October 21, 2014

Keep active with cherries, by Janie Lee Grace

I’ve been promoting it for years so was very pleased to see the article by Rachel Ellis in the Daily Mail recently: ‘A daily drink of cherry juice concentrate could help thousands of patients beat gout, according to new research’.

The word ‘gout’ brings up images of Henry VIII slobbering and chucking chicken legs over his shoulder as he quaffed his tankard of mead, but in fact it’s a surprisingly common condition, a form of arthritis that affects one in 14 men and one in 35 women in the UK. It occurs when excess uric acid crystallises in the joints, especially the toes.

A new study by Northumbria University shows that drinking a concentrate made from tart Montmorency cherries, which possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, can help clear excess uric acid from the body in just a few hours. I gave some to a friend suffering from severe fibromyalgia and she found it relieved her pain and helped her have a better nights sleep within a week of taking it daily.

Dr Glynn Howatson from Nothumbria University led the research and said: “The study clearly shows that uric acid is lowered following consumption of the Montmorency cherry concentrate”.

A UK Gout Society spokesman acknowledged that Montmorency cherries could help reduce uric acid levels in the body but added: “People with gout should go to their GP because it can be linked to other conditions such as stroke and psoriasis.”

It’s important to note that it’s not just any old cherries: Montmorency cherries are special and it’s unlikely that we can find them down our local market as they are grown in North America. CherryActive is the brand I recommend. The founder, John Carey, cured his own gout and set about helping others to be able to have this natural remedy for gout pain, importantly they don’t add sugar, sweeteners or flavourings.

You only need to take 30ml of the concentrate with water twice a day, my mum takes it in hot water, it makes a nice fruity drink and you can even make ice lollies! There are also capsules if you’d rather not drink it and nope, I’m not on commission!