
There is a naturally occurring substance in foods, and in the tissues of our bodies, called Purines. The human body uses uric acid to break down Purines. Sometimes a high Purine diet can lead to an excessive production of uric acid. When uric acid begins to build up, Gout, a form of arthritis, begins to develop.
Gout occurs when the uric acid begins to crystallize into razor sharp, jagged formations inside the blood stream. These microscopic crystals are the cause of the excruciating pain and swelling that gout is famous for. It is important to know what the causes are of uric acid accumulation and to recognize a gout attack when it's occurring.
There are many reasons which contribute to the onset of gout. A high Purine diet is commonly to blame. A diet like this can include seafood (like anchovies and salmon), peas and green beans and animal parts other than muscle such as the kidneys and liver. Also, included in a gout producing diet is high alcohol consumption which would mainly consist of beer. Diets like this have a very high Purine content.
In one of life's unknown mysteries, the most common place for a gout attack to begin is in the joint of the big toe. This applies to about 75% of gout attacks. The elbows, ankles and knees are the other likely targets of an oncoming gout attack.

Gout pain during an attack is two-fold. The jagged uric crystals, which stab the toe's joint, produces a stabbing pain. This causes the second unfortunate symptom; the tissues around the joint in question begins to swell and inflame.
Left untreated, gout will take the sufferer through four stages...
The first includes an increasing amount of uric acid within the blood stream. This stage is asymptomatic; symptoms are not yet manifest. Acute gout is the second stage. This is the first gout attack. Many times this attack will subside quickly and will only occur infrequently. On average, a gout attack will last a two days with appropriate medical attention. The period of time between attacks brings no symptoms and is known as the intercritical, the third stage. The fourth stage is chronic gout. During this stage, gout attacks more than one joint at once and in it's most advanced state can cause kidney stones, hypertension, kidney failure and maybe even death.
An imbalance in the body's uric acid levels can bring about gout at anytime and although there isn't a medical cure for this condition, there are medical treatments. Most importantly, a person can vanquish gout using all natural methods. One example of an all natural gout treatment is the elimination of a high Purine diet and the adoption of a diet which includes foods which assist the body in the absorption of excess uric acid. The very best gout treatment would be early diagnosis, a healthy, balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
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