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Most people in the modern world wouldn’t think twice about popping an aspirin or acetaminophen. By the standards of just a couple hundred years ago, modern OTC medications are essentially miracle drugs – but people before the advent of modern medicine didn’t just have to sit back and suffer.
The use of natural remedies for inflammation and pain relief dates all the way back to the birth of human history, and many of the remedies you’ll find in health stores have been used for countless generations spanning culture and geography. But as our scientific knowledge has developed, we’ve learned how to maximize the impact of these natural remedies, determine which are the most effective, and learn how to maximize their potential.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a staple in many homes thanks to its versatile use as anything from a digestive aid to a tooth whitening agent to a general cleaning agent for your home. But an overlooked advantage of apple cider vinegar is its ability to reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing process.
You can thank the high concentration of antioxidants and vitamins in apple cider vinegar for that. It can be applied directly to the affected area or ingested either by itself or as part of a more balanced formula.
TENS
TENS – short for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator – is a relatively new approach to pain relief, but it’s still a natural choice. That’s because instead of relying on chemicals to change your pain receptors, it applies voltage directly to the area.
TENS devices function by stimulating the muscle on a cellular level – and while it doesn’t cause the root problem of the pain, it does confuse the receptors that allow our brain to recognize pain. TENS is an especially strong choice for athletes, but some existing conditions could produce unpleasant side effects.
Garlic
Some of the most pungent and recognizable ingredients in cooking also have a long legacy of being used as medicine. Garlic is one of these. It’s a highly nutritious food that can improve your memory and your bones, lower your cholesterol, and boost your immune system.
Its effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory comes down to the high saturation of sulfur and selenium. Each offers its own benefit. Sulfur offers directly anti-inflammatory properties, while selenium is anti-rheumatic – meaning it can reduce your risk for developing arthritis and the risk for existing arthritis to worsen.
Turmeric
We wouldn’t have curry as we know it today without turmeric, but this nutritional staple of the Indian subcontinent is also a legit powerhouse of a medicinal plant. This isn’t a recent discovery either. A book dating back to 250 BCE suggests the use of a turmeric-based ointment for the treatment of pain. But archaeological evidence of turmeric’s medicinal uses dates back all the way to roughly 2500 BCE.
Turmeric’s magic ingredient is curcumin – a compound that has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Some research indicates that turmeric can be just as effective as ibuprofen for handling pain and inflammation.
Hemp
Hemp-based products are dominating health supplement shelves right now, with the majority of them being derived from the compound known as CBD. Despite their association with marijuana, hemp and CBD are perfectly legal and safe to use, and they don’t produce a hallucinogenic effect as marijuana does.
Hemp can offer a huge boost to your overall health, but it can also be a meaningful way to manage your pain. Hemp is great for natural inflammation relief in its own right, but it can also boost the properties of other all-natural ingredients. The best pain relief formulas will use hemp as just one component in a blend of natural ingredients.