I have no idea what you are talking about. Are you justifying having gin for breakfast????

Nope! Back in 2007 we had a discussion about the home remedy of gin soaked raisins which are supposed to eleaviate arthritis pain. I found the saved post last year, and decided to try.

well, for me it works GREAT! No more shooting pain, and no new swollen joints.

i am just wondering if anyone else ever tried it, and how long they have been taking them.

Moni

I hadn't heard of it, so looked it up. Apparently Paul Harvey publicized it on the radio twenty years ago, and it probably came from an old family remedy. That's from The Alternative Daily, which also has some science talk about the components and how they might work together, as well as some notes about nutrition and joint pain. The People's Pharmacy also has a lot of adherents to the cure.

Everywhere I checked said, specifically, that it should be sultanas (golden raisins) rather than any other variety. Put in a bowl with just enough gin to cover the sultanas, and cover the bowl with a cloth so it can evaporate. After a few days to a week, the gin will be soaked up or gone and you can put the sultanas in an airtight container in the fridge. Recommended consumption is 9-10 per day. One of the things they said might be of benefit is the sulfates they commonly cure the sultanas with, so this isn't a good option for people who don't tolerate those. Or alcoholics. :)

Thank-you, Moni! I'm going to see if I can talk my mother into it. It's such a harmless thing compared even to even the mildest analgesic.

plllog before I would use jalapenos cut open, and rubbed on the sore joints. Made it HOT, but took the pain away. Just thought, I give you another option to try.

by the way, mine is not RA. Mine is doctor certified plain ole arthritis, and he said I could take as many Ibuprofin as I felt necessary. That was just not an option for me.

Going gluten-free may also work....(and there is quite a bit of science behind it when you start to study the subject). Going gluten-free worked for me, my sister (who once was into the raisins and gin treatment) and her daughter. I don't imbibe, so I never tried it.

Now I remember why I have a bottle of gin in the basement! I don't care for it, so it must be left over from those days when I tried the posted recipe. I know I tried that, but had to have replacement knee and hips, so forgot about it.

I wrote this down and plan to try it. My knee has been hurting some and wrist too so put that on my shopping list!

Friend told me about that years ago and she was a believer in it, but she said to use golden raisins

golden raisins and gin

I tried it once a few years back but don't remember it helping much. I may give it another try because I don't like taking too many ibuprofen or alleves

I saved that on pinterest, never know when I might need it. :^ )

I wonder if this has something to do with the gut. Thinking about the raisins and regularity. What IS gin, once the alcohol evaporates?

Ah, now that I looked up juniper berries, I see that they have been used to treat RA and osteoarthritis for centuries. It's not the gin, it's the juniper that's in it the gin. I also see that juniper is being researched for use in treating diet-controlled diabetes.

Juniper is the only spice derived from a pine tree, according to Wiki.

So...are the raisins even necessary, other than as conveying the juniper?

If I remember correctly, one of the components of gin is juniper berries. But does the alcohol evaporate? It sounds more like the raisins soak it up, alcohol and all.

I can't try it because I've been off alcohol and raisins (and all fruit except apples) for months because of Lyme disease. I've been taking a good probiotic and other supplements at the same time. Happy to report my joint pain is much better.

She said yes! It's a little miracle. I hope it works...

Alisande, I'm sure you're right that a lot of the alcohol gets soaked up. This is essentially macerating the sultanas. It breaks them down some, and they soak up some. The evaporation is for getting rid of the excess liquid, and making sure that the sultanas have absorbed enough.

Alcohol itself doesn't evaporate under 173° F.

From the site I linked above:

Small amounts of alcohol have been shown to slow joint damage. [And feel good.]

Gin is flavored with juniper berries, which are rich in vitamin C,
catechins, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene, betulin caryophyllene,
limonene, menthol, rutin, and delta-3-carene. These are all
anti-inflammatory compounds.

Also known as sultana raisins, golden raisins are made from sultana
grapes, which hail from Turkey. Loaded with antioxidants such as
resveratrol and vitamin C, raisins also contain ferulic acid, gentisic
acid and salicylic acid — known pain relievers. In addition, raisins
contain potassium and calcium, both of which help protect against bone
demineralization.

Golden raisins are treated with sulfur dioxide in order to slow down
the browning process. After this, they are either oven-dried or
flame-dried. Sulfides left on the grapes after drying are thought to
provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Sulfur is common in many other
treatments for arthritis, including natural sulfur springs, garlic and
Epsom salt.

