Natural Pain Relief Herbs By cldavis|Pain Relief

For centuries, people have used analgesic herbs to treat a variety of chronic aches and pains, including headaches, back aches, toothaches, and neuralgia. Scores of herbs have important roles in natural pain relief. Below we discuss seven commonly-used herbs for natural chronic pain management.

Chronic pain is long-lasting, persistent pain that usually shows no improvement with time. In fact, it often worsens over time. Defined as pain that lasts six months ormore, chronic pain can easily take on a life of its own.

Chronic pain is more than a symptom of disease or injury. It often becomes the illness itself, causing physical, occupational, or mental impairment and affecting quality of life. The pain may center on a specific area of the body, such as lower back pain or daily headaches. Or, it may affect several parts of the body, such as osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia. 

Chronic pain affects millions of people around the world, and it triggers billions of dollars in medical and social costs each year. Pain management is big business for the world’s pharmaceutical companies, and yet the pain persists. 

The truth is, traditional treatments such as medications, injections, and surgeries are ineffective for relieving chronic pain. The debilitating condition causes unrelenting aches and hurts, long-term physical and emotional suffering, and even disability.

The search for safer, less expensive, and more effective ways to deal with pain lead many people to alternative treatments, from acupuncture and chiropractic to aromatherapy and herbal remedies. In fact, the best pain management systems include a combination of holistic practices, and herbology plays an important role.

Here are seven great herbs for natural pain relief:

Cayenne

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum) is a hot chili pepper used for culinary and medicinal purposes. A member of the Solanaceae family, cayenne peppers are native to the America’s. Cayenne is safe to use with prescription and over-the-counter medications to relieve arthritis and other pain. In liquid form, it soothes sore throat pain. Cayenne herbal creams reduce itching associated with various skin conditions. As a dietary supplement, cayenne helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

Echinacea

Echinacea, commonly known as purple coneflowers, belongs to the daisy family, Asteracaea. The North American herb has many medicinal uses. Known to lessen cold symptoms, it destroys harmful bacteria and viruses, enhances the immune system, reduces inflammation, and relieves pain. Its analgesic and anesthetic properties make it an effective ingredient in sore throat spray. Echinacea is typically taken as a capsule, root tea, or extract. 

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber) began as a South Asian spice. Sometimes known as rootstalks or rootstocks, ginger is a rhizome plant of the Zingiberaceae family. Most people eat ginger as a delicacy or spice, but it also has medicinal uses. Clinical research links ginger with reduced osteoarthritis and cancer pain. The herb is commonly used to treat nausea, vomiting, and upset stomach pain associated with motion sickness, pregnancy, and chemotherapy. Ginger is consumed as an extract, oil, capsule, or freshly-grated spice.

Kava

Kava, or kava-kava, is another natural alternative to pain medications. A South Pacific native, kava is a member of the Piperaceae, or pepper, family. The root of the kava plant has been used for centuries as a sedative, diuretic, and muscle relaxant. The herbal remedy relieves physical pain and promotes mental relaxation. Most people take kava as an extract, capsule, or herbal tea.

Skullcap

Also known as blue skullcap and hoodwort, skullcap (Scutellaria later flora) is a North American herb in the Lamiaceae, or mint, family. As an herbal remedy, skullcap is a mild sedative that promotes relaxation and sleep. Skullcap is considered an effective nerve tonic and is commonly used to treat anxiety and nerve pain. The herb is most often taken as a tea or tincture, although it is available in supplement form.

Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is another rhizome of the Zingiberaceae, or ginger, family. With roots in South Asia, turmeric is used for culinary and medicinal purposes. The ordinary kitchen spice is a simple pain remedy. Holistic medicine uses turmeric to treat arthritis, cancer pain, and skin conditions. While turmeric powder can be used to create a poultice, the best medicinal benefits come from the supplement.

