Gout-Fast

Chanca Piedra

Chanca piedra (Phyllanthus niruri) is a plant from the Amazon rainforest that has provided naturopaths with a powerful, plant-based ally for supporting bladder, kidney, gallbladder, and liver health. Traditionally, chanca piedra is viewed as a health supplement that promotes the liver’s normal function by aiding its detoxification efforts to purge harmful substances.

Chanca Piedra which means “Stone-Breaker” in Spanish has been used for thousands of years to clear gallstones and kidney stones, but has recently been discovered that it may help clear Uric Acid crystal formations which cause Gout pain and swelling.  Chanca could soften and dissolve Uric Acid crystals in the Gouty joints reducing pain and increasing healing. Your body doesn’t typically excrete enough uric acid on its own to minimize the risk of a gout attack. Chanca Piedra will not only flush out uric acid in the kidney and liver, but will also inhibit the formation of uric acid crystals.

Bromelain
The pineapple has a sturdy stem and contains bromelain which is protein digesting enzyme. Pineapple is the only fruit that contains natural bromelain. Bromelain is a natural blood thinner and anti-inflammatory; it promotes blood circulation in your body by blocking the production of compounds that can cause swelling and pain. Thus, when inflammation is reduced, blood can move more easily to a traumatized area by relieving the pain and accelerating the healing.

Studies have found that bromelain is useful in relieving strain-induced gout, when uric acid crystals accumulate in a joint that becomes inflamed by a strain or even normal use. Bromelain causes the uric acid crystals to decompose thus relieving you from the pain associated with gout.  If taken regularly, bromelain may also prevent repeated gout attacks. Although there aren’t many studies examining the effects of bromelain on gout patients, a 2001 study published in “Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology” notes that bromelain may decrease production of transforming growth factor-beta, the over- production of which is associated with gout conditions. In another 2002 study published in “Phytomedicine” also stated that bromelain reduces the physical symptoms of arthritic and gout conditions.

Turmeric 

Turmeric is highly popular as a spice that is traditionally used in Indian dishes where it is primarily used with curry. The plant’s medicinal properties are primarily found in the root whose usage has spanned over 4,000 years in medicinal history. It possesses active chemicals that have been used in reducing pain, inflammation and stiffness related to arthritis diseases.

Turmeric contains more than 2 dozen anti-inflammatory compounds such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. These compounds effective inhibit the enzymes responsible for inducing inflammation and causing the pain, swelling and stiffness caused thereafter. This anti-inflammatory effect is extremely helpful among arthritis patients in that it reduces inflammation and stiffness related to gout arthritis.

According to the arthritis foundation, several clinical studies have been conducted within the past decade to examine the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric. In most cases, studies supported the efficacy of turmeric as a prevention compound for joint inflammation. Additionally, studies conducted in 2010 showed that in osteoarthritis patients, long term use of turmeric provided long-term relief in pain and function.

Boswellia (Boswellia serrata)

Boswellia serrata is a tree of family Burseraceae which grows in the dry mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and Middle East. Boswellia Serrata or frankincense has been used for centuries. This powerful herb is known for providing pain relief from joint inflammation, arthritis and gout.

It is mostly known to help people who suffer from arthritis like osteoarthritis or gout. Boswellia serrata is a natural pain killer since it has active ingredients like boswellic acids (acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid) that are super powerful anti-inflammatories that actually prevent inflammatory white cells from getting into the damaged tissue. They also increase blood supply to the inflamed joints helping repair any damage caused by the inflammation or gout attack and help stimulate the growth of cartilage.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is a flowering herb whose medicinal history spans back to over 2,000 years. It is most commonly used for treating liver and gallbladder disorders. Its primary usage as a treatment for liver disorders stems from the active ingredient silymarin, found in milk thistle seeds that protect liver cells from toxic chemicals and drugs. Silymarin has also been observed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.​

Liver health is critical for gout relief and prevention because the organ is responsible for cleaning the blood and producing bile which helps carry waste out of the body. It is common for gout patients to have a poor liver due to the strain that high uric acid levels put on the organ. Silymarin, the active ingredient in milk thistle seeds is known to protect liver cells as well as stimulate the regenerative ability of the liver, creating new cells and maintaining optimal liver health. Maintaining a healthy liver can help provide relief and prevention from gout by ensuring this critical organ is able to break down and eliminate waste products and toxic substances.

Dandelion

Dandelion or Taraxcum officinale is commonly acknowledged as pesky weed, but in actuality it is a valuable herb full of vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as minerals that include, iron, potassium, and zinc. Specific parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, for example; Dandelion leaves are used for its diuretic effects and aids with appetite response, digestion and kidney function. The flower is used for its antioxidant properties, the root is used to detoxify the liver and gallbladders.

The dandelion plant provides a variety of benefits for gout users. The leaves provide diuretic effects and promote kidney function, two variables that are essential for decreasing uric acid levels. Dandelion’s influence on increased urine production allows for more uric acid to be excreted from the body. In addition, the dandelion leaves contain chemicals that help promote proper kidney function, an organ that is largely responsible for the excretion of uric acid in the body. Finally, the active chemicals found in dandelion root have been found to provide detoxifying effects for the liver, an organ that complements that kidney’s function.