Gout - Editor's Choice

Stop Eating Fruit for Gout

I know this is long but I have tried to answer anticipated questions.

At the time of this writing, I am 74 years old and have not had gout in many years. I eat a very simple grain-free diet of nuts, seeds, vegetables and fish. Recently I had been eating lots of apples, berries, prunes and raisins because of a minor constipation issue.

As noted in my previous post, fruit juices and ibuprofen used to stopped my gout attacks in 1-2 days. So at the first signs of gout in my left big toe I did my usual two one-half gallon bottles of natural red 100% fruit juice and a few ibuprofen. But this time instead of flushing out the uric acid my whole foot blew up with tight burning skin and unbelievable pain. After 5 days I went to urgent care where they diagnosed infected gout – cellulitis - and prescribed 2 weeks of Bactrim. I began a low purine diet with plenty of fruit. After a few days the skin stopped burning but the redness, swelling and pain remained. My regular foot doctor was lazy and useless, she stood with her hands in her pockets saying nothing and prescribed nothing. So I started taking Olive Leaf 1000 mg x 4 times daily and within a day I could feel the swelling and pain reducing.

The low purine diet was no help but I noticed within minutes of eating apples or blueberries the pain and tightness increased dramatically. I did some research and found this from Harvard Medical: "Researchers report a correlation between foods high in fructose and gout symptoms, which can include chronic pain. These fruits include apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, prunes, and dates. Fructose can generate a spike in uric acid within minutes of being consumed."

I STOPPED EATING ALL FRUIT and within one day ,the pain reduced by half and in 3 days, all pain was gone. I could walk normally. The redness and swelling took about 10 more days. My left big toe and ball is still larger than the right because of probably permanent joint damage caused be fast growing small bone spurs from the 2 months of inflammation - Bone Spurs grow from calluses caused by inflammation. My new foot doctor is aggressive and stays on point doing ultra sound in the office where he found the spurs and ordered CT to find out exactly what is going on in there. He also took a cast of my foot for custom shoe liners to relive pressure.

Bottom Line –

1. My lab blood uric acid levels were always normal. So a low purine diet did not help. If your body produces elevated uric acid then the low-purine diet may be of some help.

2. Stopping all fruit and fructose got rid of my gout in less that 2 days.

3. For many years I have used the PLNT brand of Olive Leaf capsules from Vitamin Shoppe because it contains nothing but Olive Leaf. And I like Vitamin Shoppe Liquid Olive Leaf Extract.

4. Since regularly taking Olive Leaf I have noticed my hands and feet are smoother and not dry.

5. I now it ZERO FRUIT and feel terrific. I have a bottle of Vitamin C pure powder which I occasionally use but there are many potent sources of Vitamin C rather than fruit.

6. I eat ½ – 1 cup of chopped organic celery with meals twice a day and love the crunch. No More Constipation.

7. No matter the results of the CT I will not have any procedures and I don't really need the shoe liners because I am walking just fine. Point being, stopping fruit would have cured the gout attack without the doctors. The Olive Leaf was a great addition as an anti inflammatory and several other health benefits without side affects.

As is well documented, whether natural or pharmaceutical all medications and treatments work different for each of us. This works for me.

Best Wishes for World Peace.

FYi responding to Jared's post from 2010 - Gout Connection With High Iron in Blood:

I was having attacks of gout and discovered my ferritin levels were around 650. I started giving blood like a madman every 2 months for 2 years getting down to 40.

I am gout free for years now, weening off completely from allopurinol over a year ago.

I worked with my doctor on this for the last 5 years and she is actually amazed at my blood work. She is adding iron level tests for all her male patients.

You want your ferritin levels in double digits, probably best 40-50, but talk to your doctor.

My husband came home from work and took his shoes and socks off- then he called me over to look- on the top of one foot was this dark purple rash just above his toes- it was about 4”x3” and had very small bumps mixed into it! Scared me and I remembered that many years ago he had been diagnosed with gout (it was soooo bad) but had no more issues since then. I had no idea if it was gout or a bug sting (he is allergic to most bug stings) or athletes foot or what???? So I immediately came to Earth Clinic and researched foot rashes!

