,” he says. “If your fasting glucose is between 100 and 125 mg/dl, you probably are insulin resistant to a mild extent, or you have impaired glucose tolerance. You have what we would call mild insulin resistance and slightly elevated glucose levels for what you would expect.”

I agree with Dr. Johnson that this is typically true, however it’s still possible to have low fasting glucose yet have significantly elevated insulin levels. Dr. Johnson explains: “Yes, if you have hyperinsulinemia, in general what happens is that as you become insulin resistant, your insulin levels go up to help keep your blood sugar down. So if you have a particularly robust insulin response, you could keep your glucose in the normal range for some time.” So, in this case, you’re essentially pre-diabetic and need to take steps to improve your insulin sensitivity, and the most potent way is to reduce or eliminate fructose.

A Word on Agave

I got a lot of push-back after I published my report on agave, which many health conscious people believe is a safe, all-natural, healthy sweetener. However, agave can contain anywhere between 55 to 90 percent fructose! Some companies were very upset with our article and refuted the information so much so that we actually purchased three of the most popular “natural” agave products and had them independently tested, at our expense, at a commercial laboratory. The results came back last week and they support what I said, that they were high in fructose. The range was 59 to 67 percent fructose. I am in the process of writing an entire report on it that should be published in the next few weeks. Fructose content is also high in honey, which contains about 70 percent . In addition, most of the commercial supplies of agave are processed in a way that’s not too dissimilar to the processing of high fructose corn syrup.

“We have not done any specific research with agave or with honey,” Johnson says. “But I do believe that those two compounds, because they’re so high in fructose, probably will engage the same pathways that we see when we give fructose or sugar to animals. So I would not recommend those as sweeteners to use daily.”

Learn More…

I strongly recommend you listen to this interview in its entirety, or read through the TRANSCRIPT. In it, Dr. Johnson also discusses the potential benefits, as well as the risks, of using the drug allopurinol (traditionally used to lower uric acid levels in patients with severe gout) to treat heart disease, diabetes and even obesity. We also discuss the lifestyle adjustments that can work together synergistically to optimize your health benefits, and delve into two additional studies that Dr. Johnson recently submitted to two prestigious scientific journals. I have written about the dangers of sugar for a long time, and of course, variables like exercise and calorie intake play a role in obesity, but I am fully convinced that if we can educate the public about the primary role fructose holds in creating obesity, we can actually reverse and eventually eliminate the obesity epidemic. So please, keep learning, and keep sharing this information with your family and friends. I also highly recommend reading Dr. Johnson’s book, The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That Is Making You Fat and Sick, as it offers a real solution to several devastating health problems. It even includes over 30 different low-fructose recipes to help you get down to business. The trend will not magically reverse itself – it will require each and every one of you to become educated, savvy consumers, and it will require that you bring back home cooking; using fresh, whole, organic foods.

Treating Gout with Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Part 1

A six-week program to relieve gout suffering using diet, essential oils and aromatherapy

Part 1 - The First Two Weeks

This post will be the first of three that outline how you can greatly improve your problems with gout.  The program is in 2-week segements and we will cover the first two weeks in this post.

What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the concentrated essences of flowers, fruits, herbs, and plants, and have been proven to be extremely potent when used medicinally. For hundreds of years, all around the world, essential oils and aromatherapy have been used successfully in the treatment of many adverse conditions, and gout pain relief is one of them.

What Oils Will We Use?

The essential oils we'll be using during the first two weeks are Fennel, Cypress, and Juniper, and are great for treating gout. Here is a brief explanation of what each of the oils does: Fennel Fennel has a long list of properties that benefit the health.  The properties that help with gout are as follows:

• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation.
• Depurative - a detoxification alterative which purifies the blood. Most alteratives also promote cleaning action of the spleen, liver, kidneys, and bowels.  Alteratives typically produce a gradual, beneficial change in the body, and restore the body to normal functioning.
• Diuretic - aids in the elimination of toxins in the body by increasing urine flow. This helps flush the uric acid and monosodium urate crystals out of your system.
• Stimulant - induces temporary improvements in physial function. For example, a stimulant  can promote enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion.
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs.

