Hari Raya is just around the corner. After a month of fasting, it is the time to celebrate among family and friends. This year around would be a totally different Hari Raya celebration as we are still in the MCO period that we can’t move freely to visit our relatives and friends in the other states. Also the event of “Balik kampung” which a lot of us look forward to will also be restricted to those in the same state, no interstate travelling is allowed.This would be a new norm in celebrating Hari Raya in this MCO period. Get ready the mask and hand sanitizers when you are visiting.

The restriction is enforced to ensure that the pandemic that we are facing is well controlled but one thing for sure that would not change is the delicious food and Raya cookies that comes during Hari Raya celebrations.Normally in the menu would be beef rendang,mutton rendang,Lontong with cuttlefish and shrimp sambal,peanut gravy,beef satay,lemang and tempeh just to name a few. The cookies and Hari Raya snacks such as peanut cookies, rempeyek,cashew nut cookies will also be mouth watering unavoidable items during the Hari Raya celebrations.

Now ,what does all these receipes have in common? If you look at all the mentioned items are all rich in purine. Purine rich foods are the main cause of gout attacks and high uric acid incidences during the Hari Raya Celebrations.During this time ,there will be a spike of customers rushing to pharmacies and clinics to get some medications for their gout attacks but there is another group of customers that have found out about the Tart Cherry extract and its properties that reduces the uric acid levels and therefore reduces the recurrent gout attacks.

Consuming plentiful amounts of cherries or a cherry extract provides remarkable health benefits, ranging from fighting inflammation to preventing gout which is a painful joint condition. The tart cherry contains rich amounts of flavonoids specifically anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins.These are antioxidants that scavenge and neutralizes free radicals that damages the body.The flavonoids are also natural antiinflammatory compounds that acts similarly to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen).This has made flavonoids a favorite among practitioners of natural medicine when chronic inflammation is present.

The mechanism of action that the tart cherry extract helps in the uric acid reduction will be by the inhibition of the hepatic activity of xanthine oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase. (Haidari et al.2009). The tart cherry extract also increases the glomerular filtration and decrease tubular reabsorption (Jacob et al.,2003;Zhang et al,.2012)

The Antiinflammatory properties of tart cherry extract is mainly from its activity that acts on IL-6,TNF-alpha, IL-1B, IL-8, COX-1 and COX -II.

In a study that was published in Arthritis & Rheumatism 2012, American College of Rheumatology about the cherry consumption and decreased risk of recurrent gout attacks. The study was on 633 individuals that proved a reduction of 45% lower risk of gout attacks with cherry extract intake during the 2 day period prior to the gout attack. When the cherry intake was combined with allopurinol, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower than the peroids without taking the tart cherry extract.

In a 1999 study published in the Journal of Natural Products, researches reported that consuming 20 cherries a day provides the active flavonoid compound anthocyanins that significantly reduces the free radical and inhibit inflammation.

As a prevention for gout, the flavonoids help to reduce the high uric acid levels in the blood that is responsible for the development of gout. The flavonoids also block the inflammation causing substances released in the joint when the uric acid crystals start to accumulate.

To get a steady supply of tart cherry is not easy here in Malaysia, that’s why there is an effective and easier way to reduce the uric acid levels during this festive season. Taking a sachet of Tart Uric reduces the uric acid levels and prevents from recurrent gout attacks especially during this Hari Raya celebrations that is just around the corner. Get it now and enjoy your Hari Raya celebrations without worrying when is the next gout attack is going to hit you…..

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

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TART URIC

Tart Uric is a drink from tart cherry (Prunis Cerasis L) which has traditionally been used for lowering Uric Acid levels. 
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