Several years ago and friend and I were on an extended driving vacation from Los Angeles to Seattle. We had many stops planned and were looking forward to a grand adventure together. However, two days into our trip I suddenly began to have sharp, shooting pains in the big toe of my right foot. They were so cripplingly painful they took my breath away. The pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced! My friend had to do all the driving from that point on because I couldn't even push the gas pedal down with my throbbing right foot.

The very day I returned home I went to see my doctor, who promptly diagnosed a classic case of gout. He prescribed allipurinol, which I began taking at once. Eventually the pain abated and I was able to function again, although it continued to nag and come on sporadically for a few weeks. I mentioned this problem in conversation to my friend, and she promptly provided me with a 32-oz. bottle of Taste-A-Treat Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate. I took a couple of ounces that evening, and by bedtime (when the pain was usually at its worst), I noticed that the nagging pain was completely gone and I could stand to have the bedcovers on my foot again for the first time in several weeks.

Now when I feel the smallest twinge of gout pain, which can be excruciating, I promptly take two ounces of undiluted concentrate and the pain totally disappears literally within minutes. This has happened probably ten times by now, especially during asparagus season. Even though asparagus, cooked or raw, is loaded with gout-causing purinols, I just can't resist it when it's fresh picked! After enjoying several servings of asparagus over a few days' time, I'm not surprised when gout rears its ugly head. But out comes the concentrate at the first twinge of pain and I have enjoy relief within minutes every time. I will never be without a bottle of Taste-A-Treat Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate in my refrigerator again!