Gout is a type of arthritis which is found in both men and women. The most cases, patients affected by gout experience pain in the big toe. However, it can also affect other joints of the body, including the elbows, fingers, ankles, hips, heels, thumbs, etc. In recent years, results of research conducted showed that cherry juice is an effective method of treating gout. However, before we discuss on remedial value of cherry juice, let us try to know more about the causes and effects of gout.
Gout: Causes and Effects
- Uric acid is produced in human body during the process of breaking down of chemicals called purines. Normally, this uric acid is thrown out of the body in the form of urine.
- Sometimes, our body is likely to experience an abnormal rise in production of uric acids. In other cases, the kidneys become incapable to excrete uric acid from the body.
- When the level of uric acid increases in the blood, it transforms into urate crystals which are sharp like needles and get collected in the different joints of the body, making the person experience a painful inflammation. This leads to a condition called gout.
- The most common symptom of gout is extreme joint pain, especially in the big toe. The area where a person experiences the pain may swell and appear purplish or red in color.
- Some people have also said that they feel a warm sensation in the affected area.
- There are chances of people getting fever while suffering from gout.
- The condition of gout can be hereditary. Similarly, people who are overweight, addicted to alcohol or cigarettes are prone to get affected by gout. Regular use of certain medications like aspirin, levodopa, diuretics,etc, increases chances of getting afflicted by gout.
When a person is diagnosed with gout, the first thing a doctor may recommend is a painkiller to relieve the excruciating pain in the joints. Though the pain lessens, it is just a temporary relief and it may trigger again after one stops taking pills. Along with this, the physician may prescribe certain medication for treating gout. However, the problem with these pills is that they have lots of side effects and can cause harm to your body, if taken over a long period of time. Hence, consuming cherry juice is stated as a safer option to cure gout.
Cherry juice as a remedy for gout was accidentally discovered by Dr. Ludwig W. Blau from Texas in 1950, when he himself had gout. Later, he tested the effects of cherries and cherry juices on other people who suffered from gout and found positive results. Since then, several tests and researches have been conducted to see the benefits of this juice for gout treatment, and it has been found that cherries help in lowering uric acid in the body substantially, thus helping to treat gout.
How Does Cherry Juice Work?
Cherries contain antioxidants and flavonoids that are necessary for the body to fight a number of diseases. Antioxidants and flavonoids are components that have the ability to fight free radicals that cause cancer. Apart from that, flavonoids are responsible for the color of the fruits and plants. Cherries are made of flavonoids called anthocyanins that give them the rich red color. However, the main function of anthocyanins is that it is an anti-inflammatory agent which causes the uric acid level in the blood to decrease, thus helping in healing the tissues of joints that got damaged due to gout.
Gout and Black Cherry Juice
- Though studies have shown that all the varieties of cherries and cherry juice are good for treating gout, black cherry juice is the most preferred among them.
- Whichever form of cherry juice you choose for treating gout, one thing you have to keep in mind is that it should be of a very good quality. If you prefer sweeter cherry juice, you can go for cherry juice concentrate for gout treatment.
- Initially, the patient should drink a cup of cherry juice at least twice a day. If you have opted for the concentrated cherry juice, mix two tablespoons of the concentrate with water and drink this two times, everyday. This has to continue till the symptoms of gout lowers, after which one can decrease the dosage.
- The results of drinking this juice will vary from person to person. While some people experience relief from pain within a few hours, there are others who have to consume cherry juice regularly for weeks and sometimes even months to experience any change.
- The amount of cherry juice one has to consume after the symptoms subside tends to differ for different people. Some people have reported that they just need to take one tablespoon of cherry juice in a month, while there are others who have to strictly follow the daily intake of cherry juice.
People who are facing the problem of gout should try cherry juice, and I am sure that they will get to see positive results. However, one must remember that apart from cherry juice, it is also necessary to make some permanent dietary changes and follow the gout diet to get rid of this problem completely.
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