Metabolic problems due to poor nutrition and consumption of junk food can trigger the development of gouty arthritis, a joint pathology. Ginger for gout can improve metabolism in the body, relieve inflammation in the affected joint, help restore strength and improve the general well-being of the patient. In folk medicine, this beneficial root is often used for making teas, ointments and decoctions, and taking baths.
Useful properties of ginger
The root is a strong bioactivator of many internal processes of the body. The product contains more than 400 components, the bulk of which are biologically active substances. These are amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, etc.
Both fresh and ground spices have the following properties:
- anti-inflammatory;
- regulating;
- antimicrobial;
- stimulating;
- antispasmodic.
Typically, the root is used to relieve inflammation and pain due to gout. Ginger also has a beneficial effect on the breakdown of uric acid salts. It is noted that the spice can cope even with petrified salts, and therefore it is recommended to use it also in the presence of small kidney stones.
Among other things, ginger root speeds up metabolism, normalizes the production of enzymes in the stomach, and improves the secretion of hydrochloric acid. It has a beneficial effect on the immune system, cleanses the blood of waste and toxins. That is why there is no and cannot be any doubt about whether ginger can be used for gout. Of course, it is possible and even recommended!
Despite the wide range of beneficial properties of ginger in relation to gout, it is still impossible to replace the full treatment of the pathology with the root alone. The spice should be used in combination with traditional methods of treating affected joints, which are recommended by the attending physician.
The nutritional value
The nutritional value of fresh ginger root per 100 g of product is:
- calorie content: 80 kcal;
- proteins: 1.8 g;
- fat: 0.8 g;
- carbohydrates: 15.8 g;
- dietary fiber: 2 g;
- water: 70 g.
Important! The substances that make up ginger root can break down even the hardest and long-deposited salts.
In addition, the plant contains vitamins B, C, K, E, PP, as well as minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, zinc, sodium.
Recommendations for Effective Use of Ginger
It is permissible to consume ginger root only after consulting your doctor, since about 20% of people have a tendency to be allergic to this spice.
It is important to remember that the product has a warming effect, and therefore it is strictly prohibited to use it at elevated body temperatures. The same applies to the period of menstruation, the presence of other types of bleeding and hot days.
Ginger can be used in cooking. Namely:
- use as a spice in cooking;
- include in fresh salads;
- add to green tea.
The effectiveness of the root can be increased by combining it with sesame seeds or lemon juice. The composition will become even more useful after grinding together in a blender.
Drink
Complete cleansing of the body with the removal of urates (uric acid salts) is impossible without drinking a sufficient amount of fluid. For gout, the diet also includes drinking balance. The approximate daily amount of liquid should reach 2 - 3 liters. All kinds of fruit juices are welcome (it is necessary to take into account the ban on grapes), fruit drinks from lingonberries, currants, gooseberries, and dried fruit compotes. Rosehip decoctions and herbal teas are shown. Tea made from leaves: lingonberry leaf, currant leaf, raspberry leaf. Dry raw materials are brewed in equal parts in the usual way. Lingonberry leaf contains flavonoids, vitamins and tannins that have an anti-inflammatory effect, and raspberry and currant leaves are an excellent diuretic. The overall effect is expressed in increased removal of harmful deposits and a decrease in inflammatory processes in the joints in patients with gout.
Still mineral water with a high alkaline content is fine. Salty carbonated mineral water is not allowed. Freshly squeezed vegetable juices, for which you can use new potatoes, carrots, cabbage (cauliflower and broccoli are prohibited), cucumber, replenish the need for vitamins and microelements. This is an important indicator, because products allowed for gout are not fully capable of satisfying the body’s need for these substances.
Ginger has the ability to dissolve urea and remove it from the body. Ginger, brewed as a tea and taken daily, has powerful beneficial effects. As confirmation of the merits of this healing root, is the fact that ginger is added to medicines.
Traditional medicine recipes
The essence of treatment for gouty arthritis is to relieve inflammation and pain, as well as normalize metabolic processes. The use of ginger in this case is an excellent option. Based on it, you can prepare drinks, decoctions and infusions, use juice, paste and even pickle.
Ginger oil and paste
To prepare the paste you will need ginger powder, which is available in almost any store. You should look for it in the spices department. You can also buy a regular root and grate it on the finest grater. According to reviews, the powder is more convenient to use, since it only needs to be diluted in water to a paste-like consistency.
This composition should be used in the form of a compress, applied to gout-affected areas. As a result, pain and inflammation can be relieved within a short period of time.
You can also use ginger oil, which is perfect for massage. Doctors often prescribe such procedures for joint pathologies. The oil will help the patient relax and increase the effectiveness of the event as a whole. You need to rub the product into the fabric in a circular motion in the morning, immediately after waking up.
To obtain such a product, you need to cut the root into slices and place it in a glass container. Then pour it with olive oil and leave in a cool, dark room.
Infusions and decoctions
To prepare ginger decoction you need to take 400 ml of clean warm water, one teaspoon of crushed root and honey to taste. Mix all ingredients well and drink warm.
By using the decoction in combination with compresses, you can significantly speed up the process of improving the patient’s condition.
You can prepare an infusion based on such a product. It will need to be rubbed into gout-affected areas to relieve inflammation and swelling.
To prepare the tincture, take 20 g of ginger powder and add it to a glass with 96% alcohol. Let the composition brew for 7 days in a dark place. Then strain the liquid and can be used 4 times a day on the sore joint.
Juice, teas and baths
The fresh root is perfect for making juice. But you don’t need to drink it, but soak a cloth in it and apply it to the sore area. It is recommended to drink tea with ginger, as it works well in improving the functional activity of the immune system.
