h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I found this to be very informative about grapefruit juice and other juices:

http://www.pharmacist.com/juice-interactions-what-patients-need-know

But cranberries are not the only [or even the best] anti-gout food. Cherries are top of the list. I eat three dried cherries and three dried cranberries with my breakfast cereal every day. Juice has the potential to push up your blood sugar if you are susceptible. Except for skim milk, I don't drink anything that has calories. Alas, I am no longer young enough to eat and drink whatever I want. My grandmother used to say, "I'm paying for my years."

As far as the gout-legume connection goes, I can tell you which beans are least likely to aggravate gout: chickpeas/garbanzos and Roman beans/borlotti/cranberry beans.

I agree, paulh. I later checked a number of other links and it turns out that some recommend cranberries, others warn against them. But aparrently black cherries are praised by all. I knew that from earlier studies, by the way.
Problem is I can't buy fresh berries here in Februry - and even my biggest super does not have black cherry juice on its shelves. Will have to check the local health food store tomorrow.

I recently found someone recommending legumes for gout. I could hardly believe my eyes. Chickpeas I can believe, but beans, peas and lentils? I'm not taking any chances!
And everybody who has had a gout attack will understand me, I'm sure.

I put four different kinds of dried fruits or berries on my cereal in small amounts. It takes very little time to get them out. They're expensive, but using small amounts helps make them last a long time.

I don't know what to advise for your gout. My uncle gets gout sometimes. There's a doctor who thinks I've had gout in my knee, but the blood tests never showed any high levels of whatever it is that causes gout. Frankly, I worry more about arthritis. Some people lump gout in with arthritis.

Pierce
Black (well dark red really) cherries are available over here, imported from Chile, but pricey.

I'm tempted to fly over to get me some, Bald Bloke, but I don't have neither the time nor the money right now - and I'm sure I can find cherries here too - or ask my greengrocer to get me some.

Gout is a mysterious disease, paulh. Many people have very high levels of uric acid in their blood without ever having gout attacks

My hand is better today, thank Bob

I find that my hands and feet ache more in cold weather than warm. Is this arthritis, gout, or temperature sensitivity?

It could be any of those - or a combo.

I found a bottle of cherry juice. If it helps I do not know since my hand was on the mend anyway.

I was reminded that molybdenum dissolved in alcohol helps some people fight their gout.

Molybdenum is an element. Can you guess it's number on the periodic table.

42, of course

Maybe not quite on all fours, I had to stop taking my antidiabetic metformin Tuesday the 3rd on account of a possible antagonistic reaction with an iodine dye contrast medium used for a CT scan that day.
hopefully, I'll get a medical clearance to resume tomorrow, Friday.

Meanwhile, its watch my blood sugar and adjust diet accordingly.

I just stumbled upon this. Can any of you verify these claims:

"Warning against "ginger shots" with and without turmeric.
Did you know that these "shots" can be not only harmful but even deadly.
Studies show that only 450 mg of ginger is enough to make the blood thinner and might be strong enough to treat thrombosis. But much smaller doses than that can cause abdominal pain, bloating, arrythmia, heartburn, an upset stomach, menstrual pain, bleeding and miscarriage.
The maximum dose of ginger should never exceed 4 grams per day and never more than a few days.
Some "shot" recipes say that you can add herbs such as garlic and turmeric. DO NOT DO THIS - it will increase the blood-thinning effect!
Ginger has many side effects with medications, herbs and other dietary supplements, which stimulates blood flow and results in lower blood sugar. It can make you bleed far more than normal. Drugs.com indicates 320 kinds of medicines that ginger gives adverse events."

Aha, look what Hati showed me:

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/ginger

The sections "Precautions" and "Possible Interactions" seem to verify the claims (up to a point).
A friend of mine used to take these shots every day for a long peirod. She complained about stomach problems. She doesn't do these shots any more.

There's another side to the story, though.

People have used ginger to soothe stomachs for thousand of years

http://www.sharecare.com/health/ginger-supplements/how-ginger-work-stomach-remedy

http://blog.zocdoc.com/is-ginger-good-for-an-upset-stomach-fact-vs-myth/

In the second link, it mentions the beneficial effects of *one* gram of ginger per day. This is less than the four grams mentioned in previous posts. I think we're talking about common sense here. Anything can be dangerous in excess. Plus, why take something like ginger for any reason other than that it makes food delicious in appropriate amounts? Enjoy your food. Enjoy your life.

Back in the early '90s I had a juicer and most of the recipes called for ginger root. I'm sure I used much more than 1 or 4 grams as I would usually use about 3-5 inches of the root. My typical recipe was one knob of ginger root, half a dozen carrots, some kale and spinach, maybe some garlic.

Of course those kind of juicers basically throw away most of the good parts of the vegetables and leave you flavored water.

I need to find that juicer and toss it in the trash. I haven't used it in decades anyway. It'll clear some space under my sink.

Some people might tolerate more ginger than others.

We're all different.

That is very true, paulh. As are you words about common sense.

Problem is a lot of people have little knowledge and even less sense.

They may not be here on hootoo so I may be preaching to the choir, but I will spread my warnings elsehwere also.



PS: I have been warned never to drink alcohol. At least no more than a bottle of beer per day. Tops! Because it may interact very badly with some medine I'm taking.
However it turns out that both I and a number of others have no problems whatsoever with mixing this particular medicine with alcohol. Apparently we have galvanized livers.
We are indeed different.

Those who have little common sense should look for donors. That's sensible. q.e.d.

True. But quite frequently those who have little common sense are not aware of it.

"It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so." Will Rogers
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/willrogers385286.html

Chocolate coated crystallized ginger.

http://www.google.com/search?q=chocolate+covered+crystallized+ginger&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiiybrZor7QAhUhrVQKHanyDQQQ_AUICCgC&biw=962&bih=601#imgrc=Fi6hBARqD0W9BM%3A

Oooh, I recognize those. Me Mum used to make them