Chisue, I hope that Wiki didn't say that. Juniper isn't a pine....it's not even in the same plant family. The little blue berries from certain juniper shrubs or trees that are used for the unique flavor.

This is quite interesting. I did some reading on this topic.

I only have a small bottle of vodka, I'm assuming that won't do the trick, although I have read where it would work. I've also read where the raisins can be the brown ones. I might do a little informal experiment using the vodka and brown raisins that I have on hand.

Jas, my sis got no relief from the brown raisins.

Experimenting is always fun, but without the juniper and sulfates, it sounds more like a dessert. :) Whereas the rather good gin I used splashed on my fingers, and I licked it off. Tasted like the really obnoxious cough medicine--the clear one--that we had to take for bronchitis when I was a kid....

I have a friend who's husband swears by dried cherries. A handful a day.

Thanks for the tips Moni and Pllllog. I'll get a little bottle of gin and sultanas.

rhizo -- What a kind correction! Yes, I should have said that Wiki says juniper berries are the only spice derived from a *cone*, not a 'pine'. (Senior brain sees 'cone' and comes up with 'pinecone'.)

I recall hearing about it before.....but never tried it...however, I seem to have more aches and pains than I used to have, and I do like gin....not crazy about raisins, but I will give it a try.

My raisins are soaking! :)

I bought a mickey of gin and the raisins, and they're now soaking. There were only 4 brands of gin to choose from and only one had the ingredients listed and one was juniper. The mickeys cost $16, so if this works it's probably more cost-effective to get a larger bottle.

I prefer to just drink without having to rationalize it... :-)

My mother kept a jar in her kitchen for years, absolutely swore by this remedy. Good luck to everyone!

Jas, when I stopped at the liquor store for the gin, and I told them, what I wanted it for, they sold me the "cheapest kind", cause that is what everyone gets for this recipe.

Thus, that is what I have been using.

Moni

I never looked at the label when I bought "Seagram's Extra Dry Gin.." I see now the label just says it is blended with the worlds finest botanicals. Hopefully it has juniper berries. Will start my experiment today as they are pretty well soaked up!

Thanks Moni. All of the brands of gin were $15-$16 for the small mickey. 375ml, less than 2 cups. So I made sure I got the one that stated juniper berries specifically.

I think gin, like most distilled spirits, is flavorless until stuff gets added in the process to give it a flavor. For gin, it's "botanicals", including juniper berries, in trace amounts. Very trace amounts.

For those who tire of this folk medicine "remedy", get some ice, tonic water and lemon or lime juice to put the remaining gin to good use. That's a potion that's guaranteed to make you feel better, no matter what ails you.

snidely-

I agree. If you need it, I can share my recipe with you for a different medicine that uses the finest natural ingredients: pomegranate juice, orange juice, and the fermented, distilled juice of the blue agave plant. It's called a Tequila Sunrise....

I bought my gin today....forgot the raisins.

marilyn-

Don't worry...my doctor told me that you can start taking the medicine immediately, and only add raisins if the dose of gin doesn't produce the desired result.

I also tried it. I think I was too sensitive to the sulfites in the raisins as my psoriasis flared up and my gums started to bleed a lot. Both stopped and healed after I dropped it. I think I am in the minority to have a reaction.

kudzu, the juice makes it a bit too sweet for me. But using the tequila for a Margarita produces a drink I almost never refuse. And like a gin and tonic, no raisins are needed.

My drunken raisins are ready, and will start to be consumed today.

Cookie, you can get raisins without sulfites at any store that sells some organic food.

Yes, but since they say it's the sulfites that make the raisins work, perhaps the martini is the way to go for people like Cookie. :)

Try drinking a glass of tart cherry juice (4 -6 oz) morning & night. We buy tart cherry concentrate & mix with water accoroding to the directions on the bottle.

I also recommended eliminating all added sugar & high fructose corn syrup. As another poster above said eliminate gluten, or wheat based products. It works!

Marilyn-

Can I come over to your place for happy hour? :-)

Are you using golden raisins? I remember the pushing of the fact they should be golden raisins. I did it in hopes of it working so I wouldn't have to eat such a restrictive diet. I am back on track with my diet so all my joint pain is pretty much gone now. I was desperate to get tomatoes back - oh well.

Enjoy and I hope it works for you! Probably the only remedy that I tried that I didn't gag on.