Willow

Native to world’s Northern Hemisphere, willow (Salix) is a tree herb in the Salicaceae family. The leaves and barks of the willow tree have been used through the ages to treat aches, pains, and fevers. In fact, white willow is the original source of aspirin, as well as many arthritis and rheumatism medications. Willow is usually taken in capsule form or as an herbal tea.

Taking one or more of these herbs should help lessen the pain you feel and help you cope with life again, which is the main goal. If you decide to try these herbs, please let us know how you get on. Good luck!

credit to
http://www.herbwisdom.com/blog/index.php/2012/02/natural-pain-relief-herbs/

We suggest a host of other natural treatments, herbs and foods for pain management

How to Cleanse Your Body with 4 Natural and Free Detox Methods by Elizabeth Renter
September 22nd, 2012 | Updated 11/01/2012 at 3:38 am

Detoxifying your body is a way to rid it of both physical and mental/spiritual toxins. But, you don’t have to pay big bucks for ingredients to a crazy tea or supplement; you don’t even need to go on a special diet (assuming you already eat whole, natural foods). If you want to know how to cleanse your body using simple techniques, here are 4 simple and nearly free detox methods you can use everyday, and they only take a few minutes.

Carolanne Wright, writing for NaturalNews, suggests that these 3 solutions are a “magical trio” of affordable and simple detox tools. She notes that these three things can encourage a “healthy body, sparking mind, and balanced emotions.”

How to Cleanse Your Body - Breathe It’s natural and we all do it. But, did you know that conscious breathing can reduce stress exponentially, and deliver life-giving oxygen to all of the cells in our body? When we don’t give our attention to our breath, we are often only making use of a small portion of our lung capacity. This shallow breathing can create tense muscles and contribute to stress and fatigue. Deep breathing throughout the day releases these muscles and provides a mini-meditation. If you’re looking for how to cleanse your body on a more mindful level, this is how to do it.

While Write recommends kapalbhati as a specific mindful-breathing approach, any deep, mindful and controlled breathing technique can have major benefits. When you feel your chest constricting as the day goes on, or if you just need a break from the constant going of life,  stop and focus on your breath. Breathe in deeply, expanding your chest as your lungs fill, hold the breath for a few seconds, and slowly release it. As you do these breathing exercises, visualize the healing oxygen circulating throughout your body and rejuvenating your cells.

Brush A lesser known way of detoxing the body, dry skin brushing is another way to easily detox without spending too much money or time. This method stimulates the lymphatic and the immune system, while increasing circulation and sloughing off dead skin cells. All that’s required is a natural-bristled brush and a few moments of time. Brush your dry skin, going upwards towards your heart. Brush your legs, arms, abdomen and back, if you can as well.

Hydrate The easiest and most important method of detoxification is through hydration. Our bodies need water, they are water, and this life-giving fluid can flush toxins out of the digestive system, as well as all organs and cells within the body. Drinking water first thing in the morning is a great way to flush away toxins that have “accumulated during the night.” But don’t stop there, drink water throughout the day to keep your body running efficiently. If you get thirsty—you’ve waited too long. Keep water handy at all times and stay hydrated for optimal health.

It is important to note that the quality of water you drink is significant, has regular tap water is loaded with harmful chemical and contaminants. In fact, here is what your tap water looks like. You should buy your own high quality water filtration device or pure spring water. Alternatively, checkout the website Find A Spring to see if a pure spring is nearby.

And here’s how to cleanse your body using one more method.

Sweat One of the body’s most natural methods of removing toxins is sweating. Used in conjunction with other methods, like drinking water with lemon or juicing, sweating can greatly help with a detox. Exercising and venturing into a dry sauna are 2 great ways to sweat out the toxins. Additionally, consuming niacin, or vitamin B3, may be one of the best combinations with sweating. Your skin will flush and you may experience some discomfort, but the niacin will help to break up fat cells after used for several days and with increased dosage. Guess what’s in these cells? Toxins. When the toxins are released, they’re sweated out or removed via urine or the GI tract.


Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/how-to-cleanse-your-body-4-free-detox-methods/#ixzz2HtpduUGg