Turmeric and Other Anti-Inflammatory Spices

Inflammation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury or infection, often causing localized redness, swelling, pain, or heat. It may cause loss of function of the involved tissues. Acute inflammation is typically a protective and localized response to infection or injury. It’s designed to heal the body and restore normal tissue function.

Inflammation of the joints, including stiffness and swelling are common symptoms of arthritis.

If inflammation persists for a prolonged period of time, it becomes chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can be the result of an infection, autoimmune reaction, or allergy.

Anti-inflammatory foods and spices

Certain foods have been identified as anti-inflammatory. They may help to reduce chronic inflammation and pain. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, certain nuts, and even chocolate have all been acknowledged for their anti-inflammatory properties.

Research into exactly how well these foods reduce inflammation in the body is mixed, but promising. One easy way to incorporate anti-inflammatories into your diet is through the use of spices.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a brilliant yellow spice common in Indian cuisine that you can find in any grocery store. Turmeric has been used as a medicine for centuries to treat wounds, infections, colds, and liver disease.

StudiesTrusted Source have shown that curcumin, a compound in turmeric, may reduce inflammation in the body.

Ginger

Ginger is a zesty spice used in many cuisines. You can buy it powdered or as a fresh root in most supermarkets. Ginger has been used as a traditional medicine to treat stomach upset, headaches, and infections.

The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger have been praised for centuries, and scientific studiesTrusted Source have confirmed it.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a popular spice often used to flavor baked treats. But cinnamon is more than just a delicious additive in our cakes. StudiesTrusted Source have shown that the spice has anti-inflammatory properties, which can ease swelling.

Keep a good supply of cinnamon on hand and sprinkle it in your coffee or tea, and on top of your breakfast cereal.

Garlic

The anti-inflammatory properties of garlic have been proven to ease arthritis symptoms. A little bit can go a long way. Use fresh garlic in almost any savory dish for added flavor and health benefits.

If the taste is too much for you, roast a head of garlic for a sweeter, milder flavor.

Cayenne

Cayenne and other hot chili peppers have been praised for their health benefits since ancient times. All chili peppers contain natural compounds called capsaicinoids. These are what give the spicy fruit its anti-inflammatory properties.

Chili pepper is widely considered to be a powerful anti-inflammatory spice, so be sure to include a dash in your next dish. It has long been used as a digestive aid as well, so that’s an added benefit.

What are the symptoms of a hot back?

Hot back causes

Back pain is a common complaint in the United States. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives.

Muscles strains in the back generally produce dull, achy pain that can come on in spasms, especially with movement. But hot, burning back pain, which can occur anywhere in the back, is usually related to nerve issues.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

MS is a neurological disorder that causes damage to nerve fibers that run from the spinal cord to the brain. It also damages the substance that coats these fibers, called myelin. This damage alters the way signals traveling from the nerves to the brain and other parts of the body are interpreted.

The disease causes symptoms like weak and stiff muscles, tingling or numbness in the extremities, and pain. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 55 percent of people with the condition have significant pain. While the pain, which can feel like burning, is most often felt in the arms and legs, it can also be felt in the back.

Treatment includes:

• physical therapy
• muscle relaxers
• steroids

Compressed or pinched nerve

Nerves that run up and down the spine can become compressed (causing a burning pain) for a variety of reasons.

Herniated disc

The spine is made up of bones called vertebrae. Vertebrae are stacked on top of one another and separated by cushioning discs. A herniated disk, also called a slipped disc or ruptured disc, occurs when some of gel-like center of the disc seeps out, often due to aging or improper body mechanics.

Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosisis a narrowing of the spinal column — usually due to aging — that can cause pressure to build up on nerves.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is located in the lower back, branching into the buttocks and legs. The nerve roots that make up the sciatic nerve often become compressed because of a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. This is called sciatica.

Regardless of the cause, compressed nerves are generally treated with:

• rest
• ice
• physical therapy
• pain relievers or anti-inflammatories

Shingles

Shingles is an infection of the nerves of the body caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (the varicella-zoster virus, or VZV). Once you’ve had chickenpox, VZV can remain dormant in your body for decades. Experts aren’t exactly sure why the virus gets reactivated in some people, but when it does, it produces a burning, blister-filled rash that often wraps around the torso, affecting the back.

