Kick foot pain to the curb

Q: A few days ago I had horrible pain in my foot. I went to my doctor, who told me it was likely a case of gout. Can you tell me more about this condition and whether there are any natural remedies for it?

Dr. Wright: Gout occurs when the body can't process and eliminate excess uric acid. The result is a painful burning or stabbing sensation usually in the ball joint of the foot.

Although there are no published studies on this topic, over the years I've found the combination of low-dose lithium (10-15 milligrams twice daily) and vitamin C (2 grams twice daily) can be very effective in preventing recurrent attacks of gout.

Vitamin C significantly reduces serum uric acid levels. Lithium makes uric acid more soluble so it doesn't crystallize into painful "needles." These two actions combine to significantly reduce gout attacks.

If you have gout, I also recommend that you drink 32 oz. of cherry juice at the first sign of an attack. Just please make sure it's real cherry juice -- no sugar added. Although no one is sure why or how it works, studies have shown that cherry juice usually eliminates the pain of acute gout.

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