Gout (Gouty Arthritis) – Spiritual Meaning, Causes and Healing

What Is Gout?

Also called “gouty arthritis,” gout is a painful type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the body.

In the joints, these uric acid crystals cause inflammatory arthritis, which in turn leads to heat, intermittent swelling, pain, redness, and stiffness in the joints.

The condition now affects about 4 percent of the population. It is most frequently seen in men, especially those between the ages of 40 and 50.

What Is Uric Acid?

Uric acid is a compound that results from the breakdown of purines. A normal part of all human tissue, purines are found in many foods.

Usually, uric acid is dissolved in the blood and passed through the kidneys into the urine, where it is eliminated.

But when uric acid levels in your blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints, therefore resulting in inflammation.

What Are The Symptoms Of Gout?

• joint redness;
• intense joint pain, which is most severe in the first 12 to 24 hours;
• nodules under the skin called tophi;
• tenderness, redness, and swelling of the joints;
• joint pain that lasts a few days to 2-3 weeks and spreads to more joints over time.

Complications

Complications of gout include:

• chronic kidney disease;
• joint damage;
• kidney stones;
• chalky deposits or lumps which form underneath the skin;
• bone loss;
• loss of mobility;
• joint deformity.

Causes

It is caused by an elevation of serum uric acid levels that cause crystals to accumulate in the joints, which bring on a gout flare.

Risk Factors

The following factors make it more likely that you will develop the condition:

• having a diet high in purines. Purine-rich foods include organ meat, red meat, mussels, scallops, anchovies, sardines, tuna, and trout;
• age – the incidence of gout typically increases with age, reaching a plateau after age 70;
• regularly drinking alcoholic beverages;
• using diuretics (water pills);
• having hypertension, congestive heart failure, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, poor kidney function, and diabetes
• being obese.

Prevention

Patients need to know that their serum uric acid level should be below 6 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

Furthermore, because uric acid is created during the digestion and breakdown of purines, individuals that suffer from this affection can reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood by avoiding high-purine foods.

High-purine foods include – all types of meats (especially kidneys and livers), eggs, and dairy products.

Consume as much as you want fruits and vegetables (including grains and legumes). Don’t forget to sprout your legumes.

Alcoholic Beverages

Individuals who drink alcohol, especially beer, may double their likelihood of developing gout.

Medicines

Some medicines may raise the level of uric acid.

For instance, ”water” tablets (diuretics) such as aspirin, bendroflumethiazide, and some chemotherapy medicines.

Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is broken down into uric acid.

Stress

Another factor in acid formation is prolonged stress. Excess uric acid is sometimes created by your body when you’re under a great deal of stress or anger and harboring suppressed hostility.

Meditation is one of the best methods you have to counteract stress, and your brain’s bias to hold onto negativity. Practice daily!

Sleep

Moreover, restful sleep is important to stay strong and healthy.

When you’re well-rested, you can approach stressful situations more calmly, yet sleep is so usually underemphasized or neglected.

Avoid Lead Exposure

Chronic lead exposure has been linked to some cases of gout.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is beneficial not just for gout patients.

Many studies have shown its importance in maintaining overall health, as it stimulates over 2,000 genes in your body and plays an essential role in various bodily processes.

If you want to raise your vitamin D levels, the best way to do it is via sun exposure.

Note – unlike other vitamins, vitamin D acts like a hormone, and every single cell in the human body has a receptor for it.

READ MORE: Hip Pain – Spiritual Meaning

Lose Weight

If you’re overweight or obese, your body produces more uric acid. In addition, your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid.

READ MORE: UTI – Spiritual Meaning

Water

Drink more water, around 2 to 3 quarts every day. Extra water dilutes and helps eliminate excess uric acid.

Cherries

There is some scientific evidence that eating cherries is linked with a reduced risk of gout attacks.

Spiritual Meaning And Causes Of Gout (Gouty Arthritis)

Impatience, anger, and the need to dominate are associated with gout symptoms. The feeling of self-devaluation related to your foot is also a cause.

In addition, feelings of scarcity or “poverty consciousness” or a feeling of being trapped can lead to physical inflammations.

Healing Affirmations

”I am at peace with myself and others. I am safe and secure.”

”My body knows how to heal itself, and is doing so even now.”

”As I relax, healing energies flow freely through my body.”

”Every part of my body carries out its tasks easily and naturally.”

”Every cell in my body is moving towards radiant health.”

Images credit – Shutterstock

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References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3092922/
https://www.keele.ac.uk/pchs/research/inflammatoryconditions/thegoutstudy/
https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/en/som/bone-and-joint-research-group/our-researc