| |
Newsroom /
Health and Fitness
/
Health and Fitness
/
A “Cherry Diet” Helps Curb Gout Attacks
A “Cherry Diet” Helps Curb Gout Attacks
Recent research shows that cherries help gout sufferers by alleviating pain and preventing gout attacks.
Carrara,
Queensland,
Australia
(prbd.net)
16/11/2011
Gout may be one of the most painful diseases affecting both men and women today, but the lowly cherries is one of the best gout treatments, and can certainly alleviate the pain associated with gout attacks. In a recent study conducted at the Boston University School of Medicine, it was found that consuming cherries could prevent gout attacks. The study was conducted on 633 individuals who suffer from gout. They were asked to consume about 20 cherries daily in order to help keep the disease in control. Cherries have been long believed to help in keeping inflammatory conditions associated with arthritis in check. For decades, many gout sufferers indulged in cherries and made the fruit a part of their daily diet in order to help them ease the symptoms of systemic gout flare-ups.
The study found out that by eating approximately 20 cherries (1 cup or 2 servings) every day, gout patients can cut the risk of experiencing gout attacks. More particularly, the research concluded that having 2 servings of cherry for the past 48 hours will lower the risk of a gout flare-up by 50%. Using any amount of cherry extracts within the same duration will lower the risk of recurring gout flare-ups by 40%. The study itself is a confirmation of the long time belief that cherries help inflammatory conditions in check. According to one of the researchers, Yuqing Zhang, MD, one serving of cherries alone didn’t help. Suffice to say, individuals who eat only 1 serving of cherries (approximately 10 pieces) were not able to experience the positive effects of cherries on gout patients. Zhang also said that eating more than 2 servings does not provide more protection than that associated with eating 2 servings of cherries. For individuals who tried to eat more than 2 servings, the benefit they got was just the same as with eating 2 servings only. Cherries have high levels of antioxidants and anthocyanins, which are both beneficial to the body. Anthocyanins are antioxidant flavonoids that help in protecting the body system from damage. It is also one of the components of cherries that made the fruit extremely beneficial for patients with inflammatory diseases such as gout. Aside from its anti-inflammatory properties, it also reduces the uric acid levels in the body, which is one of the major causes of gout. High uric acid levels cause the formation of crystal deposits in the joints, resulting to the pain associated with the disease. Thus, eating the right kinds of food, especially the consumption of 1 cup of cherries regularly, helps in keeping gout attacks at bay. The study proves that cherries are among the best natural gout treatments available for gout patients.
About
DigonMos Ltd. provides health advice and other health information on various diseases.
|