I saw that apple cider vinegar had the most cures- but then I remembered that L- Orthinine would help eliminate the uric acid -if it was gout! So I immediately started him on the L-Orthinine at 3 Capsules of 500mg first thing every morning and a foot soak of ACV and a bit of water to cover his foot- at first it seemed his rash became more purple- but within 2 days of the ACV foot bath it was about 1/2 the rash as when we started. By day 4 it was 90% gone and he ask if we could let it heal on out from there. We are very grateful for all the articles from Earth Clinic.... Wish you had a book, with everyone's experiences mentioned!!! Thanks.

Baking Soda cures Gout. Really yes really

I'll keep this brief, but a couple of years ago I came down with what must surely be the most painful affliction I have ever experienced namely gout in my big toe, I can only compare the pain to being stabbed with red hot pokers by members of the Devil's own horde. I was about to spend a prolonged summer with my lady travelling in Europe when the gout occured, managed to see my GP (MD) before we left and was prescribed Naproxen - turned out to be a big mistake. These were the tablets from hell - side effects included palpitations, stomach cramps, nausea, hallucinations, fitful sleep, unpleasant vivid dreams but most disturbingly they altered my mood/personality, I literally became a different person a monster very short tempered and aggressive, anyway the summer could have been better, on our return I didn't know if I still had a lady, didn't know if she would ever trust me again, even questioned my sanity. The the only thing I did know for certain was I still had this soddin gout.

I was determined to research gout and its causes and thanks to Dr Google I came across Earth Clinic, and whilst taking Baking Soda on the surface seems preposterous I was desperate to try anything - but surprisingly it works - many thanks EC you have probably saved my relationship you've certainly saved my mobility.

My regimen - start the day by drinking three large glasses of spring water (in total about 1 litre) one of which has a teaspoon of Baking Soda.

Take Ibuprofen as required

Take a glass of water with Baking Soda once or twice more during the day.

I was aware that taking Baking Soda was an unknown and I wasn't sure how much to take so I acquired ph strips, each morning I tested my urine and if acidic took the BS and if alkaline didn't bother of course.

Two days later the gout had miraculously disappeared.

This worked for me - and this is what I have learned

MY gout is caused by physical stress ie. stubbing, hitting knocking my foot - NOT diet I still eat meat, fish vegetables fruit all the usual food I have always eaten (I have to say I don't eat junk tho) I still drink alcohol (probably too much according to the UK health police) and I still start the day with my usual three glasses of spring water and should there be even the slightest hint or suspicion of gout then the Baking Soda reappears.

That's it - it worked for me hope it helps you. This crazy world has ordained that when you see your GP and you need medicine you're likely to be prescribed some chemical that is not working in harmony with your body. I'ts nice to know that sometimes you can take responsibility for your own well being. Take care now.

Cherries, the darker the better, fresh, frozen and dried all work and work well for Gout. They are readily accessible all year around in one form or another. About 8 cherries a day will eliminate the uric acid crystals.

Put a pinch of baking soda in a pitcher of water to reduce your uric acid. Your kidneys only excrete small amounts of uric acid a day; if you have a bad case of Gout it can take time to heal completely... but it does work. I have shared this solution with 10 others suffering from Gout and it worked for them also. It does work for arthritis, but if you have had arthritis for years, you may also have joint damage that will remain.

You can also find Cherry concentrate (NOT Cherry juice) and there are now cherry tablets you can take. I love cherries, but took the tablets when I traveled, easy to carry.

It took a year and a half to totally rid myself of Gout, but it worked. I used to have what felt like it starting up again and after taking one helping of cherries the next day no more symptoms. I no longer have any recurrence and it has been 10 years.

At the worst I could not walk more than 10 feet and was under horrible pain and no medial solution beyond future surgery when the pain got too bad. Good grief it was already horrible.

This starts to work in a couple of weeks with you feeling less pain, in a month you know you are getting better, in a couple of months you are definitely on the mind and walking is possible. I had it really bad in both feet and it took a year and a half before I was walking long distances of a mile or more in total comfort and running. I did not modify my diet to eliminate any foods. I eat a balance healthy diet with no junk food.

Any acid outside you body is alkaline in your body. Lemon aid (minimal sugar (sugar is an acid) will lower your uric acid. Avoid most sugar, candy, soda and cakes or icing to speed the process of healing.

I have felt your pain and understand what you are going through. This is a real solution that has helped me and others who have reported back to me. The best of luck and get better soon... you will get better.

Gout relief achieved by bicarbonate of soda and lime juice.Take about half a teaspoon of bicarb on an empty stomach with a little lime juice and make sure the fizz has totally gone before drinking. First thing in the morning is good. Take another maybe before bedtime. I had suffered for weeks and I kid you not, within a day there was a major improvement and even after an hour I could walk better.

