gout – Page 8 of 8 – Gout Daily News and Information

Why is the liver so important?

This large, meaty organ sits on the right side of our belly and plays a vital role in the balancing of our metabolic system. It is the largest organ and one of, if not the most, important. We need the liver to process all of the nutrients in our food – protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals. We need the liver to filter out all of the toxins that enter our body. We rely on the liver to convert food into energy, clean out poisons (including alcohol), help to digest our food, help produce hormones, store glycogen, and regulate generally every important function of our metabolic process. The liver literally receives 30% of the blood circulating through your body every minute in order to perform its detoxifying and nutrient absorbing tasks.

The liver keeps you energized. While carbohydrates can provide the body with energy, it is the liver that actually manages its distribution. Once the gastrointestinal tract breaks the carbs down into glucose, the liver regulates and maintains the healthy levels. Continue reading “Why is the liver so important?”

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and the hidden dangers

Acetaminophen (also labeled as Paracetamol, or more commonly known as Tylenol) is one of the most widely used OTC (over the counter) pain medications on the shelves today. Most of us don’t even think twice about taking something we can readily obtain from a local store when the occasional ache or pain calls for such. However, acetaminophen may just be one of the most dangerous choices on the market. Even when taken as prescribed, acetaminophen can be potentially life-threatening. As with many OTC medications, we tend to be a bit too liberal with dosage recommendations, rarely fearing taking 3 or 4 rather than the suggested 2 pills. When it comes to this pain reliever, failing to adhere to the recommended dosages could prove to be lethal. Severe health problems like liver damage and death have been reported even in so-called “mild” overdoses. In fact, hospitals deal with more acetaminophen overdoses annually than they do opiate overdoses. I can only imagine the shock and dismay, or your utter refusal to believe such a statistic — especially considering you’ve probably never heard of any of this….. Continue reading “Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and the hidden dangers”

Gout, uric acid, and risk of death

Gout affects an estimated 4% of the population, or around 1 in 25 people. Evidence suggests this number is growing and is certainly affecting a larger demographic than in the past. A lot of confusion has surrounded the specifics on how high levels of uric acid may affect the heart and kidneys, even when acute Gout attacks are not present.

There have been studies attempting to separate the mortality rates of those with other risk factors, namely cardiovascular disease and diabetes, from those with just Gout and/or high uric acid levels. The findings seem to suggest that Gout and high uric acid levels are independently responsible for higher death rates across most age, sex, and race subgroups independent of other pre-existing conditions. The University in Limerick found those with the high serum uric acid levels displayed at 77% higher risk of death from all causes, and a 209% higher risk of cardiovascular death. While pre-existing conditions such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, etc. are strongly associated with a higher death risk, the results did not decrease by much when those factors were removed.

What does this mean for the Gout sufferer? Continue reading “Gout, uric acid, and risk of death”

Chronic Stress, Chronic Inflammation, and Disease

We all know that stress can cause ailments such as difficulty sleeping, muscle tension, changes in appetite, headaches, stomach problems, panic attacks, and prolonged feeling of sadness or worthlessness. But, did you also know that stress can literally alter the cells in our body and lead to chronic inflammation and serious diseases? Prolonged, overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones can wreak havoc on the mind and body. That is why people want to turn to more natural/herbal remedies in helping them lower their cortisol levels. From taking herbal tablets, to trying weed and looking up how to pack a glass blunt, there is a myriad of ways people can reduce stress levels naturally.Chronic stress can reprogram the cells in our body and disrupt all of it’s processes.

A region at the base of our brain, the hypothalamus, is set off in the presence of a perceived threat. In turn, this signals the pituitary and adrenal glands to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is the main hormone responsible for Continue reading “Chronic Stress, Chronic Inflammation, and Disease”

Arthritis and Gout are no longer considered “old man diseases”……..and they are dangerous!

These painful joint conditions were once considered the inevitable outcome of old aging joints. However, these painful conditions have more than doubled in the past 10-15 years, with a shocking amount of sufferers now found to be under the age of 40. Doctors have seen the sharpest rise in patients in their 20’s and 30’s, some 30% since 2012, suffering from a disease that was once thought to be limited to royalty. Not so coincidentally, the rise in obesity, Diabetes Type 2, and prescriptions such as low-dose aspirin and diuretics has occurred almost simultaneously.

