Understanding Ingredients and Cooking Techniques

The pain of gout has the potential to reduce your range of motion and prevent you from walking any distance. Many attacks are powerful enough to wake you out of a dead sleep. Although you can work with your doctor to mitigate the pain of acute attacks, preventing future problems is a little trickier. In addition to preventive medication, you will likely need to start an exercise program and eat a well-balanced diet. You may also be able to greatly benefit from regularly consuming herbs and spices that help regulate the bodily processes that contribute to gout attacks, such as inflammation, uric acid accumulation and stress. Here are four herbs and spices you can use to help control gout symptoms and reduce the number and severity of your attacks.

Turmeric

When it comes to arthritis conditions, like gout, turmeric is a power player in reducing painful inflammation. The active agent in turmeric, called curcumin, helps control the enzymes and molecules that trigger your body's inflammatory response. This substance also helps protect the cartilage in your joints from the breakdown that normally occurs during the disease progression.

This spice is the main ingredient in curry dishes. You can make red curry by adding paprika to your yellow curry base mixture. On its own, turmeric's warm flavor works well eggs, rice and roasted vegetables as well.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has a regulatory effect on the buildup of uric acid circulating through your body. By keeping uric acid at low levels, this substance helps keep the harmful crystal formations from developing and causing painful gout attacks. Cinnamon can also help regulate your insulin levels to facilitate weight loss. When you keep your weight at a healthy level, your gout attacks will likely decrease in both number and severity.

Although cinnamon is mostly commonly used for breakfast and dessert, it works well in spicy dishes, including chili. If you are short on time to make a big meal, you can mix cinnamon with a ½ teaspoon of honey to consume your daily dose.

Chamomile

Chamomile contains strong antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals and keep inflammation at bay. This herb has been utilized for arthritic pain relief and other debilitating conditions since ancient times. The volatile oils in the flowers combat inflammation at the cellular level to keep arthritic conditions from flaring up. Chamomile can also help reduce high stress levels to prevent daily stressors from triggering a gout attack.  

Tea is a popular way to consume chamomile after a long, tiring day. The fresh, fruity scent of this herb livens up citrus or apple flavored dessert recipes. You can even sprinkle the dried flowers over plain fruit salad to create a delicious flavor profile.

Nutmeg

Nutmeg helps your body remove uric acid accumulation in your joints. This spice washes the uric acid out by improving your kidney and liver function. You can also orally ingest nutmeg or apply its oil topically to reduce pain causing inflammation in your joints.

Nutmeg is a vital component in the spice trio commonly used for pumpkin pie. You can sprinkle this spice in your pancake, waffle or crepe batter before cooking them up. You may also like to add it to cinnamon dishes to improve their depth of flavor.

Integrating Herbs And Spices Into Your Daily Diet

To adequately follow a well-balanced gout diet, you may find yourself cooking your own meals much more often than ever before. When you cook for yourself, you have the opportunity to experiment with the herbs and spices you place in each dish. The five anti-inflammatory herbs and spices listed above are excellent in a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes. Many of these elements can also be used in desserts and beverages to ensure you consume enough of each to keep inflammation at an all-time low.  Check out companies like Yum Rush Inc. for more information about buying fun and interesting spices.