12 User Reviews
★★★★★
I just wanted to say Ron1999's post from 2012 has been VERY helpful! I initially followed the dosage recommendation and ended up with blood blisters in my mouth...which I am sensitive to citric fruits...so I halved the amount of ACV to 1 TBS in 2 TBS of cherry juice and drank it as a shot. I did this 3x a day for 4 days and my gout was nearly gone by this morning. I will continue for 1 or 2 more days to ensure the attack is done and then switch back to drinking lemon water at each meal. Thank you for posting the info!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
Anyone who has gout knows how extremely painful it can be.
I usually get a gout flare once every year or two. But, within the past 6 months or so, I've been getting them every week. And, it always alternates between my left foot and right foot. Luckily I haven't had a flare in both feet at the same time. Nothing in my diet, exercise levels, or any other factor has changed.
Due to the increase in the frequency of the flares I went to the doctor, during a bad gout flare, to see if something could be done. At the time I went to the doctor my knees were also hurting. The doctor took X-rays of my foot and my knees. He said the gout has caused irreversible damage to my toe joints, and I have developed arthritis in both knees.
Well, that's just dandy.
He told me of some medicine options that could help with the gout. But, the side effects were worse than the actual disease. I declined the medication and told him that I would stick with taking Alleve when the pain became too unbearable.
Well, this past Monday I had another gout flare. I was limping around like an old man using the wall for support. I took the Alleve and it helped a little with taking the sharp edge off the pain, but the gout flare was still going strong.
Yesterday I searched online for some home remedies for gout and found this website. I decided to try the apple cider vineger/black cherry concoction that has already been mentioned: 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar with "mother" ("mother" is the floating stuff you see in the ACV. It has to be the organic, and unprocessed, ACV that can be found in any healthfood store and some grocery stores), 2 TBSP of black cherry concentrate (also found in healthfood stores and some grocery stores), mixed with 8 ounces of water. You can even add some honey if you'd like for a better flavor. I like vinegar so I didn't find the taste objectionable.
I bought a 16 ounce bottle of ACV with "mother", and a 16 ounce bottle of black cherry concentrate for $10. I read that any kind of cherry juice will work, but it has to be straight cherry juice with nothing else added to it (preservatives, sugar, etc).
I took a "dose" as soon as I got home from work. Within a few hours the pain had decreased quite a bit. I took a second "dose" right at bedtime. I did not take any Alleve, or pain meds of any kind, so I could better judge if the concoction was actually doing anything.
I woke up this morning and I could walk normally about 90% pain free. I can still feel a twinge of stinging pain if I bend my toe too far back. But, other than that, I'm not limping.
I took a third "dose" just before I left for work.
My wife laughed at me when I told her about this home remedy. She thought I was nuts to be drinking something so "nasty". But, she can't argue with the results.
There is something about the ACV, and the black cherry juice, that neutralizes the uric acid in the body and prevents those needle sharp crystals from forming in the joints.
I can't guarantee that it will work for everybody. But, for a $10 spot what do you have to lose? Personally, I like the idea of not having to take a pain pill and drinking something completely natural instead.
I plan on drinking the concoction three times a day for about a week then go to twice a day (morning and night). I have no idea if doing so will be a long term solution to keep the uric acid levels at bay. But, I'm certainly going to give it my best shot.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
The apple cider vinegar suggestion is a lifesaver. This should go on wikipedia!!! Im younger than 30 and in pretty decent shape. Gout is in my family and I think I brought it on with dehydration. I have had gout attacks since I was approximatly 20 and they have become more frequent.
This time, the pain started 2 days ago, I was limping yesterday, and in crippling pain this morning. I got the "mothers" organic apple cider vinegar, some cherries, an NSAID inflammation reducer and epsom salt. All combined I am able to walk a few hours later and and it almost feels normal.
NOTE**** I don't know if this was a result of the attempted remidies or the fact that I walked a few blocks to the store, but soon after drinking a healthy dose of the vinegar there was an increased agonizing pain in my foot. This subsided and after the epsom salt bath I am much better.