After only one dose my foot was nearly back to normal.

Last weekend, I took my husband to the ER because he was unable to walk on his ankle. He kept telling me about the horrific pain and knowing he didn't do anything to provoke it, I took him. After blood tests, it turned out to be gout. I was surprised because I honestly thought that happened when you're older than 45 or so. He's 36 and never had problems like that before.

They prescribed him Allupriol 300mgs and I just did not feel right about him taking a pill everyday. For years, I've used Earth Clinic for my ailments (kidney stones) and it always worked for me! I saw the post about ACV with honey and warm water.

I kid you not... less than 24 hours after taking him, the pain and swelling was gone!!! He was able to move with full movement of his ankle the next day. I was thrilled for him!

I warmed a cup of water with 2 tablespoons of ACV and 1 tablespoon of honey. He has been drinking it daily and he feels awesome! I know people wonder if these testimonials are true, this one is! Thank you for always helping those who want an alternative to a prescription, folks. It means the world to us!!!

1 oz raw organic apple cider vinegar plus 1/3 teaspoon baking soda when I woke up and before bed made a noticeable difference in my gout attack.

I was guzzling water with lemons - no real change. Bought expensive tart cherry concentrate - no real change. Drank dark and tart cherry juice - no real change. Tried just ACV - no real change. Just baking soda - no real change. It was only when I mixed the two and added about 8oz water did I notice a big relief in the gout. I swear it dissolved those uric acid crystals within hours.

I did notice the lemon water gave me a huge energy boost.

I used PH strips to test my PH throughout the day and while lemon water slightly raised my PH the ACV/BS combo punched my PH through the roof.

My gout is finally gone after a good 20 days of suffering. But I think I'll continue the once a day before bed and before brushing my teeth 1oz of apple cider vinegar plus 1/3 teaspoon baking soda bs plus 8oz water. Then brush my teeth and hit the hay. :)

I recently had right knee surgery and I was taking Tramadol for pain, a couple of days later the operated knee flared up with a bad gout bout, I was given Naproxen for that, 70% of the pain disappeared in one day, a week later, I got another attack but this time was my left knee, so painful that I had to go to the doctor for a shot, meanwhile I had to go to rehab for my right leg and having these gout attacks so frequently put me on a set back. I went three weeks and I was feeling good, back to therapy, I was making a great improvem until two days ago when in the middle of the night I woke up with a flare on my left foot, so painful that I could not even set the foot on the floor. I felt very depressed knowing that this flare was going to be another set back. I started looking at my diet which is low in purines, and just wonder what else I was doing wrong, then I came across with an internet posting about TRAMADOL and gout, the pain killer that I was taking and low and behold found the main culprit of these frequent flares of gout! It was then that I search for a miracle cure for gout and found this wonderful site.

I decided to try ACV which I already had in my pantry, at first I used 4 tablespoons with a glass of water and boy within 30 minutes the pain and the swelling started to come down that was around noon, at 6pm, I had another glass with 1 tablespoom of ACV and another one before I went to bed along with an Aleve otc pill (naproxen 220 mg) and today after a good night of sleep, the pain and swelling have decreased about 90%, I am able to walk on my foot again, took another glass with 1 tablespoon of ACV and I am filling so much better. I will continue the therapy with two glasses a day with 1 table spoon of ACV only, no more meds!

I am thankful to God and to the persons responsible for this site!

The pharms are doing more damage than good, nature is a better source of cures!

My maternal grandmother always gave us a glass of water with 1 tbs of ACV as kids and did not get sick as often as other kids! She also used for compresses and soaks either hot or cold depending on the ailment.

"We don't know what more we can do for your father" stated two doctors standing at the foot of my father's hospital bed. "We're going to take him off all his medication and just let him ride it down. He may live two days, maybe as much as ten days. Keep him as comfortable as you can." The gout in his legs was so bad, he was on morphine multiple times a day. We took him home, but kept him on the coumadin because of his artificial heart valve and a diuretic to keep his kidneys going. Lo and behold, he got a little better without all the pills, but his gout was still bad. He couldn't get out of bed because of the pain and swelling. Then my sister came up with a formula she found on earthclinic.com.