For many people, the pain subsides once the rash heals. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 60 percent of people older than 60 who get shingles have long-lasting pain, called post-herpetic neuralgia. Doctors treat the pain with:

• nerve blocks
• topical numbing medications
• antidepressants that have pain-relieving effects

Lyme disease

According to research published in the journal Current Infectious Disease Reports, up to 15 percentTrusted Source of patients with Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that is characterized by muscle aches, joint pain, and extreme fatigue, can have their nervous systems affected.

When Lyme disease infiltrates the nervous system, it can sometimes cause the nerve endings in the spine to become inflamed and irritated, leading to a burning sensation in the back. Lyme disease is generally treated with several weeks of oral or intravenous antibiotics.

Lumbar radiculitis

This is a condition that often stems from a herniated disc or arthritis of the facet joints in the spine (the joints that enable you to twist and bend). It causes irritation to the nerves of the lower spine, resulting in pain that’s burning and sharp. The pain can run from the lower back into the buttocks and legs, and is sometimes alleviated with a change in position.

Treatment consists of:

• physical therapy
• anti-inflammatories
• steroids

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is thought to be a disorder of the brain and central nervous system. Experts aren’t exactly sure what triggers it. It seems that the nerve endings in people with fibromyalgia may misinterpret and amplify pain messages.

While the condition causes widespread pain, frequently used muscles, such as those in the back, are often targeted. The pain can be aching but is also described as warm and burning. Common treatments are:

• pain relievers
• anti-inflammatories
• muscle relaxers
• antidepressants that also help manage pain.

At Home Treatments

Because burning pain can signal a nerve problem, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. But in the meantime, there are a few things you can do to ease discomfort.

• Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Follow package directions.
• Use ice packs on your back for the first few days after pain begins to bring down inflammation. Wrap the ice in a cloth and don’t leave it on for more than 20 minutes. Heat can be used after the initial inflammation subsides.
• Do not take to your bed for days at a time. Prolonged rest reduces circulation and causes muscles to atrophy and stiffen. Rest when you need to but make sure you also get up and move around.

How to Treat Back Pain at Home in natural way

Keeping your back happy

Back pain can interrupt your day or interfere with your plans. In fact, there’s an 84 percent chance that you will develop low back pain in your lifetime. But back pain isn’t always something you can ignore or wait for it to resolve on its own. Thankfully, there are several ways to treat back pain at home. These remedies include everything from herbs to massages. Keep reading to see how you can ease your back pain.

What causes lower back pain? »

Try oils and ointments to ease pain

There are plenty of pain rubs and ointments to help ease pain by blocking the sensation. For example, creams with capsaicin can desensitize the pain channels in the affected area. Other ingredients you can look for in topical creams include:

• ketoprofen (Diractin)
• ibuprofen (Nurofen or Dolgit)
• diclofenac (Voltaren)
• lidocaine (Lidoderm)
• cayenne
• comfrey
• Brazilian arnica

Research suggestsTrusted Source that topical medications may be just as effective as oral ones. Many of them worked significantly better than placebo. These medications can come in the form of gels, creams, patches, and more. One study also saw decrease in pain when people applied lavender essential oil or ointments prepared with cayenne peppers with acupressure.

Some other brand standards include Icy Hot or Tiger Balm. The effectiveness and side effects of each brand can vary from user to user. You may experience skin irritation with certain brands. Be sure to patch test (apply a small amount and wait 24 hours to see if you experience any side effects) before doing a complete application.

Massage can help sore or tense muscle

Gently massaging a sore or tense muscle is one of the most effective ways to loosen it up and relieve pain. One study found that massage therapy along with traditional treatment:

• reduces back pain
• improves back function
• lessens use of anti-inflammatory medications
• minimizes days in bed

They also found no difference between relaxation massages and structural massages, although structural massages tend to be more expensive.

Consider asking your partner or a close friend for a massage, if cost is an issue. You can also ask them to use medicated ointment for extra pain relief.

What to eat to ease back pain

There’s minimal evidenceTrusted Source that an alkaline diet improves low back pain. An alkaline diet involves eating foods that are less acidic. Foods that have grown in more acidic soils may have less calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

People have also used herbs and supplements to reduce back pain. One study found that the following herbs reduce back pain more than a placebo.

Devil’s claw: 50 or 100 mg daily

Willow bark: 120 or 240 mg daily

Always talk to your doctor before starting to use any herbal medicines. They may interact with your current medications and cause unintended side effects.

Stretches to improve your symptoms

Exercises are good for people who have low back pain. They can help restore muscles and protect you from future pain. Some exercises that are known to reduce symptoms are:

• walking on flat ground
• standing backbends
• Cobra pose
• pressups

Stretching can also loosen up tense muscles and strengthen those that need some help. Anytime you begin stretching, you should approach each step gently. Stop any stretching exercise that causes pain as forcing a stretch damage or cause strains.

You can also try starting your mornings with this 30 minute beginner yoga routine by Yoga TX. One studyTrusted Source shows that yoga can be as effective as physical therapy exercises in reducing back pain. Yoga incorporates many stretching maneuvers that can reduce muscle tension that increases back pain. Watch the series of movements below:

Adjust how you sleep

Spending a few nights on the floor with a pillow underneath your feet can really help your back, even if it might be a little trickier to stay sound asleep. If you’re a side sleeper, putting a pillow between your knees can help your muscles relax more.

Sleeping on your stomach can be bad for your back. If this is the only way you can fall asleep, the Mayo Clinic recommends placing a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis to prevent back strain.

When should you see a doctor?

While back pain often responds to at-home treatments, there are some symptoms that call for making an appointment with your doctor. These include:

• pain lasts longer than six weeks
• pain that gets worse, even after at-home treatments
• pain that wakes up you at night
• additional stomach pain
• pain accompanied by weakness, tingling, or numbness in the arms or legs.

For back pain that is so severe that you need prescription painkillers, be sure to follow the usage guidelines. These medicines may have more unwanted side effects in the long run. The National Safety Council reports that people who treat back pain patients with opioid medications are more likely to have back surgery.

It’s important to talk with your doctor when your back pain starts to interfere with your daily life. Help is available so you can enhance your mobility and reduce the days you are in pain.

Home remedies for acne

Many home remedies can help improve a person's acne pimples and sores. Home remedies for acne include gentle herbal creams and gels, essential oils, natural supplements, and some simple lifestyle changes.

Acne develops when pores become clogged or infected with bacteria. Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting around 80 percent of people in their lifetimes.

People can use specific home remedies to help balance the skin's oil levels, reduce inflammation, kill bacteria, and prevent future acne breakouts.

As yet, there is not much scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of most home remedies. In this article, we discuss the current evidence for some of the home remedies that people may find useful.

Home remedies for acne

Some of the most popular home remedies for acne involve the use of natural herbal extracts, many of which traditional medicine practitioners have used for hundreds of years.

Below, we discuss the best home remedies for acne, what the research says, and lifestyle changes that can help.

Jojoba oil

Jojoba oil is a natural, waxy substance extracted from the seeds of the jojoba shrub.

The waxy substances in jojoba oil may help to repair damaged skin, which means it may also help speed up wound healing, including acne lesions.

Some of the compounds in jojoba oil might help to reduce skin inflammation, which means it may reduce redness and swelling around pimples, whiteheads, and other inflamed lesions.

In a 2012 study, researchers gave 133 people clay face masks that contained jojoba oil. After 6 weeks of using the masks 2 to 3 times per week, people reported a 54 percent improvement in their acne.

How to use jojoba oil

Try mixing jojoba essential oil with a gel, cream, or clay face mask and applying it to acne. Otherwise, place a few drops of jojoba oil on a cotton pad and rub this gently over acne sores.

People can buy jojoba oil at health stores or online.

 Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, meaning it may reduce the appearance of acne and prevent acne breakouts.

Aloe vera contains lots of water and is an excellent moisturizer, so it is especially suitable for people who get dry skin from other anti-acne products.

In a 2014 study, researchers gave people with mild to moderate acne aloe vera gel and tretinoin cream, which is a common OTC acne remedy, to use for 8 weeks.

The participants reported a significant improvement in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne compared to people who used just tretinoin gel.

How to use aloe vera gel

Try cleaning the acne sores and then applying a thin layer of cream or gel with at least 10 percent aloe vera content.

Otherwise, people can moisturize with gels or creams that contain aloe vera. These are available to buy from health stores or online.

