Cherries Stop Pain and Inflammation

Just three dried cherries a day could end your gout pain. It may sound like a miracle, but this delicious, vitamin–packed fruit is proven to relieve arthritis pain even better than aspirin, ibuprofen and other drugs–with no stomach upset or other side effects.
The secret lies in anthocyanins. These natural compounds not only give cherries their luscious red color–they also stop your body from making prostaglandins, the hormone-like substances that cause pain and inflammation. In lab studies, anthocyanins have proven to be about 10 times more effective than aspirin at relieving joint pain and swelling. That’s important because even small amounts of aspirin can worsen gout. With this fruit in hand, you may not even need to take pain pills. Instead, you can let cherries ease the ache of this arthritis. Experts recommend munching cherries every day during a gout attack. Pop a few dried ones in you mouth, or eat a bowl full of fresh ones instead. About three dried cherries pack the same punch as 20 fresh ones. As of January of 2006, we find that JUMBO CHERRIES are available at our local BJs market. They are juicy, plump and sweet with very small pitts. We purchased two pounds of these cherries (A Produce of Chile) in excellent condition and contained in a clear plastic container (important in preventing the handling a contamination). We were very pleased with the taste and the quality. At $4.50/pound, we found that this was a healthy investment in a great food source.

These sweet fruits aren’t the only gout-busting foods.
Wash gout away. If you suffer from gout and drink water only when you’re thirsty, you may not be drinking enough. Water cushions achy joints , and is crucial in flushing uric acid out of your body. If you have gout, you need plenty of this fluid to keep you body’s machinery running in tip-top condition. Make it your main beverage and add fresh lemon to help dissolve kidney stones. Sipping water throughout the day is a smart way of keeping the digestive system in good working order.
Getting rid of gout could be as easy as eating more dairy products. Getting 30 grams or more of dairy protein each day helped people put the lid on their levels of uric acid in a recent Canadian study.
A single serving of yogurt with its 12 grams of protein puts you well on your way to filling that quota. Add another 8 grams from a cup of milk and you’ll soon be saying goodbye to gout.
Some doctors prescribe generic allopurinol (Zyloprim) to control active cases of gout, but eating right can help you get back on your feet and reduce or eliminate this painful disease.