Treating gout with chaga tea

Everyone knows of the healing effects of teas. Teas have played an important role in traditional medicine for centuries, and even today, we should make use of the healing properties of teas. When we think of teas, herbal teas first come to mind. However, there is another special type of tea we should not forget – the chaga tea.

Chaga is a nutrient-rich mushroom that grows especially on old birch trees in regions with colder climates such as Lapland and Russia, although it is prevalent in other areas as well. In these regions, chaga is already an essential part of popular medicine and has helped many. The mushroom has several positive effects: it is immune-boosting, metabolism-stimulating, and anti-inflammatory. Through these properties, it is applied in various areas of medicine to treat diseases or relieve symptoms. Chaga tea significantly improves patients’ quality of life.

Especially in Russia, chaga tea has long been used as a complementary therapy to fight cancer, but there is another patient group that can benefit from the positive effects of chaga. Those suffering from gout can improve their quality of life with the help of chaga tea and accompanying diet, and potentially even achieve recovery.

Many people suffer from gout, particularly men. Normally, women do not develop the disease until after menopause; female sex hormones appear to protect them until then. Gout is a metabolic disease in which the levels of uric acid in the blood are too high. Uric acid crystals are deposited in joints and synovial bursae, leading to joint inflammation and joint damage. Patients with gout have severe pain. Especially at the onset, the big toe is often affected. The severe bouts of pain lead to poor quality of life and significant limitations. However, problems associated with gout are not just limited to the joints. Uric acid crystals can also be deposited in the kidneys, which leads to renal damage and dysfunction up to renal failure, the worst consequence of the disease

But what causes the uric acid level in the blood to be too high?

Fundamentally, there is genetic predisposition to developing the disease. But the risk is increased by certain factors. These include other diseases, sequalae of medication, but also poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, and obesity. Based on these factors, gout is often referred to as a “disease of affluence”.

Uric acid levels in the blood increase when there is no longer a balance between production and elimination of uric acid. Uric acid is produced during the breakdown of cells, such as the breakdown of purines. Purines are substances contained in food and that we thus ingest when eating. They are found in meat, sausage, and legumes. Elimination of purines is predominantly a function of the kidneys, and to a lesser degree the bowel. There are thus three main factors that can lead to an elevated concentration of uric acid:

Excessive intake of foods that contain purines.

Excessive breakdown of cells.

The kidneys do not eliminate sufficient amounts of uric acid.

Therapy consists of a fundamental change in lifestyle, meaning daily exercise, weight loss, and adhering to a diet. In this case, diet means consuming very little food with a high purine content, as well as abstinence from alcohol and soft drinks. This may help somewhat to relieve symptoms and to slow the progression of the disease, but for many patients, it is not enough to improve quality of life. Often, strong medications are required, but these, in turn, may be damaging to the kidneys or other organs, or have significant side effects.

This is the reason natural remedies should be applied in these cases. As indicated above, the chaga mushroom has metabolism-stimulating, immune-boosting, and anti-inflammatory properties. All three properties have a positive effect on treating gout. If you suffer from gout or know someone who does, try a course of therapy with chaga tea.

The course of therapy is only effective in combination with a diet low in purines. A change in lifestyle is therefore imperative.

Two cups of chaga tea should be consumed daily. The first cup in the mornings on an empty stomach and approximately 30 minutes before the first meal. This is when the tea has been shown to be most effective. Preparing chaga tea is simple. Take a cup, add a little powder (if you do not have the mushroom in powder form, you need to grind it. Warning: raw chaga must first be dried for one month!), pour boiling water over it, and let the tea draw 5 to 10 minutes. After pouring the tea through a strainer or filter, you can sip it slowly.

Chaga is not only effective when ingested but can also work topically. Treatment is best when wraps are also applied. Simply take a cloth, preferably made of cotton, soak it in chaga tea and apply it to the affected area. Ensure that the wrap is protected from drafts and rapid cooling.

Chaga tea inhibits inflammation of the joints an reduces swelling. Its active ingredients also fight pain. Even after just a few days, you will notice a distinct reduction of symptoms. Recovery takes longer, depending on the severity of the disease. But you will feel significant relief after a short period of time.

Gout patients should not despair and stay strong, because the disease can be treated successfully. With the help of chaga tea, their suffering can be a thing of the past. Look forward to a life without pain thanks to the special powers of chaga!