 Honey

Honey has been used to treat skin conditions, such as acne, for thousands of years. It contains many antioxidants that can help to clear waste and debris from clogged pores.

Doctors use honey in wound dressings because of its antibacterial and wound-healing properties.

How to use honey

Using a clean finger or cotton pad, rub a little honey into pimples. Otherwise, add honey to a face or body mask.

Garlic

Many traditional medicine practitioners use garlic to treat infections and boost the body's ability to fight germs and infections.

Garlic contains organosulfur compounds, which have natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Organosulfur compounds can also help to boost the immune system, which helps the body fight infections.

How to use garlic

To fight the inflammation and infections caused by acne, people can add more garlic to their diet. Some people chew whole garlic cloves, rub it on toast, or make it into a hot drink.

People can also buy garlic powders or capsules from most grocery stores and natural health stores.

Although many online sources recommend that people apply garlic directly to pimples, this may cause further skin irritation. Garlic can burn the skin, so always use it carefully.

Cold and Flu Home Remedies

Treat your cold at home

Being sick, even when you’re home in bed, isn’t fun. The combination of body aches, fever, chills, and nasal congestion can be enough to make anyone miserable.

There are plenty of home remedies that can alleviate your symptoms and get you back to normal. If you still feel sick after a few weeks, make an appointment with your doctor. If you have trouble breathing, have a rapid heartbeat, feel faint, or experience other severe symptoms, get medical help sooner.

Keep reading to see what cold and flu remedies you can conjure up at home.

Chicken soup

Chicken soup may not be a cure-all, but it’s a great choice when you’re sick. Research suggests that enjoying a bowl of chicken soup with vegetables, prepared from scratch or warmed from a can, can slow the movement of neutrophils in your body. Neutrophils are a common type of white blood cell. They help protect your body from infection. When they’re moving slowly, they stay more concentrated in the areas of your body that require the most healing.

The study found that chicken soup was effective for reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections in particular. Low-sodium soup also carries great nutritional value and helps keep you hydrated. It’s a good choice, no matter how you’re feeling.

Ginger

The health benefits of ginger root have been touted for centuries, but now we have scientific proof of its curative properties. A few slices of raw ginger root in boiling water may help soothe a cough or sore throat. Research suggests that it can also ward off the feelings of nausea that so often accompany influenza. For example, one studyTrusted Source found that just 1 gram of ginger can “alleviate clinical nausea of diverse causes.”

Honey

Honey has a variety of antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. Drinking honey in tea with lemon can ease sore throat pain. Research suggests that honey is an effective cough suppressant, too. In one study, researchers found that giving children 10 grams of honey at bedtime reduced the severity of their cough symptoms. The children reportedly slept more soundly, which also helps reduce cold symptoms.

You should never give honey to a child younger than 1 year old, as it often contains botulinum spores. While they’re usually harmless to older children and adults, infants’ immune systems aren’t able to fight them off.

Garlic

Garlic contains the compound allicin, which may have antimicrobial properties. Adding a garlic supplement to your diet might reduce the severity of cold symptoms. According to some research, it might even help you avoid getting sick in the first place.

More research needs to be done on the potential cold-fighting benefits of garlic. In the meantime, adding more garlic to your diet probably won’t hurt.

Echinacea

Native Americans have used the herb and root of the echinacea plant to treat infections for more than 400 years. Its active ingredients include flavonoids, chemicals that have many therapeutic effects on the body. For example, flavonoids can boost your immune system and reduce inflammation.

Research on the herb’s effectiveness at fighting the common cold and flu has been mixed. But one review suggestsTrusted Source that taking echinacea may lower your risk of developing the common cold by more than 50 percent. It may also reduce the length of a cold. If you’re a healthy adult, consider taking 1 to 2 grams of echinacea root or herb as a tea, three times daily, for no longer than one week.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in your body and has many health benefits. Along with limes, oranges, grapefruits, leafy greens, and other fruits and vegetables, lemons are a good source of vitamin C. Adding fresh lemon juice to hot tea with honey may reduce phlegm when you’re sick. Drinking hot or cold lemonade may also help.

While these drinks may not clear up your cold entirely, they can help you get the vitamin C that your immune system needs. Getting enough vitamin C can relieveTrusted Source upper respiratory tract infections and other illnesses.