WE ARE WHAT WE EAT…
We all know the saying, and it really goes when it comes to weight loss or gain… It’s a common knowledge nowadays what we should eat and what we should stay away from if we want to drop a couple pounds. But is it also true when it comes to pain control, for instance? Research shows that 90 million Americans are affected by chronic pain… That is a huge number! And imagine this—they all reach for pain killers.
If you’re anything like me, you don’t like taking pain killers or any pills, for that matter. I only take them when the pain becomes unbearable. However, there are a number of people (obviously!) who would pop the pill whenever they feel a slightest pain. But have you ever wondered if there are alternatives to drugs that work as effectively and perhaps are safer? Well, yeah—drugs are supposed to be good for you, but have you noticed they all come with warnings?
I, personally, am a fan of natural therapies and my sister has an extensive knowledge on the subject, so you can imagine I call her a lot… Besides, many doctors agree that there is something to our grandmothers’ remedies. Hey, wouldn’t you prefer to simply eat a fruit or a spice instead of popping pills all the time? Heck, I would!
So for those who want to turn away from conventional drugs towards a more natural approach, here are a few facts:
What’s good
- Arthritis—chicken soup and cayenne pepper.
Chicken soup (which is also good to treat cold) has collagen that helps to fill bones, however store bought soups aren’t good for that since they aren’t made with bones. So make your chicken soup at home but remember to use pieces of chicken with bones. AS for cayenne pepper, it blocks pain reflectors in the joints, so add it to your dishes. - Back pain—pineapple and blueberries.
Pineapple is really the best for back pain since it contains bromine, which has an anti-inflammatory effect and works like the best pain killers on the market. Blueberries are also most powerful anti-inflammatory kinds of food and they help block pain as well. - Stomach ache—peppermint, ginger.
Fresh ginger blocks nausea and helps with stomach aches and any digestive upset. Peppermint has similar effects as far as any digestive upset is concerned (try a mint tea, it works like a charm!) - Rheumatoid arthritis—grapefruit. Studies show that ingredients found in grapefruit may actually stop and even reverse rheumatoid arthritis.
- Cold, flue and pneumonia—chicken soup, garlic.
Chicken soup helps loosen the mucus in your sinuses and garlic is just a miracle cure. It is really good for colds, flues and such since it ahs antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. If you find yourself sick as a dog, take a clove of garlic every 4 hours but do it only for two days since raw garlic in huge amounts may upset your stomach. To help your immune system, eat small amounts of garlic on regular basis.
What to avoid
- For arthritis—give up tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant as well as white flour and white sugar since they lead to inflammation, which you’re trying to avoid.
- Stomach aches—dairy products. Many people suffer form lactose intolerance but if you have upset stomach, it is advisable to stay away from dairy products for the time being since lactose can aggravate your symptoms. Moreover, milk is the most common allergant.