If you have gout, you know how painful it can be. The condition is characterized by painful inflammation in the joints, resulting in swelling and redness. Gout it caused by a build-up of uric acid, which leads to the depositing of hard crystals in the joints and ultimately, pain. Fortunately, there are many natural approaches to treating and managing gout. Cherries are one of the most popular natural gout remedies, but there are plenty of other options to consider. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has an array of medicinal uses — including treating and preventing gout.

Among natural health enthusiasts, apple cider vinegar is easily the most popular vinegar. Many of ACV’s purported health benefits are backed by science, including its ability to promote weight loss, reduce inflammation and lower blood sugar levels.

Apple cider vinegar has big benefits

Apple cider vinegar is a great choice for fighting gout for two reasons: It can help treat gout symptoms after they’ve started, and help prevent a gout flare-up from starting in the first place.

As Foods For Better Health reports, the acetic acid found in ACV helps to alkalize the body and “cleanse” the blood. Acetic acid also works with malic acid and pectin to eliminate acidic toxins from the body. Essentially, these compounds found in ACV work to fight the accumulation of uric acid in the blood, and help remove it from the body entirely.

While there is not much scientific research on the benefits of ACV in the treatment of gout, it has remained a staple in traditional medicine for years. More, research exploring other areas of ACV benefits can be very telling.

As Healthline reports, scientific studies have shown that ACV helps reduce inflammation and promote weight loss — two things that can help reduce your risk of a gout flare-up.

More importantly, however, it appears that ACV can help your body eliminate uric acid effectively. Japanese researchers also recently found that acidity in the body can interfere with the elimination of uric acid. The team found that urine that is less acidic (more alkaline) carries more uric acid out of the body.

For people with gout, this is big news because ACV is proven to help alkalize bodily fluids.

Treating gout with ACV

To conduct their research, the team asked participants to follow an acidic or alkaline diet. The alkaline diet group had more alkaline urine, which carried out more uric acid than the acidic group. Vinegar was a key component of the alkaline diet, though not the only food prescribed.

Foods For Better Health suggests that ACV can be used topically and internally for gout. To use topically, just soak a cotton ball in ACV, apply to the affected joint and gently massage. Sources suggest that one to two tablespoons of ACV can be mixed with one cup of water and consumed up to three times a day for gout relief. Honey or another sweetener of choice can be used to help make the concoction more palatable. It is recommended that ACV supplements be taken either at night before bed or before meals.

You can also combine ACV and your favorite oil to make your own healing salad dressing.

While ACV has many health benefits, it is very acidic and should be diluted before consuming. It is also important to only take ACV in moderation. Too much or too strong a concoction can damage tooth enamel or even burn the esophagus.

Learn more about ACV and other natural remedies at NaturalMedicine.news.

Sources for this article include:

FoodsForBetterHealth.com

Healthline.com