| As modern technology boasts of fighting disease and | | | | potential for fighting gout pain from tart cherries is |
| curing aliments, it is Mother Nature that really | | | | ideal. |
| deserves the credit. Did you know many of the | | | | Gout is just one joint ailment that tart cherry helps |
| today's top medicines are based on ingredients | | | | to ease, the other is arthritis pain. According to |
| already found in nature? That's right, many of the | | | | published research from Dr. Muralee Nair from |
| world's leading drug companies look to Mother Nature | | | | Michigan State University, his research indicates eating |
| for ideas to creating new drugs and prescription | | | | about 20 or so cherries per day may help to reduce |
| medicine. | | | | the aches of arthritis. |
| It's amazing that pharmaceutical companies make | | | | According to published research, tart cherries are a |
| billions of dollars using the wisdom and insight found | | | | natural source of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors. Do you |
| naturally in your local grocery store. Of course, it | | | | know of any prescription drugs that are COX-1 and |
| takes time, effort, knowledge and energy to create | | | | COX-2 inhibitors? The tart cherry helps to naturally |
| a new drug, but the one thing to remember is many | | | | block pain signals to the brain. This means, the body |
| drugs are modeled on these natural ingredients. | | | | will not feel the pain. |
| This little red fruit has a long history of fighting | | | | So What About Easing Sore Muscles? |
| arthritis pain and easing muscle soreness due to | | | | Oregon Health and Science University and the |
| physical exercise. The anti-inflammatory benefits of | | | | University of Vermont have both conducted studies |
| the tart cherry reach back decades. The American | | | | on cherries and muscles soreness. According to the |
| Indians used the tart cherry for its red hue to paint, | | | | University of Vermont research, participants drank a |
| the Romans used the cherry for both food and its | | | | cherry juice blend and enjoyed less muscle pain and |
| health benefits. | | | | soreness after physical exercise. The Oregon Health |
| However, the published research started in the | | | | research results outstanding studies with the tart |
| United States in the 1950's. A simple study conducted | | | | cherry. |
| by Ludwig Blau published his findings in the Texas | | | | Unfortunately, fresh tart cherries are only available |
| Reports on Biology and Medicine in 1950. The article | | | | during the short summer harvest it may be difficult |
| showed how eating tart cherries everyday helped | | | | to get the health benefits of cherries year round. |
| him to get out the wheelchair due to extreme gout | | | | However, you do have a number of other |
| pain. The naturally occurring phytochemicals in the | | | | alternatives. These include tart cherry capsules, dried |
| tart cherry helps to reduce plasma urate. Plasma | | | | cherries, cherry juice and tart cherry concentrate. |
| urate is a precursor to the formation of uric acid | | | | One reliable source for tart cherry products is |
| crystals between the joints. | | | | Traverse Bay Farms. The company offers cherry |
| In addition to the 1950 study, in 2003 the Journal of | | | | capsules, dried cherries, cherry juice concentrate and |
| Nutrition published the results of an anti-inflammatory | | | | more. This Michigan-based company is based in the |
| study. The research gave 45 volunteers fresh | | | | heart of cherry country so they know cherries. So |
| cherries and monitored their plasma urate. After 5 | | | | the next time you are looking for a natural way to |
| hours of consuming the cherries, the plasma urate | | | | fight arthritis pain and ease muscle pain, look to the |
| levels of the volunteers actually decreased. Thus, the | | | | tart cherry. |