Anti Inflammatory Herbs For Joints – What Is The Best Natural Anti Inflammatory?
For many people, pain and issues with arthritis not only comes from an acute injury but becomes chronic, nagging at a knee or in shoulders day in and day out. Prescription pain medicines have negative side effects and are highly addictive; even over-the-counter anti-inflammatories can have side effects like stomach, kidney, and heart problems when used long term. So what is the best way to treat pain quickly with anti-inflammatory herbs for joints, safely, and continuously?
Use Natural Pain Killers
Herbs like turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) are highly effective, widely available, and safe natural pain relievers for dealing with joint pain. They are excellent remedies to help treat pain, whether acute or chronic. A compound in turmeric, curcumin, helps inhibit inflammatory COX-2 and 5-LOX enzymes that play a role in causing pain.
You get some curcumin when you eat turmeric, the yellow spice that is a distinctive flavor in Indian cuisine, but the concentration of curcumin in the whole turmeric is relatively low. To get a more effective pain treatment, you can take a curcumin extract, such as Curamin. Black pepper also increases the absorption of curcumin.
You can obtain this benefit by taking some black pepper with your curcumin supplement, or by combining black pepper and turmeric for a lower therapeutic dose when you cook. Since curcumin is fat-soluble, use some healthy fats when cooking. For example, you could saute your spices and vegetables in coconut oil and prepare a delicious curry.
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Stay Active
Building strength, increasing circulation, and improving mobility could all help pain if you continue to exercise regularly. If intense exercise or impact is a problem for you, try gentle forms of movement like yoga, tai chi, or activity in the water, like swimming or water aerobics.
Get Sufficient Sleep
Lack of sleep and pain can become a vicious cycle- you can’t sleep when you’re in pain or dealing with inflammation issues, and lack of sleep makes the pain worse. To improve sleep, avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which interfere with sleep cycles. Get natural light first thing in the morning- this works great if you combine it with exercise, so try taking a morning walk. Turn off all electronic screens a couple of hours before bed. There are also many supplements available that can help you get a good night’s sleep, from melatonin to valerian.
Stop Smoking
If you smoke, be aware that smoking is contributing to your pain, as well as many other health issues. Seek a support group or professional help if you need help to quit smoking.
Reduce Stress
Take a few minutes a day to perform relaxation techniques to suppress the immune system. Take 10 deep breaths, take a brief walk on your lunch break, make a cup of herbal tea, or inhale some relaxing essential oils for an aromatherapy treatment. One amazing stress reduction technique is meditation.
Guided meditations can be very helpful for beginners. Download an app on your smartphone or find free meditations online, such as these from Fragrant Heart.
Practice Physical Self-Care
Treat yourself to a massage, acupuncture, or reflexology session. You can also perform self-care at home. Try foam rolling or using a tennis or medicine ball to massage tense muscles.
Use a heating pad or alternate hot and cold packs to increase blood flow to painful areas on your body. You can massage pressure points to work on many different parts of the body. Google “acupressure” and wherever you need assistance (i.e. “acupressure for headache”) to find instructions.
These are just a few suggestions out of many potential solutions. Don’t resign yourself to living in pain; the staff at Peach Vitamins is always here to help if you need more advice about pain relief.
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