A tip for someone with gout

Bill developed gout after our last trip to Vegas in May. We went there for a week for our friend's son'sm J.J.'s, wedding. Chris and I went for a girl's week there in March with our friends, Debbie and Michelle. I said before that my other sister-friend, P.J., lives there so we went to see her and have fun. Anyhow, getting back to our May trip. The rehearsal dinner was at P.J.'s and Hal's (her husband) home. She is Italian/Irish and a fantastic cook. She did all of the cooking herself and there were several absolutely delicious dishes - chicken cacciatore, Italian sausage and sauce, meatballs and sauce, etc. Plus there were to-die-for pastries, too. Bill is on a diabetic diet, but, decided he couldn't pass this good food up and he WAS on vacation. He didn't pass up anything the food at the reception the next day either. Plus, since he had his strokes, developed diabetes and diabetic neuropathy and has a bad back he has not danced since the beginning of 2004. John, P.J.'s ex-husband, who is still our good friend, also, would not let Bill sit out the reception. God bless him, he kept after Bill until Bill got up to dance with him like they used to do. Especially when we were in the Philippines. It was a blessing to see him up and dancing again. John did it. Then after that P.J. and several of the other ladies came to get him to dance and he did. I got a chance to dance with him, too. It is such a big deal because Bill was always a big dancer because he loved to dance. That's another story. However, by the time we got home everything was starting to catch up with him. In fact, the doctor said evidently everything that happens in Vegas does not stay in Vegas. All of the rich foods caught up with him. We came home on a Wednesday and he thought his foot was hurting so much because of all the dancing and walking in the casinos. By Saturday his big toe was looking like one of the sausages he ate and was as red as the sauce that was on the sausage. The doctor took one look and said "I hate to tell you this, but, you have gout." He gave him instructions and a prescription.

So here goes my tip. I went online and, also, researched about gout. One of the things that I found was a site that had natural remedies. There are two that I have given Bill that definitely worked. He would take 1/2 tsp baking soda in a little water with meals. This helps to alkalize the body. Also, cherries were in season at the time and eating six to eight cherries a day helps to relieve the symptoms of gout. I told his doctor about this that we were, also, doing for his gout and he said it was okay. It works and whenever he feels an attack coming on we get out the baking soda. Since cherries are not in season and I can't find frozen cherries in any of our grocery stores I get canned cherries for him. When cherries come back in season, I will definitely be buying and freezing them. I hope this helps someone because gout is so painful.

Now I am going to continue my mad dash trying to get our home ready for our Thanksgiving crush of relatives that will be coming. More later.