"After the first day, I noticed the pain was significantly reduced. Within five days, my pain was completely gone. I swear by this stuff, " my father said. I asked, "Do you mean your gout pain?" He answered, "All my pain, even in my joints. " Then he danced a little jig to prove it. My father is 94. That was four and a half months ago and my father is now walking around and enjoying life again. Here is the recipe for what he is taking three times each day, morning, noon, and night:

• 1/2 tsp of Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of raw honey plus 1 tablespoon of water
• 3 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 shot glass of either pure pomegranate juice or unfiltered apple cider.

Combine the baking soda, honey, and water. Nuke the mix in a microwave for 12-14 seconds. Stir to completely dissolve the baking soda. Very slowly add the ACV to keep the fizzing down. Slowly add the juice.

Just a little side note... My father, from the time I was a little girl, always got gout. The doctors put him on meds to help with it... I know I'm going to spell it wrong, colchicine? He was getting sick from it.. Very sick. On one of his trips to the pharmacy, the pharmacist told him she would not refill it anymore because the dr was prescribing too much of it and it was killing his white blood cells. My mom and I set out on a quest to find an alternative.

Activated charcoal was what we found.

It has been 25 years since his last bout of gout...

I first suffered with gout unexpectedly 3 years ago. I had not been eating the 'typical gout inducing diet' nor do I drink alcohol. It was extremely painful and it took a couple of months for my foot to return to normal. Since that first time, I have suffered with gout every year, starting at the same time (May/June). Each time my diet varied from the previous year, still no rich foods or high purine foods and still no alcohol. Water is my sole intake of liquids apart from an infrequent coffee (3 or 4 cups a month at most).

Trying to prevent any attack this year I ate mostly just raw vegetables/salad and light foods, and drank only water. Completely avoided the 'typical gout diet' that people are constantly told cause it. Lo and behold, towards the end of May, regardless of my diet, my foot starting showing signs of gout. At first it only hurt when I put pressure on it whilst walking etc. But the next day when I woke up it was hurting whilst still in bed and felt very stiff, very heavy and 'big' and like the bones in the top of my foot beneath my toes were fractured and was throbbing around the big toe joint and also underneath. I couldn't believe it after all my efforts! I have never been able to stop a gout attack once it has first showed signs and was dreading what was coming (anyone who has suffered the terrible pain of gout will know the dread I mean). I was so furious that after all my dietary efforts I was still getting gout, that I said to my body (sounds weird, I know) "Right, I am NOT putting up with gout this time, I AM going to prevent its spread and cure it" and I said it with a deeply held faith and belief that I could.

With that, I got out of bed, went downstairs to get my castor oil, propped my foot up on the settee and rubbed a nice big dollop of the oil all over my foot. The gout hadn't progressed to the point where I couldn't touch the skin yet, so it felt ok. After massaging the oil into my foot for a few minutes, I wrapped it quite tightly in cling-film and then put 2 loose-fitting socks on my foot to keep it warm. I then spent the rest of the day sitting with my foot raised, putting no pressure on it. I took the juice of 1 lemon with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with water added and drank it down and also drank water throughout the day. The first food I ate was in the late evening whereby I had a mix of raw peppers, apple, raw onion, raw carrot and a baked potato with olive oil drizzled on it. I then went to bed at around midnight with my foot still wrapped up, and I actually slept!

When I awoke in the morning there was no longer any pain in my foot. I gingerly got up and put pressure on it and to my delight found the pain had more or less disappeared apart from a slight tenderness from the pressure when walking. My foot no longer felt heavy and big and the feeling of the bones being fractured had gone. My foot and ankle were very skinny as opposed to it being swollen at the onset of the attack. Not being one to count my chickens, I was very wary of it being 'cured' so I rubbed more oil into my foot again, wrapped it securely with new cling-film, placed the socks back on and kept my foot up.

I decided not to eat anything hoping to give my body the chance to heal and was worried about risking the attack coming back. I again took the lemon and bicarb and water mix. Whilst I was sitting relaxing with my foot resting up, I kept reaffirming in my mind that I was healing. I was able to move my foot freely with no pain or heavy sensation and kept remarking to my boyfriend how amazing it was - that this time maybe I had actually stopped a gout attack in its tracks. But I wanted to still be careful so kept it rested. I was so amazed by the incredible healing properties of the castor oil and the remarkable effect that it had on my foot but a part of me dared not tempt fate by believing the gout had gone so I continued sending healing and loving thoughts to my foot.