Taking warm ginger baths will be no less useful for gout. One procedure will require approximately 2 tablespoons of ground root. The session should last about 20 minutes, then you should take a shower, dry your skin with a towel and put on warm clothes.
Pickled ginger
To always have a healing remedy on hand, you can prepare pickled ginger in advance. This is not difficult to do, but you need to remember the contraindications to its use. In particular, you should not eat pickled root if you have diseases of the digestive system.
Recipe:
- Take 170 grams of spice, cut into slices and place in a deep container.
- Separately combine 3 tablespoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt and a quarter of a glass of rice vinegar.
- Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil, then pour the marinade into the chopped ginger.
- Allow the mixture to cool and place in the refrigerator for at least 6-7 hours.
How does gout develop?
Gout is a disease of the strong half of humanity. It is men over 40 who are more susceptible to developing problems with joints and cartilage than women. And they are the ones who are interested in the question of whether ginger can be used for gout. The answer is yes, but to understand the mechanism of action of the root components, you need to know the reasons for the development of the disease itself.
Gout affects people with impaired metabolism, diseased kidneys, frequent overeating, eating a lot of meat and fish, and leading an inactive sedentary lifestyle. The root of the problem is poor nutrition. What is it? This is the daily consumption of a large amount of meat food: sausages, kebabs, cutlets, and so on. This also includes types of fish such as herring and mackerel, and alcoholic beverages.
Causes of disease
Gout can be accompanied by complications: when uric acid salts combine into conglomerates and form so-called gouty nodes. Urine can cause kidney stones and lead to serious complications such as kidney failure.
Many people are interested in the question: why does gout occur? To understand how the disease occurs and why it is directly related to nutrition, you need to consider in detail how deposits characteristic of gout are formed in the joints. Normally, uric acid is formed in the body during life. The kidneys are responsible for its breakdown and excretion. If the level of uric acid goes through the roof, and this happens after systematically overeating meat or after drinking alcohol, then the kidneys are not able to cope with such a volume of work. The acid crystallizes, forming uric salts (urine). They “wander” throughout the body, trying to find a secluded place with less blood supply.
Cartilage and joints become such ideal places for deposition. When the accumulation of uric acid becomes significant, the immune system recognizes it and gives a signal about a foreign “invader”. Leukocytes enter the battle and die. An inflammatory process inevitably occurs at the site of the “battle.” As a result, the patient feels that the joints are swollen, the surrounding tissues become painful and the temperature rises.
Mode
Gout requires moderation in food and avoiding overeating. Meals should be divided, in small portions throughout the day. The introduction of regular fasting days (every three to four days) has a good positive effect. Rice for gout, along with baked apples, can make up a complete diet on such days. The recipes are extremely simple.
Rice – approximate amount 80 g. Boil in milk and strain.
Apples – approximate amount 300 g. Baked in the oven with several lingonberries, whipped with a blender, mixed with rice.
You can add a couple of spoons of honey. Eat during the day with juice or compote.
You can arrange a fruit fast, when you eat only fruit all day.
Apples, bananas, kiwi, citrus fruits, lingonberries. For unloading, both a mix and a separate fruit, consumed all day, are suitable.
You can use fermented milk or vegetable. Salads dressed with a sauce that includes vinegar, vegetable oil and garlic with sesame seeds will perfectly satisfy hunger and help cleanse the intestines, and the added dandelion leaf will replenish microelements. Young baked potatoes are also effective on fasting days. As a liquid, it is worth trying an infusion: lingonberry leaf and raspberry leaf in equal parts, pour boiling water over it and infuse in a warm place. The infusion has a good diuretic and anti-inflammatory effect, helping to cleanse the body and remove harmful deposits.
Fasting, like overeating, should be avoided. The fight against excess weight, which is an aggravating factor in gout, should not include even a short-term hunger strike. Such emergency weight loss will only increase the production of urinary salts and sharply worsen the condition of patients with gout. Healthy nutrition, diet and moderation, together with fasting days, will gradually bring your weight back to normal, without stressing the body. Replacing regular spices with ginger will not only improve the taste of bland dishes and diversify recipes, but also reduce the feeling of hunger.
You can't eat before bed. Let at least two hours pass between eating and going to bed. At the same time, you should allow yourself vegetable dishes for dinner, and leave meat, potatoes, eggs and cheese for another time. Evening meals should be light. Before going to bed, you can drink jelly or dried fruit compote.
Nuts can replace one meal: walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, they perfectly satisfy hunger and contain amino acids, oils and trace elements in large quantities. Chewing nuts is the optimal snack.
What's wrong with these products?
Every living cell contains purines. These substances are not harmful to the human body. But during metabolism, purines are converted into uric acid. It also does not cause harm in itself until a certain time. Due to constant overeating and low physical activity, too much uric acid is formed, and the kidneys, which are responsible for removing it from the body, do not have time to do this.
The situation worsens in the case of diseased kidneys that cannot work at full capacity. Then huge masses of uric acid salts accumulate and can be deposited in various organs from the kidneys to the joints. Cartilage and joints are most suitable for them, since they have the poorest blood circulation. When a lot of salts accumulate in the joints and cartilage, the immune system begins to work, and an acute stage of the disease occurs, which is characterized by the following symptoms:
- inflammation and redness in the joint area;
- pain;
- rise in body temperature;
- difficulty in movements.
Ginger relieves pain and inflammation in the joints, alleviating the patient's condition.
This is how gout occurs, which can be accompanied by kidney stones. In addition to drug treatment, which is most often aimed at eliminating external symptoms, doctors always recommend changing the diet, increasing physical activity and including foods in the diet that help break down the accumulation of uric acid salts. These products include ginger.
