Q. My husband has had several gout attacks over the last few years. The last one caused terrible pain in his knee and immobilized him for days. I am pretty sure his blood pressure medications have caused this. Is there a more natural way to control blood pressure so he doesn’t have to go through this hell again?
A. Many blood pressure drugs contain diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). These can contribute to high uric acid levels that trigger gout attacks. We are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment with a number of natural approaches to controlling hypertension including foods rich in magnesium and potassium, the DASH diet, beet juice and pomegranate juice.
Several readers recommend celery seed as an extract or tea for managing gout pain. Here’s one story: “I’ve used celery seed tablets for over two years. This works well to prevent gout flare-ups.”