Stop. Take notice of your shoulders right now.
Yikes, if I’m honest, my shoulders are hiked way up to my ears. They’re tense, tight and way higher than shoulders should be.
That’s because I’ve been a little stressed lately. And I carry stress in my shoulders.
In years past, I carried a bottle of Advil with me at all times and popped a few pretty regularly. The tightness in my shoulders caused tension headaches and muscle pain on a regular basis.
Advil (and other NSAIDs) worked because it’s a COX-2 inhibitor.
COX-2 (or Cyclooxygenase 2) is an enzyme that is involved with causing pain and inflammation in areas of the body where damage or arthritis exists. A COX-2 inhibitor impedes the enzyme and alleviates inflammation and arthritis pain. (source)
I’ve since stopped taking Advil. Instead, I’m trying to focus on reducing stress (by actually dealing with what’s causing it! –that’s hard for me!), changing my posture, stretching and reducing inflammation in my body.
One natural way to reduce inflammation and pain in the body is with Turmeric Tea. I call it my Ant-Inflammi-Tea and drink a small cup of it on days I feel extra stressed or achy.
Turmeric Is A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory
Turmeric, the spice that gives yellow mustard its hue and curry its warm, peppery flavor, has been used as natural medicine for thousands of years. Ailments such as arthiritis, depression, diabetes, diverticulitis, fibromyalgia, fungal infections, headaches, memory loss, pneumonia, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcers and warts all benefit from this spice.
Turmeric is naturally high in a COX-2 inhibitor called curcumin. This is an anti-inflammatory that offers great relief for arthritis pain. Turmeric is pretty potent stuff, so you don’t need a ton!
It is most often found as a ground powder on the spice aisle, but turmeric root is slowly making its way into grocery stores! It looks a little like ginger…and a little like a fat, orange catepillar. Black pepper assists in the body’s absorption of turmeric’s beneficial properties, so when cooking with it, add a dash of freshly ground black pepper, too!
*BTW, people with gallbladder disease should not use turmeric as a dietary supplement (like taking it in pill form all the time) as it may aggrevate this condition. (source)
Ginger Is Also A Powerful Anti-Inflammatory…so I put it in my tea too
Ginger, an aromatic, spicy root, contains many therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory effects.
It is commonly associated with relieving gastrointestinal distress, but new studies point to ginger as a way to relieve inflammation. Ginger contains more than four COX-2 inhibitors–you know, the same stuff that’s found in NSAIDs?! Ginger is also known to suppress other pro-inflammatory compounds.
Ginger can be found in most, if not all grocery stores. Look for a tan root in the produce section.
Gelatin
Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen. This collagen is found in skin, bones and connective tissues from animals. Gelatin makes up “about 50% of the protein in an animal, but a much smaller percentage in the more active tissues, such as brain, muscle, and liver. 35% of the amino acids in gelatin are glycine, 11% alanine, and 21% proline and hydroxyproline.” (source)
Dr. Ray Peat says this about gelatin, “The degenerative and inflammatory diseases can often be corrected by the use of gelatin-rich foods.”
Coconut Oil
Studies have found virgin coconut oil to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. (source)
The tea.
I’ll be honest with you. It’s not my first beverage of choice. It’s pretty spicy, but when I feel achy, I drink it anyway. Desparation does that to you, right?!
So, here it is…my Anti-Inflammi-Tea…that is so dear to me…that makes me have to pee…Ok, I’ll stop. Three recipes are included for different taste buds…try ‘em all!
Anti-Inflammi-Tea #1
1/2 cup filtered water
a few slices of fresh turmeric (or 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric)
a few slices of fresh ginger
1 tsp.(up to 1 Tbsp.) good quality gelatin
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
raw, local honey, to taste
(dash of cinnamon, optional)
Boil filtered water. Remove from heat and add freshly sliced turmeric and ginger, freshly ground black pepper cinnamon, if using. Steep the ingredients in the hot water for 5 minutes. Pour (and retain) liquid though a fine, mesh sieve. After the liquid is strained, stir in 1 tsp. gelatin until dissolved. Then stir in the coconut oil. Add lemon juice and honey to taste.
Anti-Inflammi-Tea #2
1/2 cup coconut milk (how make your own homemade coconut milk)
a few slices of fresh turmeric (or 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric)
a few slices of fresh ginger
1 tsp.(up to 1 Tbsp.) good quality gelatin
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
raw, local honey, to taste (optional)
(dash of ground cinnamon, optional)
Over medium heat, warm coconut milk, freshly sliced turmeric and ginger, freshly ground black pepper cinnamon, if using. Once warm, steep the ingredients for 5 minutes. Pour (and retain) liquid though a fine, mesh sieve. After the liquid is strained, stir in 1 tsp. gelatin until dissolved. Add honey to taste if needed.
Anti-Inflammi-Tea #3
1/2 cup homemade bone broth (already contains good source of gelatin)
a few slices of fresh turmeric (or 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric)
a few slices of fresh ginger
1 tsp.(up to 1 Tbsp.) good quality gelatin(optional, since broth already contains good source of gelatin)
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Over medium heat, warm broth, freshly sliced turmeric and ginger, freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and steep the ingredients for 5 minutes. Pour (and retain) liquid though a fine, mesh sieve. After the liquid is strained, stir in 1 tsp. gelatin (if using) until dissolved.
As you drink this, relax your shoulders and try to relax!
What natural anti-inflammatory helps you?
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