(San Luis Obispo, Ca)
07/03/2011
Younggout,
Gout is a form of arthritis and some believe may be caused by a virus since it behaves like a virus as it may lay dormant and then flare up. And it doesn't respond to antibiotics. It is also not caused by crystals forming and causing pain. The crystals are a symptom of the disease not the cause. I have done a lot of research for my folks and thought maybe this info could be of some help. Some ND's believe a low grade infection in your mouth can cause secondary infections elsewhere in the body such as osteoarthritis and gout. The low grade infection could stem from dental work, crowns, root canals, or inflamed gums. All can allow an overgrowth of microorganisms, even if you think your mouth is healthy. The microbes can release toxins causing inflammation in the body and or they can migrate into the joints causing pain.
One solution is oil pulling which removes the microbes from the mouth. You can read on this site about oil pulling. Essentially you swish oil vigorously in your mouth 15 - 20 mins and spit the oil out then rinse your mouth thoroughly. Do once a day or 3x if a sever infection is present. It works to remove the microbes by binding them to the oil. The membrane of the microorganisms is lipid based and we know oil and water do not mix but oil and other fats can bond together. Think of tape pulling lint off your clothing. So the concept is remove the source of infection and your immune system has one less thing to handle that day. It can then focus on other areas that needs attention.
The other remedy is to consume about 3 TBLS of virgin coconut oil a day. You MUST work up slowly to this dose as it will detox you. It has strong antimicrobial properties and can kill the microorganisms but does not harm the beneficial ones. Combine this with a whole foods diet and you'll be supplying your immune system with the building blocks it needs to do its job and you'll be giving the it a little break by removing the bacteria, viruses and fungi that live in mouth. Hopefullt these steps would allow your immune system to keep gout under control.
(Bel Air, Md)
03/30/2012
Kelly, I am very glad that I found your post! I have had a bad 2 weeks with severe pain in my knee ligaments, severe pain and inflammation in my ribs, and now severe gout in my foot AND an abcessed tooth! I do think that there has to be some connection to what you are saying about the mouth and gout but I think it also depends on other factors as well such as activity level, dehydration, diet, etc. Every one of my baby teeth abcessed (with the exception of one) and many of my adult teeth have abscessed as well. I had never had before any gout before I became disabled.
In 2006 they botched a surgery on my back and left me with extensive nerve damage through 2/3 of my body, a rod from T-2 to T-11 and a fractured ligament at the base of the rod which has fused me into a painful bent position. Now that I have these issues I also have gout every 4 to 6 months. I think gout comes mostly due to dehydration since my mobility is poor but now with this abscess the timing seems very suspect. I have been downing black cherry concentrate pills and apple cider vinegar pills by the handful and hopefully it will go away. Also because of the pain of my broken back and nerve damage I am already on high levels of narcotic-based pain medications and they don't even touch the gout pain at all, so don't be suprised if none of the over the counter pain relievers help you.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
after 25 days of swelling /pain /crutches-would try anything- Apple Cider Vinegar and cherrys worked in 1 1/2 days -crazy - back in gym- but still tender in big toe thanks everyone
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
I have had Gout about once a year for many years. Until now I used Ibuprofen and in 2-3 days it was gone. The last time was 2 1/2 years ago. This time gout attacked my big toe joint and has lasted 30 days. It is 80% cured but keeps hanging on. I have been taking allopurinol for most of the 30 days and my UA is down to 3.8. Previous tests in the past have been 7 or higher. I found your website about a week ago and started immediately on ACV with Mother and Black Cherry Concentrate capsules and fresh cherries. I started with 4 tbsp ACV/day and cut back to 3. My mouth became raw and sensitive so I skipped two days and started back with 2 tsp per day. I am puzzled by the long term of the gout compared to previous episodes. I retired at age 71 about 18 months ago. Could my age be a factor?
(Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
08/06/2010
Answer to Alan from San Antonio about gout. Gout is caused because of accumulated uric acid crystals. A big portion of uric acid is eliminated by the kidneys. However, uric acid will be eliminated mostly if the urine is near pH 7 (neutral). You can verify this fact by yourself by measuring the urine pH with pH paper designed for this purpose. Look for EC alkalizing formulas, or some of my posts for some suggestions. Changes in diet will also help. Eat the least processed food as possible. Recent research have also shown that fructose will cause uric acid. Check those process food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). This stuff is almost in every processed food. Good luck, Alain
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
I don't usually give feedback to forums, but about a month i came down with what i thought was a severe bunion on my right toe. i was hobbling around, losing sleep and the pain was so intense that i almost went and bought crutches. it finally subsided but would flare up after playing tennis. one evening when talking with a group of tennis friends, someone started talking about their recent injuries and was describing exactly what i had and when he showed me his toe, i never thought it would be gout. the next day i found this forum (this was less than a week ago) and immediately started eating cherries, drinking black cherry juice, a lot of acv & water plus icing my foot. the results have been dramatic. the pain & swelling are gone, and my toe almost looks normal - i played 2 sets of tennis saturday and although i had a flare up it quickly resided. this morning i played another 2 sets and there was no flare up or pain. i cannot begin to thank the readers and would urge everyone to try these remedies as they certainly worked for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
Over the years I've had several gout attacks. I went to a doctor and received prescriptions for pills, allupurinol (SP?) and endomethicyn (SP?). The allupurinol did nothing while the endomethicyn did relieve the attacks. One morning while away from home for work I woke up unable to move my left knee. I called my wife and she contacted my doctor who prescribed another pill who's name I don't recall. I managed to very painfully limp to a pharmacy to fill the prescription. The directions for this medication called for taking one pill every 30 minutes until, "Severe gastro-intestinal discomfort ensued." Yes, that's exactly what it meant.
Last week I again had an attack on my knee while away from home. I accessed the web in an attempt to find a cure that did not involve a doctor, a pharmacy and, "Severe gastro-intestinal discomfort." I found this site. I was unable to walk without severe pain and a pronounced limp at this time. I got to a store and bought ACV, a couple cans of cherries and Black Cherry/Concord Grape juice. I drank the top inch or so of juice from the bottle and filled it back up with the ACV. After eating one can of cherries and drinking three bottles of the ACV/juice I awoke the next morning and was able to walk with only a slight limp. By the second day most stiffness and most of the pain was gone. By the third day all pain and stiffness was gone. In addition, both of my big toes, which had been stiff and swollen, unable to move had full range of movement again for the first time in a couple of years. Today I realized that I was able to make a fist with both hands with no dull ache, which I have also had for a couple of years. I am going to be drinking ACV for the rest of my life.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
I had a Gout attack a few years back and remembered hearing about home remedies. Found a formula for 1 oz Apple Cider Vinegar (1 shot glass) in 1 cup hot water with a tsp of honey. Picked up the ACV at my local grocery store fixed my ACV tea each evening while i watched TV and the gout was gone in about 3 days. About a year later I was on a business trip and started developing symptoms so off to the store for ACV and this time nothing happened. I was upset and could hardly walk through the airport. When I got home I looked at the ACV I had used before found it was organic. The stuff I picked up on my trip was from a local drug store and was distilled. Tried the formula with my organic and again the pain and swelling was gone in a couple of days. I have also started taking Black Cherry juice. You can get a name brand cranberry/cherry mix at the store. I like the cranberry because I'm prone to kidney stones which cranberry juice helps. I pick up a bottle of concentrate cherry juice and add 1/2 a bottle to the prepackaged cranberry/cherry mix. I drink about 1 or 2 8oz glasses a week and have been gout free for over 2 years.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★☆
I have just had my second gout attack. The first one was only three weeks ago. I am now taking the good ACV, drinking good cherry juice, eating cherries etc., and the pain went away in fifteen hours, but the swelling is not subsiding How long does the swelling usually last. From everything I have read on this site I thought it didn't last too long. It has been four full days now. I will continue with these drinks even when it is over, this time. I am not going to take any chances again. Thank you all for sharing. Without this site I would be beside myself and we would probably both be in pain LOL.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
I am 30yrs old and have had gout in my left foot/toe for a few years now. My flare ups usualy last a few weeks to months, so last week when I started feeling the twinge in my ankle I new it was gonna be long summer.
As of last nite it was in my knee (a new thing) and I was imobilized (also a new thing) by the pain in my foot.
