Gout is one of those diseases around which there has grown myths and half-truths and it’s no wonder then that gout home remedies have themselves as well become the stuff of misinformation.

Once regarded as the disease of aristocrats and rich old men, gout has since thrown off that guise and is now recognized as an arthritic disease of the joints that could affect anybody no matter of social background.

Essentially gout is caused by a build up of uric acid in the tissues around the joints. Uric acid is the waste matter from the purines found in a few foods and this acid goes on to form crystals that are deposited around the tissues and joints. It’s these crystals that cause the intense pain, commonly in the big toe, that the gout sufferer endures.

Most of the gout home remedies then are centered around minimizing the effects of a gout attack then controlling the frequency of attacks.

Keeping a close eye on the diet is a great base on which to base all gout home remedies. A low fat, low cholesterol diet is central and should be introduced once gout has been diagnosed. That entails avoiding sugary foods and processed foods. But most importantly eliminating from the diet those foods rich in purines is a good way forward. These kinds of foods are normally, but not solely: red meats, seafoods, yeast based foods and liver and kidney meats.

Alcohol, especially yeasty beers should also be cut back or even cut out of a gout sufferers diet. This is since beer encourages the body to produce uric acid which for anybody looking to manage and reduce their attacks of gout, isn’t something that should be encouraged.

Cherries are pretty much seen as the champion fighters of gout and many a gout sufferer is recommended to include cherries into their regular diets because they so effectively reduce the levels of uric acid that causes the sore crystals to form underneath the affected joints.

Applying an ice pack to the inflamed joint is also one of the gout home remedies that’s been proven to work and give ease to the gout sufferer. The ice pack will aid to reduce the swelling and could even be wrapped in a towel around the affected joint for prolonged relief. In the same way, the affected joint could be held under a running cold tap for a few minutes as this has been shown to give some ease.

Overall what has been proven to be a winning home remedy for gout is to keep the body weight down to a healthy level, cut out those foods listed, keep well hydrated and take as much regular exercise as is at all possible.