Natural Remedies for Arthritis Pain

If you are like the 40 million Americans who suffer from arthritis pain, you've probably tried a number of medications to eliminate the pain. But did you know that there are foods that may actually reduce the inflammation and associated pain? Eating these foods on a regular basis may reduce or eliminate your need to continue the use of medications.

GINGER: According to the American College of Rheumatology (2001), the common household spice Ginger has been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory effects. In a study involving 29 people over a 12 month month period, Ginger was found to both reduce the swelling and the associated pain in patients who had Osteoarthritis of the knee. It should be noted; however that if you are taking a blood thinning medication, Ginger can also thin the blood. Caution is advised in combing Ginger with blood thinning medications.

OLIVE OIL: Extra Virgin olive oil acts much like the drug ibuprofen, the generic name for Motrin, as an anti-inflammatory. Although it does not provide immediate pain relief in the same way ibuprofen does, taken over a period of time, Olive Oil may have the same long term effect on inflammation as ibuprofen. Olive oil is also known to provide many other health benefits and promotes a healthy cardiovascular system. Daily doses of 2.6 gm resulted in a significant clinical benefit and reduced the need for other medication in the patients studied.( American College of Rheumatology 1994).