Cypress Cypress has the following properties:

• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Anti-rheumatic - prevents and/or relieves chronic rheumatic pain and swelling. Gout has been associated with rheumatic arthritis and is often called "gouty arthritis."
• Diuretic - aids in the elimination of toxins in the body by increasing urine flow. This helps flush the uric acid and monosodium urate crystals out of your system.
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs.

Juniper Juniper essential oil promotes elimination of uric acid, and helps cleanse the blood.  It's properties are:

• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Anti rheumatic - prevents and/or relieves chronic rheumatic pain and swelling. Gout has been associated with rheumatic arthritis and is often called "gouty arthritis."
• Diuretic - aids in the elimination of toxins in the body by increasing urine flow. This helps flush the uric acid and monosodium urate crystals out of your system.
• Tonic- helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs.

These are the three essential oils we will be using during the first two weeks.

The First Two Weeks

The focus for the first two weeks is detoxifying your body and flushing out the excess uric acid and monosodium urate crystals which are responsible for your gout pain. These are the steps: 1.  The first thing you must do is eliminate the foods from your diet that are prone to bring on an attack of gout.  These include:

• Alcohol, especially beer
• Caffein drinks
• Chocolate
• Red meat
• Pork
• Lamb
• Processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs
• Shellfish/seafood
• Anything made with yeast, such as bread

2.  It's always wise, if you are subject to gout attacks, to drink adequate amounts of water each day.  This helps flush the uric acid from your system and may prevent a gout attack.  So, make sure you drink a lot of water each day.  It's really not that hard.  If you ask yourself, "Can I drink 1/2 a cup of water every hour of the day?", the answer will be "Yes, I can do that." 3.  Take the following vitamins, in additional to a Multi-Vitamin Supplement:

• 1,000 mg of Vitamin C
• 250 mg of Vitamin E
• B-Complex Supplement
• Beta-Carotene
• Fish Oil Capsules.

4. Make a blend of the three essential oils as follows:

• Fennel.....30 drops
• Cypress..16 drops
• Juniper...10 drops

You can usually buy a small, brown glass bottle that has a dropper, or a plug like the one in the essential oil bottle,from the pharmacist.  If you can't find one, you should be able to find one of those empty plastic bottles that people buy to put shampoo in when they travel.  They usually have a plug in the top that would allow you to dispense the essential oil blend drop by drop.  If you do use the plastic bottle, keep it wrapped in a dark cloth or bag so it doesn't get exposed to the sun. 5.  Each day take a warm bath to which you've added one cup of Epsom Salts, and four (4) drops of your essential oil blend. Follow this routine for the full two weeks.  The next post will have the steps for the second two weeks. I have put together a list with the items you will need for the first two weeks from amazon.com.  I have found their prices to be better than those at a health food store.  Click Essential Oils For Weeks 1 & 2 to purchase the items.  You have the option of purchasing them individually so, if you already have some, it is not necessary to buy them again!

Treating Gout with Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Part 2

PART 2 - Treating Gout - The Second Two Weeks

A six-week program for treating gout suffering using diet, essential oils and aromatherapy

This post will be the second of three that outline how you can greatly improve your problems with gout. The program is in 2-week segments and we will cover the second two weeks in this post.  If you missed the first two weeks, you will find them here: Treating Gout with Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Part One.

A Recap - What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the concentrated essences of flowers, fruits, herbs, and plants, and have been proven to be extremely potent when used medicinally. For hundreds of years, all around the world, essential oils and aromatherapy have been used successfully in the treatment of many adverse conditions, and gout pain relief is one of them.  Gout and aromatherapy have been companions for many years. The essential oils we will be using during the second two weeks are Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Lemon Eucalyptus, and Peppermint, all of which are very helpful in treating gout. photo credit: Juan Barrio Here is a brief explanation of what each of these oils does:

Lavender

Lavender is my favorite essential oil.  It's fantastic for stress relief.  Just take a sniff from the bottle and instantly relax.  It's the only essential oil you can put undiluted directly on your skin.  Here are the properties that help with gout:

