Stop Chronic Pain Naturally in 2015 and Beyond

Young man suffering from severe belly pain,

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Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Unfortunately, too many of us just want to stop that pain signal without getting to the root cause. However, taking narcotic painkillers and those nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories can have devastating side effects, such as heart attacks, stroke, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Research shows that there are plenty of alternatives to these toxic drugs.

Chronic pain is best described as pain, any pain, which lasts longer than 3 months. Chronic pain doesn’t have to be debilitating to be considered chronic; any type of ongoing, relentless pain, whether mild or intense, is considered to be chronic pain.

To truly eliminate chronic pain, there are some things you should try first to be certain that these are not the cause of your pain. For other sources of pain, such as migraines or back pain, there are specific herbs that can help relieve pain while you trace the underlying reason.

This combination can make 2015 the year that you remove chronic pain from your life once and for all. Keep reading and find out what you need to do to pitch your pain and painkillers out the window and into the trash.

 

Foods to Eliminate

  One of the best ways to be certain that these common foods are not causing the problem is to eliminate them for 60 days. All of these foods place a toxic load on the body and are difficult to digest. Once you have eliminated them and you find your pain has disappeared, you can begin to re-introduce them into your diet one at a time until you discover which one(s) is the root of your problem.

  • All alcoholic drinks
  • All pork products
  • All forms of sugar, including high sugar fruits such as bananas
  • Caffeine
  • Peanuts
  • Nightshade foods such as tomatoes
  • Vinegars ( except for apple cider vinegar)
  • Legumes
  • Non-organic canola products
  • All corn and corn products
  • Non-organic, unfermented soy and soy products
  • All processed or unnatural ingredients such as MSG, artificial colors, artificial flavors, nitrates, etc.
  • Avoid drinking from plastic containers

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berries

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Cleansing Foods to Include

  There is no shortage of natural, healthy foods that can help to stop chronic pain, but these are often overlooked. Check the following list and dedicate at least 70 percent of your diet to these foods and more than likely you will find that your chronic pain will disappear on its own, almost as if by magic. Many people greatly underestimate the healing power of food.

  • Berries
  • Onions
  • Leafy green vegetables
  • Garlic
  • Turmeric
  • Peppers
  • Ginger
  • Granny Smith apples
  • Lemons and limes
  • Sea vegetables
  • Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli)
  • Fermented vegetables
  • Hemp
  • Coconut oil
  • Kefir
  • Cayenne peppers
  • Chlorella and spirulina
  • Aloe vera
  • Soaked chia seeds
  • Purified water
  • Herbal teas (decaffeinated)

Of course this list is not all inclusive, but it’s a terrific base from which to start. You should also begin a healthy lifestyle that includes getting plenty of fresh air and safe sun exposure, taking vitamin D supplements if you can’t get natural sunlight, practicing grounding, and removing stress from your life or managing stress through yoga or mediation.

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Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Now if you are living with a certain type of pain and you already know what’s causing it, then keep reading for some natural herbal painkillers that work particularly well with certain types of pain.

 

1. Lower Back Pain

Try Devil’s Claw. This natural pain reliever was used for thousands of years before it was introduced to Europe. Devil’s Claw, which has anti-inflammatory compounds, has been found to be just as effective as the prescription pain reliever Vioxx. 50 to 100 milligrams daily should work to relive most pain until your back heals. Find out exercises for lower back pain.

 

2.  Menstrual Cramps

Try vitamin E. Most cramping is caused from a hormone called prostaglandins, which cause the uterus to contract and spasm. The higher your level of prostaglandin, the more intense the cramps can be. You can naturally lower your body’s production of this hormone by taking vitamin E regularly. Try taking 400 IU about 5 days before your period is supposed to start and continue to take it through the first 3 days of your period.

 

SEE ALSO: Best Natural Remedies for Relief of Neck Pain

3. Arthritis Pain

Try fish oil. In a study done in 2009, people who had osteoarthritis were able to cut their prescription pain medication in half by consuming fish oil each day. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil decrease the chemicals in the joints that cause pain and inflammation.  Take 4 to 6 grams of a fish oil supplement that contains both DHA an EPA omega-3s.

 

4. Migraines

Try Butterbur Root.  Many migraines are caused by a release of chemicals in the brain that cause inflammation, which causes pain. When you interrupt the production of those chemicals, you will find relief from the intense pain migraines can cause. Butterbur root showed to be very effective in relieving migraine pain in 68 percent of the subjects as well as reducing the number of migraines by a minimum of 50 percent. Take 75 to 100 mgs twice per day, every day, for best results. Read more about migraines and how to avoid them.

 

5. General Body Pain

Try Wintergreen. This evergreen shrub is the only known plant besides birch that has methyl salicylate, which is the main ingredient in aspirin. Most Native American tribes used the leaves of this plant for general relief from pain. Studies involving wintergreen show that it has an effect similar to cortisone and has anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic compounds. Use wintergreen for muscle pain, regular headaches, muscle tension, stiff joints, and any type of pain that you would consider taking aspirin for.

Sources:

Healingthebody.ca

Organiclifestylemagazine.com

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