Your blood transports the chief troublemaker, uric acid. Like a traveler toting a heavy suitcase through an airport, blood that has a burden of excess uric acid begins looking for a dump site, says Dr. Maes. Down around the big toe, circulation is sluggish, and it s easy for the blood to drop its load. The uric acid deposited in the joint forms needle-shaped crystals that can trigger an inflammation so severe that even the weight of a bedsheet causes pain. Purine-rich foods just make matters worse.
Purines are chemicals found in foods such as alcohol, seafood, and organ meats.
Normally, they don t do any damage, but if you re prone to gout , these foods can cause crystal formation. It helps to drink as much water as possible to help flush purines and uric acid from your system and by all means, eliminate purine-rich foods from your diet. It also helps to limit your intake of animal fats and refined carbohydrates, which increase the production of uric acid. Along with those measures, nutritional and herbal supplements are good allies, say alternative medicine experts. Many can help improve the kidney, the liver, and the blood, according to Dr. Maes.