• Analgesic - helps deaden pain
• Antidepressant - reduces or prevents depression
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Antirheumatic - prevents and/or relieves rheumatic pain and swelling.  Remember, gout is a form of arthritis called "gouty arthritis."
• Antinfectious - helps detoxify the body
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs

Roman Chamomile

Roman Chamomile has the follow qualities:

• Antispasmodic - relief from spasms and cramps
• Analgesic - helps deaden pain
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs

Lemon Eucalyptus

This delightful, lemon scented essential oil aids gout in the following ways:

• Antimicrobial - aids the body in strengthening resistance to infective organisms
• Antiseptic - fights germs/infections
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Bactericidal - destroys bacteria

Peppermint

This essential oil is amazing for all the things it can help with in treating gout.  And, it smells just wonderful!  Put 8 drops in 2 cups of water in a sprayer and use it to refresh your home! Here are the benefits for gout:

• Analgesic - helps deaden pain
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Antiseptic - fights germs/infections
• Antispasmodic - relief from spasms and cramps
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs
• Febrifuge - reduces fever
• Immune Stimulant - stimulates the circulatory system
• Protects the Liver

We will also be using Sweet Almond Oil and Jojoba Oil as the carrier oils for massaging. Sweet Almond Oil is made from the kernel and contains glucosides, minerals, and vitamins, and is rich in protein.  It relieves soreness and inflammation. Jojoba Oil is really a wax and never becomes rancid.  It contains protein, minerals, and a substance that mimics collagen.  It is excellent on inflammed skins and is very penetrative, so it gets the essential oils to the joint quickly.

The Second Two Weeks, What to Do:

The first step is to continue to follow the diet outlined in Part 1.  Here is a recap: 1.  Eliminate these foodsd from your diet because they can bring on an attack of gout:

• Alcohol, especially beer because it contains YEAST
• Caffein drinks
• Chocolate
• Red Meat
• Port
• Lamb
• Processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs
• Shellfish/seafood
• Anything made with yeast, such as bread

2.  If you are subject to gout attacks (even if you're not!) drink adequate amounts of water each day.  This helps flush the uric acid from your system. 3.  Take the following vitamins in addition to a Multi-Vitamin Supplement:

• 1,000 mg of Vitamin C
• 250 mg of Vitamin E
• B-Complex Supplement
• Beta-Carotene
• Fish Oil Capsules

Here's the treatment plan for this two weeks: 4.  Make a blend of the three essential oils as follows.  Put the blend in a separate bottle and keep it in a dark place:

• Lavender..................10 drops
• Lemon Eucalyptus....30 drops
• Roman Chamomile....16 drops

5.  Each day take a warm bath to which you've added one cup of Epsom Salts and four (4) drops of your Essential Oil Blend. 6.  Massage your whole body each morning and evening with the following Essential Oils mixed with 2 tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil and 2 teaspoons Jojoba Oil:

• Roman Chamomile..............8 drops
• Lavender...........................10 drops
• Peppermint.........................2 drops
• Lemon Eucalyptus..............8 drops

Follow this plan for the next two weeks.  In the next post I will give you the steps and oils for the third, and final, two weeks, and  a Maintenance Plan. I have put together a list with the items you will need for the second two weeks from amazon.com.  I have found that their prices are better than at a Health Food Store. Click Essential Oils for Weeks 3 & 4 to purchase these items.  As before, you have the option of purchasing them individually so, if you already have some, it is not necessary to buy them again!

Treating Gout with Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Part 3

PART 3 - Treating gout - the Third Two Weeks

A six-week program for treating gout using diet, essential oils, and aromatherapy

This post will be the third of three that outlines how you can greatly improve your problems with gout. The program is in 2-week segments and we will cover the third two weeks in this post. If you missed the first two parts, you will find them here: Treating Gout with Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Part 1 and Treating Gout with Essential Oils and Aromatherapy, Part 2.

