Q. Dear Terry, “I had my first gout attack last month and it was horrible. I was in excruciating pain for almost a week. The doctor recommended over-the-counter pain relievers that didn’t do much for my pain. I’ve been trying to educate myself on how to prevent future attacks. What do you suggest?”– Kurtis J., Fairfax, VA

A. Dear Kurtis, I think one of the biggest changes we can make to help with joint conditions like gout, is to adjust our diet. When it comes to diet, I believe it’s important to eliminate all sugar and foods made with sugar, refined flour, and carbohydrates. Additionally, for gout specifically, eliminating beer is very helpful too. While I understand this takes a huge effort, it can make a real difference. For additional information, I also recommend visiting the following websites: www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com, www.drperlmutter.com, and www.dietdoctor.com. You should also read the books, Grain Brain by Dr. David Perlmutter and Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis.

Gout can be incredibly painful and frustrating since prescription and over-the-counter medications do not address the underlying causes of gout. Generally, gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid crystallizes in the joint – often beginning in the big toe – and causes severe pain and inflammation.

To address elevated uric acid levels, cherries are the first thing that comes to mind. Cherries are an extremely nutritious fruit, containing important nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin, beta carotene, vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. In fact, clinical studies have shown that cherries can help to significantly reduce uric acid levels.

I would take 1,000 mg of tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) once or twice daily, as tart cherry is especially useful for gout.

To help with the pain, I believe curcumin enhanced with turmeric essential oil, boswellia, DLPA, and nattokinase can be very useful. These ingredients work safely and effectively to relieve pain. I would take 2,181 mg of these ingredients per day.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally