Q: I’ve had knee pain for the past 10 years or so.   Taking turmeric helped it quite a bit.

I also have gout.  When I read that celery-seed extract could control my uric acid level and help my gout, I started taking it, too.  The celery-seed extract has really helped my gout, but to my surprise, my knee pain subsided almost completely.

I’m walking several miles a day now.  An orthopedic surgeon had said that my knee was too far gone for any arthroscopic surgery, just bone on bone with nothing left to repair.  He thought the only resolution was knee replacement.

A: Celery (Apium graveolens) is a vegetable that dates back many centuries.  The seeds have long been prized for their ability to lower inflammation.  (Progress in Drug Research, online, July 31, 2015).

Elevated levels of uric acid are responsible for gout.  Celery contains an ingredient that inhibits the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which produces uric acid in the body. (Food Chemistry, Dec 15, 2013). While we could find no clinical trials to support this natural approach, the mechanism is plausible.  We’ve heard from other readers that celery-seed extract can aid in gout control.

• article by Joe and Teresa Graedon, April 1, 2018, copyright Seattle Times