As research technology boasts of fighting disease and curing aliments, it is the Law of Mother Nature that really deserves the credit. In fact, of the today's top medicines are based on knowledge already found in nature? That's right, many of the world's leading drug companies ask to Mother Nature for knowledge when they develop new drugs and prescription medicine.

It's amazing that Big Pharma companies make huge amounts of money using the wisdom and insight found naturally in your local farmers market. Of course, it takes time, effort, knowledge and energy to create a new drug, but the the best thing to remember is many drugs are modeled on these natural ingredients.

One particular red fruit has a long history of stopping arthritis pain and easing muscle soreness due to physical exercise. The antioxidant benefits of the littleMontmorency tart cherry goes back decades. The American Indians used the Montmorency tart cherry for its red hue to paint weapon and heal body pain, the Roman legionnaires used the tart cherry for both food and its arthritis pain fighting health benefits.

However, the very first published research started in the United States in the 1950's. A stand alone study conducted by Doctor Ludwig Blau published his findings in the Texas Reports on Biology and Medicine in 1950. The research showed that eating tart cherries everyday helped him to get out his wheelchair due to extreme joint pain. The naturally occurring antioxidants in the Montmorency tart cherry assisted to lower plasma urate. Plasma urate is the beginning to the formation of uric acid deposits between the joints fingers and toes.

In addition to the 1950 study, in 2005 the Journal of Nutrition published the results of an another anti-inflammatory research study. The research gave 50 volunteers fresh tart cherries and monitored their plasma urate levels. After 6 hours of enjoying the cherries, the plasma urate levels of the participants actually went down. Thus, the potential for fighting arthritis pain from tart cherries is ideal.

Gout is just one joint ailment that tart cherry helps to ease, the other is arthritis pain. According to published research from Dr.Mualee Nair from MSU, his research indicates eating about 30 or so red cherries per day may help to reduce the aches of arthritis.

According to published research, tart cherries are a natural source of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors. Do you know of any prescription drugs that are COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors? The Montmorency tart cherry helps to naturally fight pain signals to the brain. This means, the body will not feel the pain.

So What About Easing Sore Muscles?

Oregon Health and Science University and the University of Vermont each have both conducted research on sour cherries and muscles soreness. According to the University of Vermont research, volunteers that drank a tart cherry juice blend and enjoy less muscle pain and soreness after physical exercise. The Oregon Health research results outstanding studies with the tart cherry.

Unfortunately, fresh red cherries are only available during the short summer harvest it may be difficult to get the health benefits of cherries year round. However, you do have a number of other choices. These include tart cherry capsules, dried cherries, cherry juice and tart cherry concentrate. One reliable source for tart cherry products is Traverse Bay Farms. The company offers cherry capsules, dried cherries, cherry juice concentrate and more. This Michigan-based company is based in the heart of cherry country so they know cherries. So the next time you are looking for a natural way to fight arthritis pain and ease muscle pain, look to the tart cherry.

The author enjoys spreading the word about the food and its amazing health advantages

Author's Bio: 

The author is a full time health blogger. She writes about the natural living and healthy eating. She write about products and companies she finds interesting.