A Recap - What are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are the concentrated essences of flowers, fruits, herbs, and plants, and have been proven to be extremely potent when used medicinally, and is one of the holistic remedies for gout. For hundreds of years, all around the world, essential oils and aromatherapy have been used successfully in the treatment of many adverse conditions, and gout pain relief is one of them. Gout and aromatherapy have been companions for many years. photo credit: Ozchin The essential oils we will be using during the third two weeks are Lavender, Ginger, Rosemary, and Geranium, all of which are very helpful in treating gout. Here is a brief explanation of what each of these oils does:

Lavender

Lavender is my favorite essential oil. It's fantastic for stress relief. Just take a sniff from the bottle and instantly relax. It's the only essential oil you can put undiluted directly on your skin. Here are the properties that help with gout:

• Analgesic - helps deaden pain
• Antidepressant - reduces or prevents depression
• Anti-inflammatory - reduces swelling and inflammation
• Antirheumatic - prevents and/or relieves rheumatic pain and swelling. Remember, gout is a form of arthritis called "gouty arthritis."
• Antinfectious - helps detoxify the body
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs

Ginger

Gout, or any form of rheumatism or arthritis,  can be worse in damp weather.  Ginger has warming properties that add a spicy, warming, soothing sensation that is so necessary during cold and damp weather, and also stimulates the circulation in the areas where this is needed. Here are the features of Ginger that can help with gout:

• Analgesic - numbs pain, which helps during a gout attack;
• Anti-inflammatory - alleviates swelling and inflammation through circulatory action, and offers gout pain relief;
• Antiseptic - fights germs and infections;
• Antispasmodic - relieves spasms and cramps and benefits relaxation and calmness;
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs;
• Diaphoretic - promotes perspiration, helping skin eliminate waste;
• Warming.

Rosemary

Rosemary creates circulation and warmth,  soothing sore muscles,  aches and pains.

Here are the ways Rosemary can help you in treating gout:

• Analgesic - numbs pain, which helps during a gout attack;
• Anti-inflammatory - alleviates swelling and inflammation through circulatory action, and offers gout pain relief;
• Anti rheumatic - prevents and/or relieves rheumatic pain and swelling. Gout has been associated with rheumatic arthritis and is often called "gouty arthritis";
• Antiseptic - fights germs and infections;
• Restorative, Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs;
• Stimulant - induces temporary improvements in physical function.  For example, a stimulant can promote enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and locomotion.

I always find that putting a couple of drops of Rosemary in my shampoo makes my hair stronger.  This doesn't have anything to do with gout, but I'm passing it along for the ladies!

Geranium

Geranium is a lovely essential oil that has the following properties to help with gout pain, and to prevent a gout attack:

• Antidepressant - aids in alleviating and preventing depression;
• Antiseptic - fights germs and infections;
• Anti-inflammatory - alleviates swelling and inflammation through circulatory action, and offers gout pain relief;
• Antispasmodic - relieves spasms and cramps and benefits relaxation and calmness;
• Bactericidal - destructive to bacteria;
• Diuretic - aids in the elimination of toxins in the body by increasing urine flow.  This helps flush the uric acid and monosodium urate crystals out of your system;
• Cicatrisant - cell-regenerative for skin, healing for scars;
• Tonic - helps to strengthen the entire body or specific organs.

Again, we will be using Sweet Almond Oil and Jojoba Oil as the carrier oils for massaging. Sweet Almond Oil is made from the kernel and contains glucosides, minerals, and vitamins, and is rich in protein. It relieves soreness and inflammation. Jojoba Oil is really a wax and never becomes rancid. It contains protein, minerals, and a substance that mimics collagen. It is excellent on inflamed skins and is very penetrative, so it gets the essential oils to the joint quickly.