Even still there is large percentage of the population that suffers silently having never been diagnosed, or sometimes misdiagnosed. Gout especially can be overlooked by medical professionals due to inaccurate blood measurements of Uric Acid. Unless the fluid is directly aspirated from the joint it can be difficult to identify. Many that are under an attack at the time they are seen by a physician will have low to normal blood serum Uric Acid levels. Why is this? Continue reading “Arthritis and Gout are no longer considered “old man diseases”……..and they are dangerous!”

Antibiotics- How do they affect your health?

Gout, Arthritis, Inflammation and Antibiotics

Antibiotics have played an integral role in modern medicine saving countless lives from bacterial pathogens that would have otherwise claimed them. This holds true under terms that we remain responsible with the administration of such a powerful resource. Unfortunately, organisms evolve and as such we have found ourselves at the mercy of antibiotic resistant microbes stemming from the misuse and overuse of Antibiotics.

Antibiotic literally means “against life.” While its role has been critical in destroying the life of bad bacteria, antibiotics are indiscriminate when it comes to the life of the good bacteria our bodies still need to survive. Research has shown that childhood antibiotic use can inhibit the normal growth and development of healthy gut bacteria. Over 70% of the immune system resides in our gut and is home to the trillions of bacteria that play a crucial part of our physical and mental health. We are now learning how the general shaping of our intestinal health early on in life can determine our future dealings with our immune systems and disease. Continue reading “Antibiotics- How do they affect your health?”

This Is Your Brain On Turmeric……

Are we doomed for cognitive decline as we age? Not necessarily. There are plenty of healthy, thriving older adults pushing into their 70’s and 80’s with cognitive functioning as well as, sometimes even better than, younger adults. Cognitive decline is far from uniform, with many variables in play. However, 1 in 9 Americans will suffer with some level of decline by the age of 65, with 1 in 3 by the age of 85.

Where and how does it all begin? We know that inflammation is at the heart of all disease. Often times the signs of chronic inflammation begin with achy muscles and joints. We find ourselves at the doctor being prescribed something specifically for that ailment. What we need to be considering is how that inflammation could be affecting other parts of our body, as well. We are programmed to treat each symptom individually, and as separate conditions, when we should actually be addressing the inflammation in the body as a whole before it continues to creep into and destroy other parts of the body. What does this have to do with your brain? Continue reading “This Is Your Brain On Turmeric……”

Is Allopurinol Safe and Effective?

Have you ever taken note of the long list of side effect warnings that come with prescription medications? I’m sure the answer is, an unequivocal, YES!

Have we been programmed to ignore these warnings because they are so forthright with stating them, no matter how quickly they run through this long and dirty list in a commercial?

So many of us are looking for quick fixes, especially when it comes to this excruciatingly painful condition. When that Gout attack hits we are pretty much willing to cut off a limb to ease the pain. Does that make us more susceptible to taking a prescription without even knowing what it could do to us? Sadly, many of us are at the mercy of both our health conditions and the trust for our physicians to do what is right for us. Continue reading “Is Allopurinol Safe and Effective?”

Natural Relief for Inflammation

Natural Treatments for Inflammation

November 29th, 2017

Inflammation is at the heart of all disease. Inflammation is a biological and necessary response for our body’s healing process in the presence of dying cells, pathogens, and other irritants. However, the presence of chronic inflammation can be devastating to our health.

What is the difference between Acute and Chronic Inflammation?

Acute inflammation is the temporary response to undesirable bacteria and/or tissue injury. The onset of this level of inflammation is rapid and tends to only last a few days, sometimes a few weeks. At this point whatever caused this onset either improves, turns into an abscess, or becomes a chronic condition. Acute inflammation usually involves pain, swelling, redness, heat, and loss of mobility. Examples of acute inflammation include sore throats, bronchitis, appendicitis, physical trauma, cuts/scratches, etc.

Chronic Inflammation results from Continue reading “Natural Relief for Inflammation”

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