Pain relief

I just wanted to tell you about something that has completely changed my quality of life. I'm not selling anything, just sharing information. (some of you know pieces of this, but not the whole thing).

For quite some time, I have been dealing with knee pain (most of my life, as you all know, but worse in the last few years). Meds don't help, exercise made it worse, etc. My left knee has been nearly twice the size of my right for at least the past three years. I have also had other all-over-body pain, to the point where I would cry if Dan hugged me too hard, and was being told by several people I might have fibromyalgia.

Went to a doctor who was only interested in giving me narcotics, not finding the source and actually fixing it. Actually seemed angry that I refused them.

So, I went on a radical diet, gave up starches, sugars, and refined foods of any kinds,etc.

Lost 30 lbs, which was nice (I will soon start another round of the diet, since I have much more to lose). Fibromyalgia-type pain went away. If I have sugars and refined/processed foods, that pain comes back, as does the restless leg syndrome. So I avoid those foods, but my joints were still hurting and still swollen. No increase in mobility.

Then I read an article about tart cherries, and their effect on inflammation an arthritis pain. I'd read before that cherries and pineapple were good for joint health, but neither made a huge difference for me. In the article, it specifically stated "TART cherries". Pie cherries. So I bought some tart cherry capsules from Whole Foods (Vitamin Cottage and others also carry them). I started with two a day, in the morning. Noticed within 1-2 days that my pain was greatly diminished. Started taking 2 more capsules in the evening. My pain in my knees (the arthritic pain) WENT AWAY. The swelling WENT AWAY (took about 2 weeks for all the swelling to be gone). My knees match again. I can walk without pain (spent three hours at the State Fair the other night, and didn't even THINK about my knees, I felt so good).

I also chased my kids around the yard, and yes, RAN. And even jumped. The kids are shocked, because I haven't been able to do either of those things, well....... EVER in their lifetimes.

Anyway, just wanted to share that with anyone in chronic pain.