I ate a potato-based meal in the late evening and re-wrapped my foot in the castor oil and cling-film and went to bed, socks on. The next morning there was still no pain in my foot but continued to do the castor oil wrap. I moved a bit more on my foot to test it out and it felt fine but still kept it up and rested as much as possible just to be sure. I continued with this castor oil regime each morning and night for the next few days. My foot stayed pain free. It has now been nearly 4 weeks since the attack started and my foot has remained pain-free even though I have not put any castor oil on it for nearly 3 weeks! It truly has been amazing and I am extremely grateful that I managed to prevent the spread of the attack before it got to the very painful stage and have a true belief in the healing properties of castor oil.

Previously I had tried cherries and other dietary changes to cure the gout but nothing worked until the castor oil - and it worked extremely quickly. The castor oil I used was organic and I believe is cold-pressed.

I apologise for the lengthy feedback but I know what it is like desperately trawling through forum posts trying to find some help and hoping to spot similar experiences to other people, so thought it best to detail a timeline of events. I do believe it will help arthritic conditions too as gout is a form of arthritis - at the very least it is a natural product so is always worth a try. I truly hope this helps someone and wish you all well in your own recovery and prevention.

I had what I now consider to be a gout flareup. I had had a few episodes over the last few years - I'm 40 and work out alot, ski etc and I'm always on the go and I'm 6'1 225. I never made the connection that it was gout - but now I know. Recently I had a flareup that was some of the worst pain I've ever endured. Brutal - as many of you know. So - I was reading these comments in the morning of the 2nd day with my foot just throbbing. I had to run around my office all day and was just miserable. I was so desperate for a cure, and upset that I had to go through this again I was beside myself. Thank you all here so much for sharing your experiences.

So I decided to do all the remedies at once and sent my staff member to the store to buy all of it - the ACV mother, alfalfa pills, dried cherries, tart cherry capsules and baking soda.

I mixed 10 oz water, 3 TBS ACV w/mother, and 1tsp baking soda and swallowed the alfalfa pill and the cherry pill at about 11am. I was walking up and down the halls of my office the rest of the day. At 2pm, I took another dose like above and by about 3pm, I knew something was up. I sensed the pain in my toe was not getting worse even though I'd been on it all day, and it even seemed to feel better than when I woke up and got out of bed that morning. I had read so many testimonials that I figured it would work but I still wasen't even sure I had gout. That evening I had another mixture before bed and laid around with my foot raised up - no ICE though. By morning I knew I was going to be better. By the evening of the next day, just about all the pain was gone. Thanks again!!

What I noticed in the two months or so since is an improvement over my entire body. I have been doing 1 maintenance dose exactly as above every other morning or so and have never felt better. My joints are loose - everything was popping for the first few weeks which felt great. I must have so much buildup that accumulated over the years that it took 4-6 weeks to flush out. My girlfriend started taking it with me to be supportive, and it did wonders for her stomach problems as well. We both feel like we urinate more regularly and generally better.

Thanks again for all the help - it changed my life and my view of medicine and organics, and home remedies.

So I have tried Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Baking soda and all have had mediocre results for gout relief and uric acid reduction. With that said I have found the cure for me. I found a few reports that found a daily intake of 1000 mg of Vitamin C helps the body expel Uric Acid. For 6 weeks now, I have been taking 3-4 1000mg of Vitamin C and have never felt better on my joints. I had one flare up due to dehydration on a camping trip where my left knee was the target. Increased water intake along with the Vitamin C, flare up was gone in 24 hrs. ACV never did this. Pass it along. Vitamin C is the real deal for Uric Acid reduction as it helps the body expel excess uric acid.

Apple Pectin: Two 500 mg caps per day taken with either grape or orange juice (Vitaimn C) cures Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Gout, TMJ and Arthritis. I have given it to over 50 people in my job as EH & S engineer for a manufacturing company as well as having used it myself for the past ten (10) years with complete success for pain in both of my thumbs. Lasting results have occurred within 48 hours. Will correspond.

I am a field geologist, and a few years I started to develop severe gout-like symptoms in my foot. These symptoms generally occurred after working in areas where I tended to get overly dehydrated (desert or tropical environments). I have found that massive hydration (drinking 2-3 liters of water over an hour or two) tends to almost immediately (within a few hours) reverse my symptoms. Hydration generally keeps me gout free, and when gout does occur (very rarely now), it is the gout "cure" for me. It sounds almost too simple (and cheap) to be true, but it works for me.