Have you ever thought about gout?

A friend of mine asked me if there was an essential oil blend for gout.  GOUT????  I really didn’t think that was a real thing.  If it was, I thought only old people had gout.  How could I support a gout sufferer?

I told him I would do a little research and find out if there was anything we could do to support him and help ease his gout symptoms.  I learned a lot!

Here are a few facts about gout:

About half of the time, the first attack of gout causes the sufferer intense pain in the first joint of the big toe.

The initial gout attack almost always happens at night.

Men over the age of 30 are more apt to experience a gout attack.

The Mayo Clinic lists the signs and symptoms of gout on their site.  I’ve listed them here:

Intense joint pain. Gout usually affects the large joint of your big toe, but it can occur in your feet, ankles, knees, hands and wrists. The pain is likely to be most severe within the first four to 12 hours after it begins.

Lingering discomfort. After the most severe pain subsides, some joint discomfort may last from a few days to a few weeks. Later attacks are likely to last longer and affect more joints.

Inflammation and redness. The affected joint or joints become swollen, tender, warm and red.

Limited range of motion. Decreased joint mobility may occur as gout progresses.

GO TO THE DOCTOR IF:  You experience sudden and intense pain in a joint.

SEEK MEDICAL CARE FAST IF:  You have a fever and a joint is hot and inflamed.  You might have an infection.

So what is it that puts people at risk for gout? Here’s what the Mayo Clinic says about the risk factors:

You are more likely to develop gout if you have high levels of uric acid in your body.  The things that can raise your uric acid level are:

• Diet. Eating a diet that’s high in meat and seafood and high in beverages sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) promotes higher levels of uric acid, which increases your risk of gout. Alcohol consumption, especially of beer, also increases the risk of gout.
• Obesity. If you are overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid, which greatly increases your risk of gout.
• Medical conditions. Certain diseases and conditions make it more likely that you’ll develop gout. These include untreated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases.
• Certain medications. The use of thiazide diuretics — commonly used to treat hypertension — and low-dose aspirin also can increase uric acid levels. So can the use of anti-rejection drugs prescribed for people who have undergone an organ transplant.
• Family history of gout. If other members of your family have had gout, you’re more likely to develop the disease.
• Age and sex. Gout occurs more often in men, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels. After menopause, however, women’s uric acid levels approach those of men. Men also are more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 30 and 50 — whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms after menopause.
• Recent surgery or trauma. Experiencing recent surgery or trauma has been associated with an increased risk of developing gout.

All of this is interesting – but what was I going to do to help my friend?  I went back to researching and came up with a few different things.

I created an essential oil blend for topical use:

To affected joint, gently apply 1 to 3 drops each of:

 frankincense (Chosen for its following properties: pain relief, antirheumatic, reduces anxiety)

 lavender (Chosen for its following properties: analgesic, nervine, reduces fever)

peppermint (Chosen for its following properties: ant-inflammatory, reduces fever)

fractionated coconut oil – use enough drops so the combined drops of essential oil is diluted to 50%

Dose:  Several times a day.

See additional essential oil therapies to support gout sufferers.

I had my friend put an ice pack on his toe for about 5 minutes, in order to get his circulation moving.  Following the ice pack, he then applied 1 – 3 drops of the gout blend.  If you choose to invest in quality essential oils, please try shopping here: Shop for Essential Oils

Juice for gout:

I found information that suggested that juice made from the ingredients below can help reduce uric acid in the body.

Cabbage (1/4 head)

Carrots (1 very large)

Celery (3 large stalks, including leaves)

Lemons (1 large, to help balance PH)

I use a Breville Juice Fountain  This thing is super speedy.  I don’t chop, peel (except lemons) or remove extraneous leaves.  I can get a great glass of juice in just a few minutes!

Just like most health issues, changing your diet is a good solution.  In the case of gout, balancing the alkaline in your body is a good first step.   When an abundance of uric acid is in your system, you can guarantee your system is too acidic.    A diet that is gluten free (gluten causes inflammation) and high in alkaline could be a real healer.  Greenopedia has a nice downloadable alkaline-acid food chart.  Going gluten free has never been easier!  Shop the gluten free sections in the grocery store, ask for gluten free menus at restaurants, buy gluten free ingredients to use in preparing meals at home.  It really has gotten easy!!

Do you suffer from gout?  See your doctor, consider adjusting your diet, make use off essential oils,  and juicing therapies.

Disclaimer:

Statements concerning essential oils contained in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article and the products discussed  are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

This article is a conversation concerning essential oils, diet options= and the author’s personal experiences.

Follow the general safety guidelines and discuss essential oil treatments with your healthcare provider prior to treating a specific disease or ailment.