Alternative treatment and medicine for gout relief is becoming more popular as gout sufferers turn to other, more natural, remedies for their gout. Some are looking to use these instead of their mainstream drug-based treatments, while others are using them to compliment them. Either way it’s definitely worth discussing gout alternative treatment and medicine with your doctor. He or she will, perhaps, be quite open to some of these because they know that there isn’t a ‘medical’ cure for gout yet. Here are some alternative gout treatments that you might wish to try…7 GOUT ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT & MEDICINE TIPS1. Drink water to help your kidneys flush excess uric acid out of your system. A minimum of 12 eight-ounce glasses a day has been suggested.2. Keep a close eye on your diet. Since the breakdown of natural chemical compounds called ‘purines’ into excess uric acid in your bloodstream is at the heart of your gout, it makes sense to try to keep away from purine-rich food. Foods such as poultry, dried legumes, shellfish, red meat, game and offal are all high in purines, so should be avoided.3. Eat vegetables and fruits that are high in vitamin C., particularly oranges. Vitamin C. can reduce uric acid levels in your bloodstream. Make these part of your ’5 a day’.4. Some studies have shown that drinking coffee – both decaff and regular – reduces uric acid levels although, exactly how, no one knows.5. Blue-red fruits such as cherries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes etc. are also known to be beneficial, especially cherries.6. Herbal remedies have been around for thousands of years. Herbs such as; Nettle, Juniper, Hawthorn, Garlic, Devil’s Claw, etc.7. Gently exercise the affected joint. Exercise helps to strengthen the joint, reduce stiffness and increase flexibility.There are other things that, although they don’t fall into the category of ‘gout alternative treatment and medicine’, you need to be aware of. Things like your weight, family history of gout / arthritis, body pH, underlying medical condition, etc. Understanding all these contributory factors as well as available alternative treatments will ensure that you are better placed to get rid of your pain and prevent your gout returning. Prevention is particularly important since frequently recurring gout attacks can end up in permanently damaged joints.