When thinking of how to treat arthritis most people overlook the wonderful natural treatments available. Because arthritis is a life long condition, many people want to find treatment options that are more natural. Finding treatment that you can stick with for the rest of your life is hard to do. Ginger is an excellent option for people who do not tolerate or cannot afford other drug options. It is a common food and beverage ingredient that people that have been using for centuries. Not only does it not cause the stomach upset that many anti-inflammatory drugs to, it is actually used to treat stomach upset.
Arthritis is something that touches the lives of most all of us, either because we suffer with it or a loved one is suffering with it. This condition is especially tough as it is chronic. Once you have it, it is not going to go away. So how do you treat something that you will have the rest of your life? Many people fear the long term use of most drugs used to treat arthritis. They worry about the side effect or the cost of these drugs. Some simply cannot tolerate the drugs, such as aspirin because they cause stomach problems in many. Still other find that they cannot find drugs that actually help the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis.
What is the solution to this problem? One solution I have recommended to patients that has yielded great results for many is ginger. Ginger is found in health food stores, pharmacies and even grocery stores. It comes in capsule form for convince, but some people simply buy the powdered spice and add ½ teaspoon to their morning oatmeal.
Most know of ginger for its stomach soothing properties. It has long been a remedy in homes and hospitals alike for upset stomachs and patients recovering from anything that involves the stomach. We all know about it and use it, but why? Ginger is great for soothing stomachs because it has anti-inflammatory properties. In other words, think of it as aspirins stomach friendly cousin. It also has benefits for the heart, like aspirin.
When my own mother was in her early 60's I convinced her to add ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties. She had high blood pressure and a family history of heart issues. She started taking it simply to humor her daughter and did not think anything else about it, till she ran out of it. I gave her a 6 month supply and when it ran out she stopped taking it. About 2 days later she started to notice that she was achy and was having a lot of pains all of a sudden. She told me that getting out of bed was now painful. I racked my brains about the sudden onset of her pain.
After some questioning she admitted that she had run out of ginger and so she stopped taking it. I restocked her supply. She once again started taking ginger and within a couple days she was virtually pain free again. Now when she starts running low she makes sure to get more and she convinced my grandmother to start taking it as well. Ginger is a low cost, low risk way to treat a debilitating disease. It is over the counter and easy to obtain. The best part about this "medication" is that is has stood the test of time. Generations have used it and loved it. It is a tasty ingredient in many treats and could just be the right ingredient for the recipe for your long term treatment of arthritis.
