Spiritual Meaning of Gout

What is the spiritual meaning of gout?

Introduction

Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate in the joints, leading to inflammation and pain.

Uric acid is a substance that usually forms when the human body breaks down purines, which are found in cells and a variety of foods.

If the kidneys don’t filter out sufficient uric acid, or the body is producing too much uric acid, it can build up in the body and turn into microscopic crystals.

These crystals mainly form in and around joint tissues, particularly joints at the ends of the arms and legs, like – the finger and toe joints. If they get into the space between joints, these crystals can cause swelling and redness.

The big toe is the most common target, however, gout can attack the ankles, feet, hands, and knees, as well.

Frequent gout attacks can damage the joints and lead to chronic arthritis.

Also, patients with chronic gout may feel hard lumps accumulating over time in the soft flesh of areas, like – the elbows, hands, earlobes, and feet.

In the present day, the prevalence of gout appears to be increasing. A first gout attack generally occurs around age 47.

This condition is most common in countries with high standards of living since the diet plays a big part in gout and the people living in these countries consume a lot of meat, dairy products, and eggs.

It is currently estimated that gout affects more than 6 million people living in the United States.

It is 1000 percent more common in men than in women (most likely due to alcohol intake).

Causes

Nutrition

Consuming high-purine foods may lead to gout flares or make them worse.

These high-purine foods include –  beef kidneys, anchovies, game meats, brains, herring, gravy, mackerel, liver, scallops,  sardines, animal glands, and legumes cooked incorrectly.

Alcohol Consumption

Drinking too many alcoholic beverages hinders the body’s function from removing uric acid.

Other Health Conditions

These include – kidney disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and thyroid disease.

Dehydration

If you’re dehydrated, it can make it difficult for your body to remove uric acid and leads to a build-up of microscopic crystals in your joints.

Medicines

Some meds may raise the level of uric acid, especially diuretics.

Symptoms

• swollen joints;
• joint redness;
• nodules under the skin called tophi.

Spiritual Meaning of Gout

If you suffer from gout, your body is rigid and stiff, and your attitude to life has apparently been inflexible and rigid for a long time. Anger and impatience have been stored in thoughts and now you have to be inactive and silent.

You may want to dominate others with your autocratic behavior.

Now you are being dominated – by gout. Receive the disease with awareness in order to regain peace and tranquility.

Cultivate the openness and receptivity of the self and let others go their own way.

Everyone has the right to his own freedom, and it would be best for you to accept it.

Treatment

Attacks of gout are commonly treated with anti-inflammatory medicine, such as – ibuprofen and naproxen.

If the symptoms don’t improve in a few days, your doctor may give you steroids as an injection or tablets.

Also, using ice packs, wrapped in a towel and held against the area for about fifteen minutes at a time, can help with the pain.

Prevention

Don’t Drink Alcohol

It is recommended to cut back on alcohol (especially beer), as too much alcohol increases uric acid production.

If you can’t give up alcohol completely, try to drink only on days when you’re not having a gout attack and to limit yourself to one or two drinks.

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Drink Plenty Of Fluids

Stay well-hydrated, by drinking plenty of water. This helps to flush uric acid out of the body and reduce the risk of crystal formation. Furthermore, staying hydrated helps to reduce pain and inflammation.

You should also avoid sweetened beverages you drink, particularly those sweetened with HFCS – high fructose corn syrup.

Vitamin C

According to a 2009 study that was issued in the Archives of Internal Medicine, men who had the highest vitamin C intake from food and supplements were about 45 percent less likely to develop this condition than people who had the lowest.

Vitamin C is thought to help prevent gout by reducing the amount of uric acid in the blood. Vitamin C has also been shown to reduce inflammation, which can help to relieve gout symptoms.

Foods rich in vitamin C include – turnip greens, red bell pepper, cauliflower, spinach, kale, chili peppers, guavas, Swiss chard, broccoli, kiwi, Brussels sprouts, pineapple, grapefruit, currants, blackberries, chestnuts, basil, radishes, cabbage, oranges, raspberries, blueberries, onion, pummelo, acerola, bananas, sweet potatoes, banana pepper, persimmons, clementine, limes, lemon, zucchini, mangoes, tomatoes, peas, and papayas.

Image source – Shutterstock

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References

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/acip/research-trials/gout
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123217300450