You turn on the television and there you see a commercial for a new medication for whatever the health condition may be. It sounds so good up until they start talking about side effects.
You open up a magazine or newspaper and you find articles of cases where a particular medication has caused deaths or severe illness.
Have you actually taken the time to read the information you receive along with your medication? Read the side effects, it’s incredible.
For instance it will say, this medication will alleviate pain but be careful, it may cause nausea, dizziness, can cause damage to your liver, shortness of breath, etc. Once you read this, you really don’t want to take that medication but your body really needs it. Many people will no longer take certain medications and if they can, will take none at all.
Some have chosen to take only those they can’t avoid. We want to feel better but not at the risk of causing some other health issue for ourselves. Alternative ways to relieve pain can consist of simple exercises, supplements, massages or simply relaxing your mind. Hopefully one of these can help you out.
HEADACHES
Studies have shown that the natural extract of white willow bark contains what is called salicin, a natural analgesic, and can alleviate or get rid of your headache. They used this at one time to make aspirin. It can also be used as an anti-inflammatory. It is completely safe for your stomach and digestive system so you don’t have to worry about ulcers. Simply take 400 to 800 mg, twice a day. You will start to feel relief within 20 minutes.
STIFF JOINTS
Turmeric is an aromatic spice but did you know that it can actually help stiff joints? It has a special compound called curcumin that gives turmeric its special vivid yellow. Whether your pain is due to cold weather, standing in line or sitting too long, this will help alleviate your pain. Studies have shown that this is up to par with actual prescription medications. It is recommended to consume 1tsp per day. To take this, you can add it to yogurt, soups or stew. You can also take 500 mg of curcumin supplement a day.
SORE MUSCLES
Many things can provoke sore muscles, moving, shoveling snow, gardening, etc. When your body is sore, you just don’t want to do a darn thing. You just don't want to at all but you can’t, you have errands to run and things to do. A physician found that Ginger contains an enzyme called zingibain which aids in relieving sore muscles. Should you suffer from this, you can take 500 mg of ginger three times daily until the soreness goes away.
ARTHRITIS
To alleviate the pain of arthritis and reduce inflammation, it has been said that red hot peppers can actually help with this condition. Unfortunately not everyone enjoys hot peppers. So they have said you can take capsaicin, it is the chemical that causes the heat. This natural chemical will help reduce the pain of arthritis and has been proven to be very effective.
INFLAMMATION
Holy Basil is an herbal remedy found to be one of the strongest around. It has a compound that helps fight the enzymes responsible with causing the inflammation to the body. This will also help with reducing swelling. You can take this in a pill form found in health stores. Make sure to take as noted on the bottle.
BACKACHE
One of the best things to use is Lavender. It has an anti-inflammatory property. What you should use is the oil. It has been said that it is not a good idea to ingest this but it is a great idea to add to a nice hot bath, it is absorbed by the body helping to alleviate aches and pains. For the back, it is best to apply this oil, gently massaging it in. You will feel relief from your pain.
PMS
Women unfortunately suffer from PMS. It something that you have to deal with monthly and in many women the symptoms can be very severe. As with any other pain relievers, the medications given to help with these symptoms have serious side effects. To get away from that, there are herbal remedies that can be used. These can be taken daily to promote hormonal balance and reduce or eliminate PMS. Dong Quai imitates the action of hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. It helps relieve menstrual cramping. Another popular one is Chaste Tree; it is used successfully in Europe. Wild Yam has been used for a long time by herbalist; it helps relieve water retention and inflammation.
If you do a little research, you can find a natural remedy for any type of pain or health problem. Of course, for any type of condition you should see a physician but keep in mind, you don’t always have to take the medications given to you. Remember, in the past, our ancestors did not go to the pharmacy looking for ibuprofen or Advil; they actually used herbs, medicinal plants to help them when they were ill. They used them to relieve pain, alleviate certain health problems, get rid of coughs, etc. Try out some of the herbal medicines, you may find that this will be sufficient.