The Third Two Weeks, What to Do:

The first step is to continue to follow the diet outlined in Part 1.   Here is a recap: 1. Eliminate these foods from your diet because they can bring on an attack of gout:

• Alcohol, especially beer because it contains YEAST
• Caffein drinks
• Chocolate
• Red Meat
• Port
• Lamb
• Processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs
• Shellfish/seafood
• Anything made with yeast, such as bread

2. If you are subject to gout attacks (even if you're not!) drink adequate amounts of water each day. This helps flush the uric acid from your system. 3. Take the following vitamins in addition to a Multi-Vitamin Supplement:

• 1,000 mg of Vitamin C
• 250 mg of Vitamin E
• B-Complex Supplement
• Beta-Carotene
• Fish Oil Capsules

Here's the treatment plan for this two weeks

4. Make a blend of these three essential oils as follows. Put the blend in a separate bottle and keep it in a dark place:

• Ginger..................8 drops
• Rosemary............15 drops
• Geranium..............5 drops

5. During this two weeks, you will alternate between the above blend, and the blend from Part 2. Each day take a warm bath to which you've added four (4) drops of your Essential Oil Blend for that day. You do not add the Epsom Salts to your baths any longer. 6. Massage your whole body each morning and evening with the following Essential Oils mixed with 2 tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil and 2 teaspoons Jojoba Oil:

• Rosemary.......................8 drops
• Lavender........................7 drops
• Geranium.......................10 drops
• Ginger............................3 drops

Follow this plan for the next two weeks. For maintenance, after the six weeks, make a blend of any combination of the essential oils you have used during this program and use 4 drops each day in a warm bath. At any time you feel it is necessary, you can repeat the complete 6-week program. I have put together a list with the items you will need for the third two weeks from amazon.com. I have found that their prices are better than at a Health Food Store. Click Essential Oils for Weeks 5 & 6 to purchase these items. As before, you have the option of purchasing them individually so, if you already have some, it is not necessary to buy them again!

Treatment for Gout - Prescription Drugs

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="University Pharmacy in Sweden"][/caption]

Prescription Drug Information for You

There are many prescription drugs used in the treatment for gout.  Here is a chart with the most common ones:

Name	Used for	Side Effects	Serious Side Effects
febuxostat/Uloric	lower uric acid levels by reducing the amount of uric acid produced by the body	nausea	Increases liver enzymes. Report these symptoms of liver disease: persistent nausea, stomach/abdominal pain, dark urine, yellowing eyes/skin.
sulfinpyrazone /Anturane	helps kidneys get rid of uric acid; lowers uric acid levels	nausea, heartburn; dizziness; ringing in the ears	lower back pain; swelling of the arms/legs /feet; difficult or painful urination; change in amount/color of urine
probenecid/Benemid, Parbenem, Probalan	helps kidneys get rid of uric acid; lowers uric acid levels	dizziness
colchicine	prevent or treat gout attacks; decreases swelling and lessens build up of uric acid crystals
colchicine-probenecide combination	Probenecid prevents gout or gouty arthritis by speeding up removal or uric acid in kidneys; colchicine decreases swelling and lessens build up of uric acid crystals	nausea; cramping; diarrhea; loss of appetite; dizziness; hair loss; headache; vomiting; frequent urination
allopurinol/Lopurin, Zurinol, Zyloprim	treat gout and kidney stones; prevents increase in uric acid levels	drowsiness

Here are some other things to keep in mind when taking prescription drugs:

• Read the leaflet that comes with your medication. If you have any questions, ask the pharmacist or your doctor;
• Take the medication at the same time each day;
• If your condition worsens or persists, contact your doct
• IMPORTANT: Be aware of the signs of an allergic reaction. These are: RASH, itching or swelling (especially of the face, tongue, or throat), severe dizziness; trouble breathing;
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to the prescription drug or to any other drugs;
• Tell your doctor or pharmacist of any other prescriptions you are taking, any non-prescription medications, or any herbal, homeopathic, Ayurvedic, Chinese medicine medications or treatments you are taking.

This is just a partial list of things you should watch out for and/or discuss with your doctor or pharmacist. There are many good websites online that can give you more comprehensive information about any prescription drugs your doctor may prescribe for you, such as Web MD Remember, it's YOUR health. You are "hiring" your doctor and other healthcare professionals to help you. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You have a right to know everything that has to do with your health.