So like a good little invalid I was sitting on the couch foot elevated scouting the web for a remedy on my iPhone when I came across this site. I read all the posts for gout and was inspired by all the stories of people actualy finding relief from such excruciating pain as gout can cause from somthing as simple as apple cider vinager. As anyone reading this post probly knows I was eager to give anything a try. Last nite I ate a half a bag of (at least 50) plum cherries as well as mixed 1.5 tbl spoon ACV (5% acidity #1 national brand sounds like Heins with a Z) with a half cup of water and tossed it back followed directly by 1/2 tbl spoon baking soda mixed in a 1/2 cup water. Within a few hours the pain in my foot had deminished noticeably. This morning the pain was back but not as severe as yesterday morning. I followed up again with ACV/BS water treatment and cherries for breakfast. It's 2:00 pm now I just finished my second dose of the day and am standing here writing this post on my iPhone almost pain free (yes standing here). It seems to good to be true but it worked for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
Gout: I'm extremely frugal and didn't want to go to a Dr's office and get handed off to twenty people, each costing a sum of money, each giving me a 1001 answers as to why, when I really only wanted a single one. (What is making my toe and foot swell and to be in so much pain) My holding out for a diagnosis/ cure cost me dearly in pain and put me in desperate times. I was about to sign up to receive on of those booklets on how to cure gout (probably a good idea) but I wasn't ready to drop any coin and thankfully I didn't. Now the good part of the story: I'm the real deal, I just got gout and have had it for about 2months. I wasn't liking the way gout restricted my activities. In addition it felt like an extra spouse nagging at my toe every night. Luckily I love research and stumbled onto this site. I literally cocktailed the ACV with the baking soda and added some $3.50 a can dark pitted cherries to the mixture. I've started with the routine and plant on consuming the whole enchilada each three times a day. After day one I can tell you for the first time in months I can move my toes. My wooden foot was gone in the morning (most of the swelling has gone. I'm so excited I had to get this post going. So Far I'm seeing progress and I'm elated. The experiment is working thanks for the postings and thanks for doing something because you care and not about the money.
(Springfield, Mo)
01/17/2013
To All: First time here. Thank you for the great site and advice. I have had gout in my left foot/ankle on and off for 6 years or so. From December 1, 2011 through November 2012 I lost 75 pounds with a regimen of eating "real food" and exercise. I was about 15 pounds from my ideal body weight. During that period I had ZERO gout attacks. During the last two months I lost my motivation, gained back 15 pounds, wasn't exercising, etc. And have had a couple flare ups. Two weeks ago I started working out again and have been eating much healthier. Monday night I was a little depressed and turned to my old pal, FOOD, for relief. I made and ate three small pancakes at 10 pm. By 6 am, I couldn't walk. I now know FOR SURE that my attacks are brought on by carbs in general and probably the processed carbs in white flour specifically. There is a lot of evidence that gluten, particularly the processed variety found in bleached, white, flour, can bring on attacks. The syrup probably exacerbates the attack, but since I normally have some sugar (usually Turbinado or raw honey) in my coffee each day without a problem, I really think it is the flour. I started drinking the BS with lemon juice last night. To be honest, I forgot about the ACV until today when I got on this site. Can you give me the EXACT measurements for the ACV, BS, and cherries (or juice) mixture that you have found to be helpful? I am a little better today, but still in a lot of pain. I have been eating only low purine foods since Tuesday am, but still suffering. I'm a professional Chef, if I can return the favor for any of you with some great, low purine food recipes, let me know. Thanks in advance for the help!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
just reading all of the testimonials about acv gout was very helpful for me. i am on my 4th big bottle of unfiltered organic acv. it is most helpful in keeping my ph in 7 range. i use it to help maintain the ph and keep from having a gout attack. when i feel the twinges, however, i switch to baking soda and reduce the acv from 3 times a day to once or twice. i think the baking soda remedy is more effective DURING an attack. acv has so many other health benefits and my doctor told me it can't hurt. plus it is so cheap. cherry juice and acv when things are going well ----cherry juice and baking soda in higher doses when the conditions are ripe for an attack. my 2 cents
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
I am currently in the midst of a full blown gout attack in my left foot. I have been using the NSAIDs Indocin and Mobic with no real relief for the last 3 days.Myself now unable to walk have asked a co-worker to go to Everman's Natural Foods to purchase the un-filtered ACV and
the Black Cherry Juice. I am going to try this for the first time, today! I will be back in a few hours to report.Time/Date now: 404pm CST Jan 8,2009
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cherries
★★★★★
re: ACV and Gout' -- Thanks for all the great comments and ideas. As a nurse for 30 years I know that diet binges precede my attacks-as does minor injury. I certainly don't find relief nor do I prefer NSAIDS. I did find two things of note here: I am going back to ACV with honey and water. I think a comfrey poultice helps and as to calcium...there is some new data that a diet high in low fat dairy products seems to lower uric acid levels. black cherry juice will be my next remedy...and i will report back. and think of it, aren't we blesssed when our bodies give us a warning- painful as it may be.