Also of course directly related to diet!

I happen to love the things that generate Uric Acid:

Amongst them. Red wine, shell fish (oysters mmmmmm.)

In the early years of course I used to visit my good family doctor who would prescribe the best possible “Anti-inflammatory/pain relievers”!

Until one day, now about 12 years ago I met with an elderly lady friend who is a Naturopath and was then working at one of our local “Health food and Supplements stores”. She is great and after all these years I recall clearly the advice she had to offer…….

“Forget these modern-day chemical based medicines!”

Here is what you do:

We have some concentrated Cherry juice and some powdered Ester “C”.

Take the vitamin “C” till you overdose on it, probably about 3,500 mg / day and take two table spoons of the concentrated cherry juice. (In the morning and at night)

I asked her what about pain killers, she said don’t worry, the overdose of vitamin “C” will look after that and the Cherry juice will cancel the Uric Acid and get rid of the crystals in the joints)

She was right, it worked and worked well.

Of course she recommended that once the healing was complete, the pain and swelling gone, I should continue with my usual intake of vitamin “C”, about 1,200 mg per day and keep on with the concentrated Cherry juice at two table spoons per day. (One each in the morning and in the evening)

Well, you know we are all human and once the discomfort is gone and all is back to normal, we forget about the remedy!

Then I would travel to Australia, visit friends, drink a bit more red wine that usual and suck up a few doz. Oysters, do a lot of walking on the beach………… BANG!

Gout is back in full force.

First thing I go for is lots of vitamin “C” and Cherry juice.

3 – 5 days later I swing into full recovery.

Hopping down the stairs and brusquely walking wherever I need to go!

With age (Now nearing 64) comes better memory, in particular for the things that make us feel good and get rid of pain)

The concentrated cherry juice I was using for a number of years was too sweet for me (I do not use sugar in any of my tea or coffee and the quality was not as consistent as I was hoping for. So I started researching and testing alternatives.

Well I found that the Concentrated “Balaton Cherry juice” at Royal farms in Michigan is just the perfect solution for me. It is certainly not sweet but tart, just the way I like it

The Anti-inflammation qualities of this juice of course is just another added bonus for the gout sufferer as the crystals that form in the joints do cause a lot of inflammation. So this wonderful juice is a serious healing agent as far as I am concerned. Last but not least, I do keep a very busy schedule and used to have a bit of a problem with getting enough sleep. Since taking two table spoons of Royal Farm’s Balaton juice (One in the morning and another at night) seven days a week.

Yea, you guessed it, I regularly get my eight hours of solid, deep sleep every night, with no interruptions, straight through.

The juice is fantastic and I recommend it to everyone!

No not just for the people who suffer with Gout, but really EVERONE!

It just has so much to offer and is good for you!

For me it’s quite serious now, don’t get between me and my Royal Farms supply of Balaton cherry juice, it’s definitely not a safe place to be!

Summer is on the way, best thing for thirst:

- Nice tall glass, a good squirt of Balaton Cherry juice from Royal farms, top up with fresh, cool water! Most refreshing drink you could wish for.

Cheers to all!!!     R.D. – Surrey, BC

Balaton Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate is 100% natural.  It is free of artificial flavors, colors, additives, and contains no added sugar.  Balatons are a naturally sweeter tart cherry so the fruit provides a smoother tasting juice.  Just one ounce supplies a healthy serving of 17 natural antioxidants including a very high level of anthocyanins.  In fact, when compared to the more common Montmorency cherry concentrate, Balaton contains approximately six times the level of anthocyanins. 

You can buy this product in our Farm Market or our online store at www.cherryproducts.biz.

Some of the compounds in cherries appear to aid in diabetes control and in reducing the complications associated with this disease, including insulin resistance syndrome, or “pre-diabetes, also referred to as metabolic syndrome.  Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of traits that can greatly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, characterized by abdominal obesity or belly fat, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels.

Metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in the United States, especially among adults in their mid-30s.  The American Heart Association estimates that 50 million American adults have it, and many of them don’t even know it.  That’s why metabolic syndrome is frequently called a “silent epidemic.”

A recent study presented conducted by University of Michigan researchers, found that antioxidant-rich cherries helped reduce many of the risk factors for heart disease and metabolic syndrome, by:

• Lowering total cholesterol levels
• Reducing triglycerides (blood fats)
• Lowering insulin and fasting glucose levels
• Lowering levels of a plasma marker of oxidative damage
• Increasing blood antioxidant capacity
• Reducing “fatty liver”

Information provided by the Cherry Marketing Institute.  www.choosecherries.com
 

For decades, tart cherries have quietly grown a devoted fan base of arthritis sufferers who routinely consumed the fruit (particularly as juice) to help soothe their symptoms. Today there is a body of research to support the cherry folklore.

The suspicion that cherries might help with arthritis and gout was first proposed more than 50 years ago. This preliminary study found that daily cherry consumption helped to relieve “gout attacks” and the pain associated with arthritis. After eating cherries, patients in the study had lower blood levels of uric acid. Elevated levels of uric acid are associated with the onset and progression of gout. Since then, several studies have confirmed this link. Another reason why cherries may help ease the pain of gout and arthritis is due to their high concentrations of anthocyanins 1 and 2. These antioxidants help block enzymes in the body called cyclooxygenase 1 and 2, (more commonly known as COX-1 and COX-2). Some pain medication works by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2, which may explain why people with arthritis and gout experience an analgesic effect when they eat tart cherries

Information provided by the Cherry Marketing Institute.  www.choosecherries.com 

Cherries are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, they have among the highest levels of antioxidants – containing about the same as blueberries.

The Antioxidant Power of Cherries
Antioxidant strength is measured in Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) units. ORAC measures how many oxygen radicals a specific food can absorb and deactivate. The more oxygen radicals a food absorbs, the higher its ORAC score. The higher the ORAC score, the better a food is at helping our bodies fight diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Nutritionists suggest that people consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day to have an impact on their health. Just one ounce of cherry juice concentrate supplies 3,622 ORAC units, about an entire day’s recommendation.

Antioxidant Levels of Cherries

• Cherry Juice Concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
• Dried Cherries: 6,800 ORAC units
• Frozen Cherries: 2,033 ORAC units
• Canned Cherries: 1,700 ORAC units

The Power of Red — Anthocyanins
Cherries contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that provide the distinctive red color and may hold the key to the health benefits locked inside. These rich, red pigments that give cherries their color are a type of phytonutrient known as flavonoids, which have been linked to a variety of health benefits.

Studies suggest that these disease-fighting pigments possess anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and anti-carcinogenic properties. Of the 150 different flavonoids found in plants, anthocyanins appear to have the greatest antioxidant capacity. Cherries are one of the richest sources of anthocyanins, containing more than sweet cherries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. Anthocyanins 1 and 2 are not found in blueberries. For more detail on the antioxidant power of cherries, click here.

For more information on antioxidants, visit the American Dietetic Association Web site at www.eatright.org, Mayo Clinic at www.mayoclinic.com or Cleveland Clinic at www.clevelandclinic.org.

Information provided by the Cherry Marketing Institute. www.choosecherries.com