Stubborn : 5 Minute Freewrite: Day 946: Sunday - Prompt: gout

My aunt always sat on the front porch in her rocking chair. Her shoe laces were missing. Her shoes were two sizes larger. The reason for this was that her feet were three times the normal size we'd seen them in the past.

As small kids, we used to ask her what was wrong with her feet. She'd reply, "Oh just a bit of gout. Nothing to be worried about." We didn't understand at the time what grout was and how it affected your health. No one explained it.

My aunt had arthritis and also Type 2 Diabetes, as I do now. I thought about her when I read how gout is common in indviduals with diabetes. I've tried to learn the symptoms and how to care for my feet so that I don't become afflicted with gout.

When I look back now, numerous family members with diabetes have suffered from this ailment. Their condition causes them to be unable to stand for any length of time or walk long distances.

I found out that gout is a condition that is caused by a build up of uric acid. It is a common and a complex form of arthritis. This build up normally affects the person's feet. If you have gout, you'll usually have pain and swelling in your feet as in the image shown above.¹

Gout is a serious condition that shouldn't be overlooked. A person can experience attacks in which the swelling and pain may be periodic. Your doctor can prescribe medications to help the flare ups.

If left untreated, gout can cause eruption and destruction of a joint. It can also cause kidney stones. You can prevent gout by following these simple steps:

• drink lots of fluids
• avoid excessive amounts of alcohol
• limit your intake of red meat, getting your protein from low-fat dairy and fish instead
• maintain a sensible body weight²

But there are other natural home remedies that you can practice yourself to reduce the swelling. In mild cases, from studies performed, medical professionals recommend utilizing the following products to lower the uric acid in your body:

tart cherries
magnesium
apple cider vinegar
celery
ginger
nettle tea
dandelion
milk thistle seeds¹

My mom would frequently purchase ginger root and make a strong tea. She also had gout. Another product I see on the list is apple cider vineger. One I'm not familiar with is dandelion and milk thistle seeds. I'll have to perform more research into those items.