- Cajuput
- Red pepper
- (Capsicum, various
species).
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Red Pepper or Cajuput
contains a marvelous pain-relieving chemical--capsaicin--that is so potent that a tiny
amount provides the active ingredient in some powerful pharmaceutical topical analgesics.
One product, Zostrix, contains only 0.025 percent capsaicin. At this point, I don't know
(or care) whether cajuput's effectiveness is due to capsaicin's ability to interfere with
pain perception, to its ability to trigger release of the body's own pain-relieving
endorphins, to its salicylates, or to all three. All I know is that it works. You can buy
a commercial cream containing capsaicin and use that. Outside the United States, however,
people simply use red pepper. You can, too, at considerable savings. A hot pepper costs a
few cents, while capsaicin drugs cost a few dollars. You can mash a red pepper and rub it directly on the painful area. You can also
take any white skin cream that you have on hand--cold cream will do--and mix in enough red
pepper to turn it pink. Whether you use a cream or a hot pepper, be sure to wash your
hands thoroughly afterward: You don't want to get it in your eyes. Also, since some people
are quite sensitive to this compound, you should test it on a small area of skin to make
sure that it's okay for you to use before using it on a larger area. If it seems to
irritate your skin, discontinue use. |
- White
Willow
- (Salix, various species)
and other forms of natural aspirin.
|
I have no problem
with taking aspirin, since it was originally derived from an herbal source. It originally
came from compounds known as salicylates that occur naturally in White willow bark, and
wintergreen. Any of these herbs can be made into pain-relieving teas. Many salicylate-rich plants also contain methyl-salicylate,
an aspirin-like compound with a particularly pleasing smell. One is wintergreen. Another
is birch bark, once used by American Indians to make a tea that they drank or applied
externally to treat lower back pain. On occasion I have made such teas by throwing roughly
a handful of birch bark or wintergreen into a cup or two of boiling water and letting it
steep for about ten minutes. (Remember, though, that if you're allergic to aspirin, you
probably shouldn't use aspirin-like herbs, either.) |
- Wintergreen
|
Oil of wintergreen,
which is high in methyl-salicylate, also serves as a good pain reliever for external use.
It may be applied during massage. (Please make sure you keep oil of wintergreen out
of children's reach. It has a tempting aroma, but ingesting even a little can prove
fatal.) |
- Peppermint
- (Mentha piperita) and other
mints.
|
You will find the
compounds menthol and camphor in many over-the-counter backache medications. They are
chemicals that can help ease the muscle tightness that contributes to many bad backs.
Menthol is a natural constituent of plants in the mint family, particularly peppermint, spearmint,and eucalyptus
although the aromatic oils of all the other mints contain it as well. |
|
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Product Recommendations |
 |
- Ultra Strength - Non Staining. Pain
Relieving ointment for Sore Muscles, Overexertion, Joint pains, Backaches, Arthritis,
Stiffness, and Sprains. The key ingredients are: Oil of Cajuput, Cassia,
Clove, Mint, Menthol, Camphor.
|
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- Flex Max
- 2 tablets contains 600 mg. Chondroitin, 1010
mg. Glucomine.
- Special 50% off
-
 
|
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- 99.9 % Pure DMSO 90% Concentration
with 10% Aloe Vera
- $6.99
|
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- Pure Eucalyptus Oil
|
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