Although Ludwig Blau is not a well-known name, his name will be remembered by those with gout pain. A 1950 letter in Prevention Magazine described how eating cherries helped Blau walk again. Dr. Blau was suffering from severe gout pain that forced him to use a wheelchair. It wasn’t until he discovered the cherry remedy that he was able to get out of his wheeled prison cell. Dr. Blau said that he was sitting in his wheelchair when he noticed that he was eating cherries. The pain in his foot disappeared the next day. He continued to eat cherries every day and was eventually able to get up and walk.
Research
His simple research has allowed many others to benefit from his discoveries. A study of 12 gout sufferers found that cherry juice and eating one-half pound of cherries prevented them from getting gout attacks. The Agricultural Research Service also conducted a study that showed the effectiveness of cherries in treating gout pain. The results of eating cherries to fight gout are very promising.
Another study looked at tart cherry extracts in vitro for a better understanding about the healing potential of this tiny red fruit. The test tested key inflammatory indicators in blood samples from healthy volunteers who had been given cherries. This was reported in Journal of Nutrition 2003. Ten female volunteers aged 22-45 ate a bowlful fresh, pitted Bing cherry breakfast. To keep the study clean, volunteers were instructed not to eat other fruits, vegetables, drink tea, or consume red wine for two days before they ate the cherry breakfast.
Inflammation
These foods are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties, which could have affected the study results. The researchers looked at gout and measured the amount of urate in the urine. Researchers collected urine and blood samples prior to and after the consumption. After eating the cherry breakfast, urate levels dropped significantly in 5 hours.
This strongly suggests that cherries may be a key ingredient in fighting gout. With all this positive news about cherries and gout, how can you get cherries from? There are many sources of cherries, but these are the ones I’ve found to be reliable. They offer a wide range of products including cherry juice, tart cherries capsules, and dried cherries. You’ll notice a difference in your gout pain when you try cherry juice or cherries.